2D Mobile Barcodes – A Definitive Guide · Some standard 2D barcode symbologies are in the public...
Transcript of 2D Mobile Barcodes – A Definitive Guide · Some standard 2D barcode symbologies are in the public...
White Paper ¬ 2D Barcodes
2D Mobile Barcodes – A Definitive GuideWhite PaperDecember 2010
2010 has already proven to be a very exciting year for mobile barcodes. More and more major players such as Sony Ericsson, Google, Fox, HBO and others are announcing their participation in mobile barcode initiatives and have come to recognize, or are beginning to recognize, their potential. Mobile barcodes are rapidly becoming a necessary mobile media element for brands, agencies and publishers to use to integrate into their home, online, television and print cross media initiatives, as well as within their own logistical enterprise solutions.
Throughout 2010, there have been many announcements for mobile barcode campaigns from cinemas, alcohol merchants, movie studios, the fashion industry, non-profits and print publishers. As the mobile barcode market continues to mature and grow both in the US and internationally, a number of different 2D barcode symbologies and methodologies have emerged. This white paper examines the mobile barcode options and recommends an approach for implementing into mobile initiatives.
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About 2D BarcodesA barcode is an optical representation of data that is printed as a machine-readable pattern. Product barcodes,
such as the UPC and EAN codes (see Figure 1.0) that are common in retail, are printed either directly on a
product, a product label, the retail shelf or the product’s packaging. Widely used linear barcodes, such as
the UPC and EAN product codes, are comprised of a sequence of vertical lines and spaces designed to be
read by a barcode reader programmed to extract (or ‘decode’) the data that the barcode pattern contains for
direct input into a Point of Sale (POS) register without the need for human keyed entry. Barcodes were first
used to automate the tracking of railroad cars, but were then widely adopted for consumer products when
they were first used to automate supermarket checkout systems to reduce the error associated with manual
keying at checkout and to automate inventory management.
By the 1990s the value of product barcodes had been firmly established
and they were increasingly used in a variety of new environments.
Product barcodes were rapidly becoming a necessary competitive
requirement in both retail and logistics. This first generation of
linear barcodes, however, could only contain a limited amount of
data and were almost exclusively used as a ‘license plate’ to point to
data associated with the ‘coded’ product in computer databases. The
codes were also subject to damage in that they could easily become
unreadable if they were marked or distorted. During this period a new
generation of 2D barcodes were invented that could both store more
information and also be read even when damaged.
A 2D barcode is a graphical image that stores unique information both horizontally - like 1D linear barcodes
- as well as in the vertical dimension. The incorporation of this additional dimension allows 2D barcodes
to store thousands of characters of data, substantially more than the ten to twenty character limit of their
1D predecessors. In addition to content, part of this extra capacity is usually used to store data correction
information that can be used to reconstruct any data that is lost through unintentional or intentional damage
to the barcode pattern itself. This is essentially the same technology that is used to restore damaged data on
computer disks and digital broadcasts. Since the data contained in the barcode is ‘digital’ the extra capacity
of mobile barcodes allows them to use this same error correction technology as well.
Today, most mobile devices come equipped with cameras. This allows the mobile device to be programmed
(via an application) to scan and decode 2D (and sometimes 1D) barcodes by capturing and then analyzing
and decoding a barcode image. 2D barcode can contain characters, and also URLs which, when entered into
the browser of an internet enabled mobile phone, can be used to connect directly to the website identified
by the 2D barcode as if that URL was typed into the browser by the user.
To the untrained eye, all 2D barcodes may look similar, however upon closer inspection they actually vary
significantly.
There are a number of different 2D barcode symbologies in various degrees of deployment globally. A
barcode symbology specification is a technical document that describes in great detail how a given barcode
pattern looks, works and needs to be printed so that it can be accurately decoded (or ‘read’) by software
running either on a mobile device or, in some cases, on a remote server. The mobile barcode’s specification
Figure 1.0. - UPC CodeSource: www.gs1.org
describes how to print and read the content of the message sent in a mobile code and unless it is rendered
and decoded following these instructions, the mobile code simply cannot be read.
Some standard 2D barcode symbologies are in the public domain, including QR (Quick Response), Data
Matrix and Aztec Code. These public domain codes are free to use by anyone and are sometimes called
non-proprietary symbologies. Their specifications are published subject to rigorous review and approval by
members of appropriate technical groups. Because of their unrestricted availability, many mobile barcode
reader applications (e.g. QR) are already widely available on a number of camera-equipped mobile handsets
as pre-installed standard features.
There are also other 2D barcodes that are specifically designed by private companies to serve as mobile
codes with their own particular decoding software and services. These are sometimes called proprietary
symbologies and include 2D barcodes such as EZcode, Microsoft Tag, BeeTagg, Upcode, Trillcode, Quickmark
and many others. In contrast to non-proprietary symbologies, like QR code, proprietary symbologies can only
be decoded by a software reader application provided or licensed by the company that developed it. They
are also the technical property of that company and, although likely to be technically sound, they are often
not subject to the rigor of technical peer review. Instead, the sponsoring company often provides ‘black box’
mobile code generator and decoding software that incorporates the symbology’s encoding and decoding
specifications and which can be incorporated in another application.
For both non-proprietary and proprietary symbologies alike, the number of users that can ‘read’ a mobile
barcode is determined by the number of mobile devices equipped with cameras as well as those running
decoding software for a particular symbology. This is an important metric for brands and publishers since
it determines the reach of their mobile barcode initiative. Decoding software must either be preinstalled
and come with the handset or downloaded and installed later by the consumer. Because of the lack of
interoperability of proprietary barcodes, a company promoting a p roprietary symbology must convince the
handset manufacturer or a mobile carrier to preinstall their client application, or convince users to download
and install it later. Barcode scanning software for reading non-proprietary symbologies, like QR for example,
is increasingly being incorporated as a standard feature of camera-enabled mobile handsets, particularly
smart phones. NeoMedia encourages the use of non-proprietary symbologies given their open access and
ease of use.
QR code versus Data MatrixData Matrix and QR (Quick Response) 2D barcode symbologies were both developed around the same time.
A Data Matrix (see Figure 1.1) barcode can hold up to about three
thousand alphanumeric characters. The Data Matrix barcode symbol
looks like a square containing a binary matrix of cells each of which
contain a space or a dot. Although Data Matrix codes are usually square
they can also be re ndered as rectangles in some limited configurations.
The Data Matrix symbology was originally designed for all kinds of
product marking, including non-printing technologies using etching
and impact marks. Since it can easily contain URLs it is also widely used
as a mobile barcode symbology.
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Figure 1.1. - Data Matrix CodeSource: NeoMedia
A QR Code (see Figure 1.2) can hold up to about four thousand
alphanumeric characters and was specifically designed for use with
mobile camera phones as well as other machine vision applications. A
QR code is also square and contains three smaller square ‘landmarks’
that are used to find and orient the QR pattern for decoding on camera-
equipped devices. As is the case with Data Matrix codes, since a QR
code can easily contain URLs, they are widely used, especially in Asia, in
mobile code applications.
Regardless of the particular 2D barcode symbology used, all 2D barcodes can encode URLs and enter them,
as if keyed, into web browsers or messaging applications on suitably equipped mobile devices. This means
that they are ideally suited to serve as mobile codes.
Direct versus IndirectThe terms ‘direct mobile codes’ and ‘indirect mobile codes’ are frequently used when discussing mobile
barcodes. What do these terms mean?
A direct barcode simply contains the URL address of the content associated with that code. After scanning
the barcode using a mobile device’s camera, it is then decoded by software running on the mobile device
which sends the extracted URL to the mobile device browser. The mobile device browser then displays the
information from the site identified by the URL as if the URL had been keyed into the phone by a user. This
is a simple mobile code method to deploy and direct codes are supported by many mobile devices and by
virtually every reader application in the market, including NeoReader™.
Direct barcodes do have a few drawbacks, however. They may be larger than indirect barcodes since they
need to contain all of the characters in a URL (e.g. ‘www.neom.com’) where indirect barcodes only need to
contain a few characters that point to the information in a database (an index). All things being equal, if you
have more characters you need a larger code to represent them.
With direct barcodes the reader merely decodes the URL and does no other processing. Although this may
sound like a good idea at first, it also means that the barcode sponsor cannot easily measure them. You cannot
count them, see where they came from, see when they were scanned or see where they were scanned. The
key analytical information is not available. The direct barcodes are simply the machine readable equivalent
of printed URLs that the receiving web server sees as if they were typed. In fact, the receiving web server
cannot tell the difference between typed and scanned URLs without adopting some additional conventions.
In contrast, indirect barcodes usually just contain an index to a database that contains information associated
with that code. The mobile code is read in the same way as a direct barcode, by taking a picture of it with
the mobile device’s camera. It is then decoded by software running on the mobile device, e.g. NeoReader
that creates a URL to a web address specified in the application that contains that index and then sends it on.
When the URL arrives at that address, a process running on that server at the site extracts that URL, and any
other information that the client sent, and then looks up either the information associated with the index or
another URL to information associated with the index and returns it to the user’s mobile device. The device
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Figure 1.2. - QR CodeSource: NeoMedia
browser then displays this information or instead redirects to the site specified in the returned URL.
Indirect codes have several advantages including:
¬ They can be much smaller than direct codes since they only need to contain the index.
¬ Since they must pass through a server they can be managed.
They can be turned off, directed to new content, and metrics can be compiled.
¬ They are also more difficult to ‘spoof’ or ‘hijack’ (i.e. the mobile code links to one site but actually link
to another; e.g. ‘Coke’ to ‘Pepsi’) since they only contain an index and the server which processes it is
determined by the software running on the mobile device and not by the code itself.
¬ The client application on the phone can be programmed to collect opt-in information, like phone and
user ID, location and user demographic and psychographic (attributes relating to personality, values,
attitudes, interests or lifestyles) preferences, and to incorporate this information into the URL that it
creates and then sends to the server. These parameters can then be used by the server as both metrics and
also to selectively route information tailored to a particular scan ‘transaction’. For example, particular
information and offers can be targeted to a user based upon their location, the time of day, what item
was scanned and even their demographic and psychographic opt-in information (e.g. send me the link
to the college planning video instead of the link to the retirement planning video from the same mobile
code in the same financial services ad based upon my age as supplied as an opt-in parameter).
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Figure 2.0. - Direct BarcodeSource: NeoMedia
Figure 2.1. - Indirect BarcodeSource: NeoMedia
Indirect codes do however have two limitations. First, they require that an enhanced reader client is installed
on the phone capable of creating a ‘new URL’. This means that the reach of an advertiser is limited to those
phones where the client has already been either preinstalled or downloaded by the user. Second, they
depend on the reliability and performance of the code resolution network. This means they are harder to
deploy because a process or system is needed to assign index values to URLs. Even if the client is installed on
the phone, if there is no server at the URL address, then the index on the code cannot be resolved.
Partial Indirect, often referred to as Managed Direct
There is also a third kind of mobile barcode, sometimes called a ‘partial indirect’ or ‘managed direct’ barcode,
that provides many of the best features (and some of the limitations) of both direct and indirect mobile
codes. Referring to this type of mobile barcode as a version of ‘direct’ is in fact a misnomer, in that any
barcode that includes an index and thus requires a resolution server, is by definition ‘indirect’. Thus, the term
‘partial indirect’ is the more accurate description.
A partial indirect barcode contains a fully formatted URL so it can be read, like a direct code, by any mobile
code reader that is capable of reading a mobile code’s symbology (e.g. in the case of QR mobile codes, any
QR reader), but it also contains an index, so that when it is sent to the site indicated by the URL it functions
as an indirect code.
Partial indirect mobile barcodes have the advantages of not requiring a specific preinstalled or downloaded
client and of being intermediated by the server designated in the mobile code’s URL, so they can be both
monitored and managed. But they have the disadvantages of being larger, unless carefully designed (because
they contain both the URL and the index – more characters), and of not providing ancillary profiled routing
information that is passed with the URL such as psychographics and demographics, if they are not processed
by a client application on the mobile device, since this transaction-specific information is not contained in
the code URL.
One approach is to use partial indirect barcodes to provide universal reach (e.g. to phones equipped with
any QR reader) but to invite the consumer to download the reader application in order to attract indirect
barcode clients capable of collecting and passing transactional information to the server.
Open versus Proprietary versus StandardizedThe terms ‘open’ and ‘proprietary’ can be confusing since they are often used to refer to the physical encoding
of a mobile barcode (its symbology, e.g. QR), the content of a mobile barcode (its payload, e.g. an index value
versus a URL) or both. In order for an ecosystem to be truly ‘open’, all participating codes must be capable
of being decoded by all participating client applications. This means that each participating application
must be able to read both the symbology of each participating mobile barcode and to determine from the
payload if it should be processed by their service or another participating service, and then be appropriately
forwarded to that service.
For example, a mobile barcode could be rendered in a common ‘open’ non proprietary symbology, such as
QR, and be supported by all participating mobile clients. Or each participating client could include decoders
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for all participating symbologies, including those that are proprietary. Similarly, the participating services
would either all have to agree on an explicit syntax or a heuristic one so that the processing client could
determine from the decoded payload which participating service was intended to process that particular
code and then either process it themselves or forward it to another participating party. Finally, members of
the consortium could also standardize on a syntax to communicate opt in transactional and user information,
as well as the identity of the processing client for accounting and remuneration purposes.
For someone wishing to use mobile barcodes to advertise or promote their business, however, it may just be
all about reach. In order to effectively deploy mobile barcodes, mobile code sponsors (e.g. advertisers and
publishers) need to know that their mobile codes can be read by their target audience. They often just want
to know that any prospective customer can read their mobile code with whatever camera-equipped mobile
device they happen to be using.
From the perspective of reach it could be argued that a truly open approach would be to simply use QR direct
codes that contain only a URL which can then be read by any mobile device equipped with a QR reader and a
web browser, without requiring a proprietary reader at all. If a proprietary reader happens to read QR codes
then that would work as well. This increases a mobile barcode sponsor’s reach to the largest audience since
most, if not all, mobile devices either come already equipped with a QR reader or can download a reader
capable of reading direct codes. However, as already discussed, direct mobile codes may not be a sponsor’s
best implementation as they have the limitation of not being easily monitored, maintained or protected. .
In contrast, a truly proprietary approach would require all mobile code sponsors to standardize on one
proprietary symbology, such as EZcode or Tag. This could severely limit their reach to the number of mobile
devices already running a given company’s proprietary application. This means that sponsor reach will be
limited unless the proprietary symbology that they select becomes a de-facto standard or they are fielding
an enterprise application where they can dictate which reader is deployed and used.
A compromise is a standardized approach where sponsors and proprietary vendors collaborate to allow all
codes to be scanned by all suitably equipped mobile devices, thereby creating an open mobile barcode
ecosystem with maximum functionality and maximum reach. One way to do this is to require all mobile
barcodes in the ecosystem, including proprietary barcodes, to contain an interchange syntax that can be
read by all participating proprietary applications in order to determine if it is theirs or not and, if not, to then
send it to an identified routing service, so that it can be sent to the appropriate mobile code service provider
for processing. This approach requires that all participating proprietary mobile barcode service operators
issue codes with this interchange syntax and also modify their client applications to process it, so that all
mobile codes can be appropriately routed. This kind of approach is currently being promoted by Neustar
with their Mobile Barcode Clearinghouse Service.
Another approach, and NeoMedia’s recommendation, would be to standardize partial indirect barcodes, so
that each contains both the URL address of the service designated to process that particular code and an index
value to be used by that service. One advantage of this approach is that it does not require an intermediary
service, and in fact, even works with mobile devices equipped with simple QR readers without proprietary
clients. Proprietary clients could also be modified to append opt in transaction and user information to the
forwarded URL in a defined syntax by participating mobile code services. The syntax could also be defined to
include the identification of the originating client to facilitate payment for ecosystem consortiums.
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Industry agreement on open standards and interoperability will be particularly important for the continued
adoption of mobile barcodes. The majority of key players in the 2D barcode ecosystem are committed to
working closely with standards bodies to help overcome the hurdles to broad scale market development.
Brands are interested in scale and are not interested in proprietary solutions. An open and interoperable
approach to the market to empower the mobile ecosystem will be required to drive the industry forward.
NeoMedia is fully supportive of the work of the standards organizations and feels that a collaborative
approach by industry is the only way to propel the market forward in a meaningful way.
2D barcode best practices As with any other form of marketing, brands and agencies must follow best practices in order to implement
a successful barcode campaign to maximize the probability for success. In the case of mobile barcodes the
best practices consist of six key elements, although there are others associated with specific media channels
as well.
¬ Planning ahead
Mobile barcodes should be an integral part of any overall mobile campaign and be incorporated into
digital and traditional media as a key element of the campaign. This will help to ensure that interactivity
is a seminal element of the campaign itself and not simply added as an afterthought. A plan for longer
term consumer engagement should also be established as part of the overall campaign objectives. There
is no point in establishing an interaction and then not following up and maintaining the dialogue with
the consumer once direct communication has been established.
¬ What‘s in it for the customer?
Consumers generally only opt in to receive communications from brands when they perceive that it will
be of value to them, whether that be in financial terms, by means of giveaways or discounts or in the
form of less tangible services based on entertainment and utility. Access to relevant content, discount
coupons, or exclusive information can all help grab consumer attention and encourage interaction.
This tried and tested marketing strategy is a great way to increase your user base and will promote user
participation in your campaign, so be sure that your mobile barcodes marketing campaign brings value
to the consumer in a form suitable for both your brand and campaign.
¬ Design & Placement
The design of an advertisement is of paramount importance to ensure a strong response from targeted
consumers. The incorporation of mobile barcodes in the overall design of an advertisement or
publication should be given as much consideration and attention as other elements of the design. For
example, the appropriate placement of a mobile barcode, so that its function is known and it is easy to
identify and scan, is a key element of design. Mobile barcodes should be placed prominently on a page,
on a flat surface and away from folds or other features that might hamper scanning. One should also
allow ample white space around the mobile barcode to ensure ease of scanning. Mobile barcodes, with
the exception of certain proprietary mobile barcodes that use color (e.g. Microsoft Tag), should also be
printed in black and white to facilitate scanning by the majority of camera equipped mobile devices and
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their mobile code readers. As the quality and resolution of mobile cameras varies by models, a 1“x1“
print specification is recommended.
¬ Open Standards
In order to ensure the optimal and repeat user experience that is the hallmark of a technology that ‘just
works’ instead of ‘getting in the way’, it is important that brands and agencies deploy their solutions
using global, open standards as the use of proprietary solutions may curtail universal customer access
and therefore thwart market penetration.
¬ Education
Consumers are often willing to adopt new technologies but marketers must deploy these technologies
in ways that make them as transparent and as easy to use as possible. Since mobile codes are new to the
mass market, particularly in the West, this means that brands may need to place descriptive copy next
to a mobile code in order to explain what the mobile code does. This may include information regarding
how to download a reader, how to scan the code, and what the result of scanning the code will be. This
will help to facilitate and encourage consumer participation.
¬ Test and Test again
Consumers will be deterred from using mobile codes if they initially have an unsatisfactory experience.
So-called ‘dead links’, where scanning a mobile code does not return any information or the wrong
information can be damaging, not only to a given campaign, but to the adoption of mobile code
marketing in general. In order to avoid this, mobile codes used in a promotional piece should be tested
using a variety of mobile code applications running on a variety of camera equipped mobile devices. It
is also important to make sure that the content linked to a given mobile code is optimized for display
and presentation on the anticipated mobile devices that will be used during the campaign.
¬ Analytics – Evaluate your campaign
Appropriate analytics can provide vital insight into the effectiveness of a campaign, including important
time and location usage metrics. This allows brands to make better advertising purchase decisions and
optimize their messaging for mobile codes. The importance to marketers of being able to effectively
track and measure mobile code campaigns cannot be overestimated. The ability to analyze and measure
this data can be effectively used to increase the success and ROI of future campaigns and further ensure
optimal customer engagement.
¬ Consumer Engagement – Plan for it
Once an initial interaction with your consumer has taken place, it is important to continue the dialogue,
adding value throughout every interaction. Continued consumer engagement should be a key
benchmark in determining the overall success of your campaign, so planning for it early on will only
serve to bolster consumer satisfaction with your campaign.
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The convenience and opportunities that mobile barcodes offer to brands, enterprises and consumers alike; answering the need for information on the go, interactivity, measurability and traceability; will ensure that the market for mobile barcodes will continue to grow. We are already seeing impressive adoption of mobile codes by brands, handset manufacturers and mobile service operators for use in mobile marketing and advertising campaigns. We expect that this will continue to grow as barriers to adoption, such as consumer awareness, education and handset integration, are increasingly overcome. As major players such as Google, Facebook and eBay begin to offer mobile barcode solutions to their customers, we expect that the adoption of mobile codes will accelerate in all aspects of everyday life.
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Glossary
2D Barcode: a graphical image that stores information both horizontally, similar to 1D linear barcodes, as
well as vertically. Incorporation of both dimensions allows for significantly more data to be stored within
the code. Also known as a mobile barcode.
Aztec Code: a commonly available 2D barcode type that is square in shape on a square grid with a square
central bull’s eye finder. Developed for ease of use in printing and decoding.1
Client / Client Application: an application or system that accesses a remote service on another computer
system, called a server, by way of a network.2
Data Matrix Code: a commonly available 2D square-shaped barcode containing a binary matrix of cells,
each of which contains a space or a dot. Can sometimes be rendered as rectangles. Originally designed for
broad product marking use, including non-printing technologies using etching and impact marks.
Direct Mobile Code: a code containing the URL address of the desired content. Once scanned by a user’s
mobile camera, it is then decoded by software running on the mobile device which sends the extracted URL
to the mobile device browser.
Indirect Mobile Codes: a code containing an index to a database that holds information associated with
that code. The mobile code is read in the same way as direct barcodes, by taking a picture with the mobile
device’s camera. However, once read, it is then decoded by software running on the mobile device that
then generates a URL to a web address specified in the application that contains that index and then routes
accordingly.
Mobile barcode: see 2D Barcode definition.
NeoReaderTM: developed by NeoMedia, it is a universal barcode scanning application that transforms the
mobile phone into a barcode scanner that allows the user to access mobile web content by scanning codes
from print ads, publication, packaging, billboards, retail display, broadcast media, or any other medium.
Non Proprietary / Open Symbology: Participating applications that are able to read both the symbology
of each participating mobile barcode and to determine from the payload if it should be processed by their
service or another participating service, and then be appropriately forwarded to that service. Example: QR
Codes.
Partial Indirect / Managed Direct Codes: a code containing both a fully formatted URL so it can be read,
like a direct code, by any mobile code reader that is capable of reading a mobile code’s symbology and an
index, so that when it is sent to the site indicated by the URL it functions in the manner of an indirect code.
Proprietary Symbology: Barcodes specifically designed by private companies to serve as mobile codes with
their own particular decoding software and services. These barcodes may only be decoded by a software
client provided or licensed by the company that developed it. Example: EZCode, Microsoft Tag.
1 Source: http://www.adams1.com/stack.html and United States Patent 5,951,5962 Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client_%28computing%29
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Quick Response (QR) Code: a square-shaped code containing three smaller square ‘landmarks’ that are used
to find and orient the QR pattern for decoding on camera-equipped devices. Able to house roughly four
thousand alphanumeric characters and designed specifically for use with mobile camera phones as well as
other machine vision applications.
Symbology: a technical document that describes in great detail how a given barcode pattern looks, works,
and should be printed so that it can be accurately decoded by software running either on a mobile device
or, in some cases, on a remote server.
UPC / EAN Code: a product code comprised of a sequence of vertical lines and spaces designed to be
automatically scanned and read by a point of sale register. These codes have been widely used since the
1950s and are commonly printed directly on a product, a product label, the retail shelf, or the product’s
packaging. Also referred to as 1D barcodes.
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NeoMedia Technologies Inc.
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www.neom.com
About NeoMedia
NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. is the global market leader in 2D mobile
barcode technology and infrastructure solutions that enable the mobile
barcode ecosystem world-wide. Its technology platform transforms
mobile devices with cameras into barcode scanners, enabling a range
of practical and engaging applications including consumer oriented
advertising, mobile ticketing and couponing, and business-to-business
commercial track and trace solutions.
NeoMedia’s suite of products, services and extensive IP portfolio means it
is the only provider able to offer customers a comprehensive end-to-end
mobile code solution. NeoMedia’s current customers include handset
manufacturers, platform providers, brands and agencies looking to offer
pioneering mobile barcode solutions to their customer base.
NeoMedia’s product portfolio includes: mobile barcode management
& infrastructure solutions, barcode reader solutions, Mobile Coupon &
Affiliate Marketing, Mobile Ticketing & POS Integration and IP Licensing.
Learn more at www.neom.com.