Microsoft's second iPhone app; Interactive bar codes |
Register here for our next TechFlash Live networking event, March 23, featuring an expert panel discussing the future of online advertising.
Today On Techflash
- Legal troubles mount for ex-Minecode CEO
- March Madness at the office hogs bandwidth
- Blue Nile sues rival for stealing photos
- An inside look at SEC filings
- GoAhead embraces open source
- RealGames resets strategy, adds new execs
- Microsoft ranks No. 1 in patents
- Amazon seeks Unpay trademark
- PS3 Natal spoof: Hilarious, and misleading
- How to find your seed investor
Tech Events
Mass High Tech
Microsoft's second iPhone app; Interactive bar codes
Microsoft has introduced its second iPhone application in the past month, a free service called Tag Reader that allows users to snap photos of interactive 2D bar codes and immediately be transported to more information. (Maps, videos, music, promotions, etc.) That means mobile phone users don't have to type in long URLs from a mobile browser.
One can imagine a number of real world uses of the technology. For example, a museum could place one of the interactive tags next to a painting. An iPhone user with Tag Reader installed could then take a photo of the bar code and be transported to a video of how the artist created the work.
The introduction of Tag Reader follows the debut of Seadragon Mobile, a photo zoom and browsing technology that was Microsoft's first iPhone application. At the time of the release of that app, TechFlash reported that the iPhone presented some interesting business issues for Microsoft since the popular device competes directly with its Windows Mobile operating system.
More information on Tag Reader on this informational site, which describes how publishers and other businesses can incorporate the mobile tags into billboards, print ads and other media.
"Make your offline media more effective, more measurable, more immersive, and more fun," the company writes. "Turn your advertisements, media, signage, packaging or storefronts into interactive experiences." The bar codes can be printed and then displayed on a number of surfaces.
Microsoft dubs the technology behind the product High Capacity Color Barcodes or HCCBs. Developed by Microsoft Research, the the bar codes -- which use geometric patterns and various colors -- can store twice as much information as traditional 2D bar codes, the company says.
Hat tip to Neowin.net, which notes how the technology is similar to QR Codes.
About Todd Bishop
Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle.
READ FULL BIOGRAPHYRecent Sponsor Posts
Seattle University Software Engineering
Chinwe Okeke (MSE’08) pursued her graduate degree while working as a developer and technical analyst for the Boeing Company. She picked the SU-MSE program for small class sizes and real world learning opportunities offered through the academic service-learning and capstone projects.
The MSE program at Seattle University is geared for working professionals with classes offered in the evenings. The program builds upon the computing experience of its students and offers courses in a variety of technical and management areas of software engineering, with an emphasis on teamwork and a disciplined approach to problem solving.
Marchex is one of Seattle’s largest ad technology companies with 300+ employees providing call and click based performance marketing products, and managing over $100m in ad budget for tens of thousands of advertisers. Our customers range from local businesses to the Fortune 500.
Our talented and creative product engineering group is hiring.
If you are an innovative software design engineer interested in solving difficult problems at scale, across a wide array of technologies from Lucene to Hadoop to Asterisk and SIP then we’d love to hear from you!
Apply now.
Technology Tax Planning – Did You Take The Deduction?
Technology companies require professional advisors who can assist in all aspects of the business. The BDO Technology Practice provides a full range of services tailored to help address the changing needs of domestic and international companies. In addition to core audit and tax services, BDO professionals can assist technology companies with:
· Revenue recognition
· Business combination accounting
· R&D tax credits
· Compensation and benefits
· Business valuations
Backed by 38 national offices and an international network in 110 countries, we have the domestic and global footprint to serve growing technology companies. Contact sphilpott@bdo.com (audit partner), mreeves@bdo.com (audit partner), psmith@bdo.com (tax partner), tzambito@bdovaluation.us.com (valuation), tfiscus@bdo.com, Director, 206.624.2020
Job Listings
- Principal Program Manager - Health Solutions Group - 711442
- Microsoft Corporation
- Software Development Engineer, Senior - SQL - External - 708993
- Microsoft Corporation
- Senior Staff Engineer - Printer & Scanner
- Intellectual Ventures
- Account Executive- Hospital - WA/OR
- RF Technologies
- Installer / Technician
- Northstar Broadband
