TESCO’s USA Operations Go Live Fresh ... And Easy

TESCO's fresh & easy Logo - Image Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.

TESCO’s USA Operations Go Live Fresh ... And Easy
(UPDATED April 1, 2008)

TESCO’s website that is a cornerstone for the ambitious effort to establish a new brand and way of convenience store positioning went live and online yesterday.

With this site, TESCO hopes to establish a communications link between its fledgling Fresh & Easy brand of neighborhood convenience food stores and labeled consumer products.

The site -- www.freshandeasy.com -- offers a background on the company, insight into its strategy and philosophy, and hints at what shoppers can expect from its stores. The company's purpose: "We're here to create value for our customers and earn their lifetime loyalty," states the information found at the site.

Further, with this first cornerstone of consumer communications launched, TESCO establishes that Fresh & Easy is more than just another website in support of a business operation … the website reflects the importance of a node of information that can be easily accessed and beyond just product promotion. It is important to note that the Fresh & Easy website is live before even one store is opened. It reflects a commitment to process and intent to become truly “Fresh & Easy”.

A Good Neighbor - Image Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.

Excerpts from Convenience Store News -

Tesco Goes Online in U.S.
Progressive Grocer via Convenience Store News – April 18, 2007

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market now has a Web site dedicated to providing consumers with company news and information about its stores, culture and philosophy, reported Progressive Grocer, sister company to Convenience Store News.
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"It seems obvious. People want fresh, healthy food. People want things to be easy. So we're making our stores that way. How? By filling them with friendly people and high-quality food at affordable prices," the home page states. "Because we're a good neighbor who cares about the environment, we're including energy-efficient equipment in every store. And since we'll be right in the neighborhood, we'll help reduce our customers' travel time and boost local trade."

Along with a newsroom with current and past press information about the company, information on the site includes sections showcasing:

- The Fresh & Easy shopping experience and information on the Fresh & Easy line of products;

- The company's commitment to minimize its impact on the environment;

- The company's commitment to being a good neighbor;

- What it means to be a part of the Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market team and details on the application process; and

- A "Your Thoughts" area, where consumers can provide feedback about the company or its stores.

Where We Are - Image Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.

"As we prepare to open stores in neighborhoods throughout the West, we [want] to provide consumers with a tool to learn more about Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market and the opportunities that will be coming into their communities later this year," said Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason.
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As planned stores open in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas, specific store locations and details will also be available on the site, the report stated.

Tesco CEO Terry Leahy said earlier this week that he is "increasingly encouraged" by the prospects for success in the U.S. with the new format. Leahy told Reuters the company's startup costs for the U.S. operation were around 65 million pounds ($129 million). He also said he anticipates the U.S. business to be profitable in its third year.

The chain also reported a record 2.55 billion pounds ($5.1 billion) in annual profit, and doubled the amount of its cash dividend to shareholders, Progressive Grocer reported.
Read All>>

The only application left that would really complete the "fresh & easy" information circle would be to launch a compatible Physical World Hyperlink symbology strategy that would direct cellphone users to the information on their site.



UPDATE - June 21, 2007:

TESCO fresh&easy Store Design Concept - We've tried to come up with a distinctive and attractive building which would be a welcome addition to any neighborhood, create the right environment for a fresh&easy shopping trip, but also be much more energy-efficient than a standard store. Hopefully, we've managed to achieve all three. Image Credit: fresh&easy blog

This from a news conference with TESCO in San Diego:

Tesco's Fresh & Easy Reveals San Diego Plans
Store locations and consumer research discussed at press conference.
Convenience Store News Daily - June 21, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- Tesco unveiled seven locations for San Diego-area Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores here yesterday, in addition to details of its research into the consumer market.

The seven sites in the San Diego-area have already been secured and additional locations are being researched, the company stated. The San Diego-area locations include:

• Campo & Kenwood, Casa de Oro
• Catalina & Cannon, Point Loma
• East Vista & Vale Terrace, Vista
• East H & Tierra Del Ray, Chula Vista
• Lake Murray & Navajo, San Diego
• Main & Ammunition, Fallbrook
• Valley & Ash, Escondido

[graphic update below]

This is the third announcement the company has made concerning its locations. Other cities where locations have been revealed include Las Vegas and Phoenix. In addition to these areas, the company will open Fresh & Easy stores throughout Southern California.

“San Diego is filled with vibrant neighborhoods and residents who understand the value of nature’s gifts, from stunning beaches to delicious fruits and vegetables," said Tim Mason, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market CEO. "We think our stores’ approach to bringing fresh, high quality foods to the neighborhood will be a hit with San Diego consumers."

The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market format is based on extensive customer research in local U.S. markets, along with the learnings from Tesco’s Express format, which it operates more than 1,000 stores in seven countries. For the U.S. launch, Fresh & Easy researchers spent time in the homes of consumers looking at shopping and cooking patterns.

“We literally went into their kitchens and looked in their refrigerators,” said Mason. “Based on our research, we are confident our stores will be a hit in every neighborhood we open in.”

In addition, the company’s research showed it could reach Hispanic consumers by offering a mix of authentic and national brand products that households use, together with low prices, quality meat and produce and a clean store environment, the company stated.
Reference Here>>

Tesco's effort here in the United States is really becoming a case study in drafting and deploying business plans that have a look of success.

One may deride the Tesco effort as having unlimited resources in which to build winning plans but the point still remains ... it is easier to create plans and fail than it is to implement a winning strategy. fresh & easy has the look of a winning strategy.

Area Locations Graphics As Of August 6, 2007:

Los Angeles, CA Area Locations

Los Angeles, CA Area Locations - Graphic Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.

San Diego, CA Area Locations

San Diego, CA Area Locations - Graphic Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.

Las Vegas, NV Area Locations

Las Vegas, NV Area Locations - Graphic Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.

Phoenix, AZ Area Locations

Phoenix, AZ Area Locations - Graphic Credit: fresh & easy Neighborhood Market Inc.


UPDATE: April 1, 2008

Fresh & Easy - "Hollywood, We're Ready For Our Close-Up!" - Tesco's F&E location about 2 blocks west of Highland Avenue on the North side of Hollywood Blvd. just before the store opening on January 23, 2008. Image Credit Edmund Jenks (MAXINE) - 2008

NOT an April Fool - This from Thompson Financial -

Tesco takes three-month breather on US expansion plans
By Kathy Sandler - Thomson Financial | 03.30.08, 2:36 PM ET

LONDON - Tesco PLC has called a three-month hiatus on its US expansion programme to 'kick the tyres' and smooth out the wrinkles following the opening of its first 59 Fresh & Easy stores.

Writing on his internet blog, marketing director for the Fresh & Easy business Simon Uwins said the company will take a three-month break from openings to allow the business to settle down.

The next 3 months will allow us to accelerate this process, before we restart what's been described as an opening programme on steroids,' he said.
Reference Here>>
(ht: Forbes)

SEARS, ScanBuy 2D Codes, And The Web 2.0

Web 2.0 application where the cellphone handset with a camera becomes an automated information retrieval device that delivers the the web displayed into ones hand. Image Credit: ScanBuy

SEARS, ScanBuy 2D Codes, And The Web 2.0

Last week, at the NRF 97th Annual Convention & EXPO 2008 held at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, Sears discussed its efforts to launch an in-store test solution for providing customers access to information on products they were interested in purchasing. This test represents the first major retailer combined with selected product manufacturers in the United States to investigate the Physical World Hyperlink functionality of symbology and the cellphone handset.

In this test, that began its roll-out last month in a store located in Georgia, Sears was interested in testing ways on how to automate providing product information without having to place price checker/information kiosk systems in the aisles. The idea is to provide information through leveraging a tool the customer may already be carrying in their hand … the camera cellphone.

Sears has placed a special use two-dimensional symbology (read digitally on an X-Y axis) developed by ScanBuy on advertising displays located strategically next to participating manufacturers goods throughout the retail floor.

The cameraphone as a scannerphone using ScanBuy symbology. Video Credit: Face2099

Sears has its concerns with this specific application on a couple of levels in that not all phones have cameras, or if they have the camera – the phone does not have the software needed to have the phone decode the image captured and bring the information to the phone’s display.

Other technologies considered for this application include NFC or near field communications that would be triggered through cellphones that are equipped with an RFID chip. Normally this chip is used as the “wallet” in a PoS cashpoint application when the phone is used as a credit card for identification purposes, but can be adapted to trigger a Web 2.0 response when the customer is looking for additional information on products offered on the Sears sales floor.

At Symblogogy, we ask this technology question to Sears:

For the application of replacing the functionality of having to place price checker/information kiosk systems in the aisles and leveraging the cellphone as an information display tool, why not test Bluetooth broadcasting to the cellphone display (commonly referred to as Bluejacking)?

A high number of handsets already are equipped with Bluetooth capability and the technology is easy to implement in that no additional action is required from the customer except to opt-in by turning on the Bluetooth function while roaming the asiles in the store.

The cameraphone as a scannerphone. The camera picks up the ScanBuy symbology image, decodes it, then has the phone launch a webpage associated with the decoded information contained in the ScanBuy code. Image Credit: Face2099

This article excerpted from eWEEK -

Sears First Out Of Gates with 2-D Bar Codes
By Evan Schuman - 2008-01-18

Sears First Out Of Gates with 2-D Bar Codes

Sears is the first major U.S. retailer to start a public trial of 2-D barcode technology.

Efforts to implement retail 2-D bar codes are accelerating, with Sears becoming the first U.S. retailer to begin a public trial that started in mid-December at a store in Marietta, Georgia.
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There are multiple vendors pushing the technology in the United States; Best Buy and Target are working with a company called StoreXperience, while Sears and others are talking with an outfit called ScanBuy.
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The technique involves having a cell phone's digital camera "look" at a small 2-D bar code on an advertisement, which launches an applet. A server interprets the bar code and the phone then launches a Web browser and deep-links to a page on that site, typically the Web site of the advertiser.

Currently, the biggest concern, which is also likely to be the most short-lived, is that the service is available on a relatively few phones in the United States. The concern about a shortage of supported phones was mentioned by a Sears manager involved in the trial.

ScanBuy, for example, has worked out deals with only Sprint and Alltel, according to ScanBuy CEO Jonathan Bulkeley. Such negotiations are complex because it requires deals and programming for multiple browsers, carriers, hardware manufacturers, operating systems and camera manufacturers. A code or management change from any one of those players can make the whole package unravel.

At the Sears trial, several hundred product advertisements in the store have the code, Bulkeley said. To simplify matters, Sears is initially having store associates use the phone and then show the results to customers, as opposed to letting consumers do their own scanning. This sidesteps some of the hurdles, such as guaranteeing that the phones used are fully compatible with the demo and that the cameras are aimed properly. On some phones, if the bar code is not directly in the center of the screen, the application won't work.

Another concern is that consumers must download the application. The applications tend to be small—both the apps for StoreXperience and ScanBuy start at about 200K, depending on the browser and the required OS needed—and can be installed in less than a minute.
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The Sears trial is slated to end this June.

One IT manager with a Fortune 50 consumer goods manufacturer said that his firm is in talks with ScanBuy and that they were introduced to the firm by Verizon. That manager said he is impressed with the technology and is discussing it internally, but he believes that 2-D bar code will be pushed aside by NFC (near-field communications) devices, which are still a few years away. He sees 2-D as a short-term placeholder until NFC is real.

"Personally, I think that touchless NFC approaches will likely be more successful. No need to aim your camera. But Scanbuy's approaches are worth following," he said.
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That manager's thoughts about NFC were similar to others. But news this week—courtesy of a new NFC market share report this week from ABI Research—suggested that NFC is farther away than initially thought, giving 2-D more maneuvering room.

The new ABI numbers for NFC shipments dropped the 2007 estimate to 650,000 from a predicted 1.1 million and also reduced the projections for this year to 6.52 million, from a predicted 9.81 million.

Even so, Bulkeley predicts NFC and 2-D bar code co-existence based on pure economics. The nature of NFC will lend itself better for payment and POS interface but it's not practical to create one for every print ad in stores, streets and in publications. But 2-D bar codes, he argued, can be mass-produced for very little money.

"NFC will be for a payment mechanism but I'm not so sure it will be an information access mechanism," Bulkeley said. "Car and Driver (magazine) isn't going to print 400 near field codes."

Like all trials, it's not clear whether any will lead to actual deployments. And like all negotiations, it's not clear how many of the retailers who have expressed an interest will end up agreeing to a trial. A Nordstrom's manager, for example, said Thursday that the chain has decided to not pursue the discussed 2-D trial. One reason mentioned was that it was seen as placing too much of a burden on the consumer.
Reference Here>>

ScanBuy’s ScanLife, PWC ... With A Bullet!

Billboard will print (along side of their advertising) ScanLife “Barcodes” that will display to the user’s cellphone screen the current Billboard Top 100 List! Image Credit: ScanBuy

ScanBuy’s ScanLife, PWC ... With A Bullet!

After years of successful implementation throughout the world, U.S. cellphone service carriers begin a pilot to test the viability of symbology driven cameraphone consumer applications.

ScanBuy, the developer of two-dimensional “Barcodes” for use as a way to automate camera equipped cellphones to be directed to and display information from cell display formatted websites (Physical World Connection/Physical World Hyperlink), has entered into pilot agreements with Sprint.

Sprint is now willing to test the concept of Physical World Connection in a new pilot agreement on selected cellphone platforms with 2-D Codes developed by ScanBuy and Billboard Magazine. Billboard will print (along side of their advertising) ScanLife “Barcodes” that will display to the user’s cellphone screen the current Billboard Top 100 List!

Here is a sampling as to what be done with ScanLife or any symbology designed to work with the low resolution cameras found on cellphones. Image Credit: ScanBuy

This will be a great aid for those who are shopping for music as a gift for the holiday season.

To get ScanLife on your mobile phone, text SCAN to 70734 or go to www.getscanlife.com (linked to photo above) to download the free trial application. After you have ScanLife on your phone, start scanning EZCodes and make your own. It's EZ. Image And Link Credit: ScanBuy

Truth is, the function of symbology driven applications for cameraphones has been around a long time to the benefit of cameraphone users (a subject written about here at Symblogogy numerous times). It is about time for all service providers to open up their phones to multiple PWC/PWH developers and applications thereby open up the usefulness of the cellphone to everyone … consumers and advertisers alike.

Image Credit: ScanBuy

This test with Billboard Magazine, along with a host of other potential advertisers, will establish ScanBuy as being the first U.S. Physical World Connection company to land a cellphone service carrier and major brand advertiser for a mobile "barcode"/symbology campaign pilot.

So as it relates to rise of PWC/PWH applications on the Billboard Magazine Charts ... ScanBuy becomes Number One With A Bullet!

NASDAQ On-Board With PWC/PWH Concepts

Veritec introduces PhoneCodes(C) that allow consumers to buy and receive tickets, as well as gift(s), or customer-loyalty rewards via an electronic media concept/process using Veritec's 2-D barcode technology Image Credit: Veritec

NASDAQ On-Board With PWC/PWH Concepts

The world of cellphone based symbology has now made inroads on to the pages of one of the leading investment market websites with a news posting about Veritec, Inc. and the announcement on the acceptance of its 2-D Physical World Connection/Physical World Hyperlink solutions.

The posting was generated by a company, Knobias, that acts as a kind of “BusinessWire” for niche market investment players commonly found in new technology environments.

PhoneCodes(C) are displayed on the screen of the consumer’s cellphone and scanned by a specialized reader optimized to read cellphone display screens. Image Credit: Veritec

This description of Knobias (contributor to NASDAQ) -

Knobias, Inc. (otcbb: KNBS)

Pronounced "no-b-s", provides a wide range of financial information solutions for all sides of the U.S. stock market.

Knobias combines proprietary content & technology into efficient platforms for the consolidation, distribution & targeted presentation of investment decision information for customers & affiliates.

Knobias platforms provide news, filings, fundamentals, transaction databases, calendars, research, tools & analysis for all U.S. equities with a special emphasis on small-caps.

Knobias customers include retail investors, day-traders, buy-side & sell-side professionals, public issuers, financial websites & financial content providers.
Reference Here>>

CouponCode(C) allows the consumer to redeem discounts or accrue loyalty points in the time of a quick scan. Image Credit: Veritec

Excerpted from NASDAQ News -

VRTC: Launches New Product Named PhoneCodes
By Jay Everitt, Knobias - August 21, 2007

Veritec, Inc., (VRTC) announced Veritec's launch of a revolutionary new products named PhoneCodes(C) that allow consumers to buy and receive tickets, as well as gift(s), or customer-loyalty rewards via an electronic media using Veritec's 2-D barcode technology.

The Saint Paul (MN) Saints baseball club and their ticket processing company, Glitner Corporation (NY), in conjunction with Veritec, Inc., has become the first organization to employ the new technology.

TicketCode(C) on cellphone display - Image Credit: Veritec

Veritec's new TicketCode(C) (a 2-dimensional bar code) allows cell phone owners to purchase an event ticket and have the ticket (TicketCode(C)) sent to their cell phone. The day of the event the gate attendant will scan the TicketCode(C) from the cell phone, validate its authenticity and admit the patron once validated.
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"There are very few things we don't allow into Midway Stadium," said Saints President Mike Veeck. "The wave and neckties come to mind. No tickets? This is a very cool technology and will revolutionize how we do business." Veeck continued.

To name only a few of it's many other uses, the Veritec's 2-D Barcode, PhoneCodes(C), not only work for the distribution of tickets (TicketCode(C)) but can be used to send gift certificates, GiftCode(C), for birthday, anniversary, graduation, or whatever else, as well as coupons, CouponCode(C), for customer loyalty rewards such as two-meals-for-the-price-of-one at restaurants, discounts on purchases exceeding a certain dollar value at retail stores, and as a receipt when purchasing products over the Internet, a ReceiptCode(C) can be sent to the customer's cell phone as proof of purchase.
Reference Here>>

All of the power of automated symbology in the palm of one's hand ... and now even NASDAQ is on board!

PWC/PWH Becomes Commercially Practical

We offer fast & dependable service at reasonable rates, 7 days a week/24 hours a day. We are a local full service, professional Sewer & Drain Cleaning Company with over 30 years of service. We service chain stores, realtors, plumbers, municipalities, condos, industrial complexes as well as the general public. We are also certified to perform septic inspections and repairs under Title V. NO JOB IS TOO SMALL OR TOO BIG. Quality Workmanship. References furnished upon request. Image Credit: ROOTER-MAN

PWC/PWH Becomes Commercially Practical

What you may see here is a code that offers something a little bit different than the average code. The Trillcode, developed by LARK Computers of Romania (Yes!, Romania) allows the user of the code development tool to insert information ... and here is the kicker - graphic identification image files. That's right - LOGO's!

Trillcode beta test tool allows one to create a PWC/PWH with a logo embedded in the field. Image Credit: LARK Computers

Now, because the Trillcode allows one to place graphic identification information into the Physical World Connection/Hyperlink, the process of using the phone and "grabbing code" becomes a little more intuitive.

Hypothetically, a national franchise service enterprise can now reinforce their logo and elevate their brand awareness through the use of Trillcode cellphone connection codes.

ROOTER-MAN Logo "As Seen On TV" embedded into a Trillcode that contains contact information. Image Credit: ROOTER-MAN and Trillcode via Symblogogy

This from a press release issued by LARK Computers (March 22, 2007) -

Today Lark Computers, a Romanian company, introduced the second version of its Trillcode reader. The new release greatly enhance the maximum content length decoding ability, to reach 210 characters on medium-high-end phones. Also it is the first time when a mobile barcode reader is used to process and send order forms or play melodies. The next version of the reader application will double the currently maximum values.

Mr. Cozmin Tircob, Managing Director of Lark Computers said: "We are looking to embed an entire application inside the barcode. Our future product, currently under development, will benefit from the extended storing capacity of the Trillcode. This will give our barcode another dimension and will allow companies using the Trillcode encoder to build in minutes a customized mobile application and deploy it in a barcode."

The application can be used to briefly present the company, products, services and allow clients to order or send feedbacks from "one click away". There will be options to receive news or advertisements from the company if a network connection is available.

The Trillcode reader is available as a free download at http://www.trillcode.com/download.html and can be tested at http://www.trillcode.com/samples.html.

Also it's possible to make your own vCard code (http://www.trillcode.com/encoding.html) with picture.
END
Not above self-promotion, Symblogogy took a stab at it. If we can do it, so can you. Go to the test sites provided above and check it out for yourself.

Complex Technology Made Simple

Complex Technology Made Simple

In a second of now a two part series (first part titled "Simple Technology Made Complex") - a blender manufacturer becomes a YouTube awards nominee through taking its blender ... blending ANYTHING!

Here is an example of how one can take a complex technology and make it simple.

Complex electronic communications computers (cellphones) that, today, have the possibility of being configured with a touchscreen, camera/imager, laser barcode scanner, WiFi, Bluetooth, IRDA, Windows Mobile 5.0, MP3 Player, and satellite GPS made simple ... as in DUST!

Gives a whole new meaning to the coined expression "Physical World Connection"!

Auto ID > Symbology > Biometrics > Photo Pattern Recognition

Photo Pattern Recognition Hyperlink - Image Credit : Microsoft Corporation

Auto ID > Symbology > Biometrics > Photo Pattern Recognition

What is Photo Pattern Recognition (PPR)?

PPR is the ability to render a still photograph into an algorithm discernable identification symbol that then can be used for all of the cellphone applications that are being popularized in Japan and Korea to connect people, places, and things.

This method of taking a photo to create a unique symbology/identifier was first theorized in a paper introduced at an IEEE conference in 1996. The paper proposed that this “photo signature” approach would be best applied to the field of security identification and secure/restricted entry applications – but what do engineers know?

Microsoft Research has other ideas for this “photo signature” and is in an alpha test during development. This developmental program is called Lincoln and anyone can apply to be a part of the test.

In order to participate, one needs to register and then pick a photo to use as a test to be used in a database that can be accessed by all who are in the test. Microsoft, for its part, has scanned in over 850 DVD covers so that anyone in the test would be able to take their cellphone or a Pocket PC with a camera (programmed with the Windows Mobile 5.0 OS) and with a WiFi hookup or cellphone could run a demonstration.

With the programming downloaded into the device one could snap a shot of the DVD cover, and be taken to a web location that describes the content of the DVD (movie reviews, runtime, genre, and etc.).

The test is not perfect and will not run on all Windows Mobile 5.0 devices at this time.

Excerpts from the Microsoft Research Lincoln web portal -

Image Credit: Microsoft Corporation

What Can I Use Lincoln For?

With Lincoln you could...

- Link your band's concert poster to an MP3 download
- Link a postcard to your holiday photos on flickr.com
- Link restaurant signage to an online menu
- Link a CD cover to your own review
- Link your yearbook photo to your blog

Lincoln was designed to recognize photos of printed materials. The material should contain large text, pictures or graphics.

Lincoln will not work well on photos of 3D objects such as faces, although it would work on a photo of a photo of a face (like the yearbook example above).
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Try Lincoln at Your Local Video Store Today!

To illustrate Lincoln's usefulness we've added images of over 850 DVD covers and linked them to movie reviews on Amazon.com.

That's about all the titles you're likely to find "on the wall" at the video rental store.

So feel free to take your Smartphone (and Lincoln) with you the next time you're in the mood for a movie and let the Amazon reviewers help you decide what to watch!
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How Do I Search Using Photos on Lincoln?

There are two ways to search using photos:

1) Use the Lincoln mobile client (available for download) on your Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone or Pocket PC device.

This client allows you to capture a photo and instantly search Lincoln for related content.

2) Download your photos to your computer from your phone or digital camera and use the Search feature of this web site.

Just select one of your downloaded photos and Lincoln will automatically search for related content.
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How Do I Add an Image to Lincoln?

To become an Author on Lincoln you first create an account for yourself (see opposite on this page) by simply choosing an author name and a password.

Once logged on you'll be automatically sent to the "Add Image" page. Then just select an image on your computer, provide some relevant information such as web links or comments, and you're done!

You can manage the images you have authored on the "My Images" page.
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Why Should I Add an Image to Lincoln?

When you add an image to Lincoln you automatically own the "top" link for that image.

Your link (and comment) cannot be voted to a lower ranking, so other users will always see your link first.
On traditional search engines you need to pay to secure the top slot, but on Lincoln we're giving it to you for FREE !
Reference Here>>

Excerpts of a review from Technology Review - Physical World Hyperlink through photo pattern recognition or "photo signature". Image Credit: Technology Review

Mobile Web Searches Using Pictures
A new Microsoft application lets people search the Internet on their cell phones using a camera instead of a keypad.
By Kate Greene - Technology Review - Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Searching for information on your cell phone by typing keywords can be cumbersome. But now researchers at Microsoft have developed a software prototype called Lincoln that they hope will make Web searches easier. According to Larry Zitnick, a Microsoft researcher who works on the project, phones equipped with the software could, for example, access online movie reviews by snapping pictures of movie posters or DVD covers and get product information from pictures of advertisements in magazines or on buses.

"The main thing we want to do is connect real-world objects with the Web using pictures," says Zitnick. "[Lincoln] is a way of finding information on the Web using images instead of keywords."

The software works by matching pictures taken on phones with pretagged pictures in a database. It provides the best results when the pictures are of two-dimensional objects, such as magazine ads or DVD covers, Zitnick says. (See the accompanying chart to find out how compatible certain pictures are with Lincoln.) Currently, the database contains pictures of DVD covers that link to movie reviews uploaded by Microsoft researchers. However, anyone can contribute his or her pictures and links to the database, and Zitnick hopes that people will fill it with pictures and links to anything from information about graffiti art to scavenger-hunt clues. Right now, Lincoln can only be downloaded for free using Internet Explorer 6 and 7, and it can only run on smart phones equipped with Windows Mobile 5.0 and PocketPCs.

Lincoln is part of a trend to link the physical world with information on the Web, often with the help of cell-phone cameras. Nokia researchers are developing software and hardware that automatically hyperlinks buildings, storefronts, and certain people via a cell-phone camera. (See "Hyperlinking Reality via Phones.") And a handful of companies, including Mobot, based in Lexington, MA, are exploring the marketing capabilities of such technology by connecting pictures of real-world advertisements and company logos to the Web.

According to Zitnick, there are two elements that distinguish his technology from others. First is the fact that anyone can contribute images, links, and comments to the database. The second element is the type of image-recognition system that Microsoft researchers have developed, which Zitnick believes will be able to search through millions of images quickly.

At the heart of the image-recognition engine is an algorithm that analyzes a picture and creates a signature that describes the picture succinctly, using a small amount of data. This signature consists of information that describes the relative position of the pixels and the intensity of a certain feature in a picture, such as the Mona Lisa's smile. In order to make this information easily searchable, data triplets are created from groups of three features. For instance, a triplet might contain information about a close-up of the Mona Lisa's smile, cheek, and nose.

When a picture is taken, the algorithm quickly establishes these data sets and compares them with established sets for the pictures already in the database.
Read All>>

Symblogogy tried to have a Windows Mobile 5.0 developmental Enterprize Mobility unit from Korea get on board with Lincoln for demonstration purposes and was not successful.

As Microsoft developer Richard Hughes communicated to Symblogogy - "A few other users have reported a similar issue on the HTC Universal PPC (see http://www.modaco.com/index.php?showtopic=252971).

Our best guess at this time is that it is the WM5 phone API on these devices which is returning this error due to a problem in the underlying implementation (by the OEM) of the API."

We will wait until the Lincoln developmental team is able to overcome this issue with the API.

In the meantime, register and click away - this is another dynamic ripple in the world served through symbology.

Beauty And The Web 2.0 - Contest Meets mCode Symbology

Advertising image used to get customers using the new "Decode" physical world connection (PWC) service offered by Smart Communications. Image Credit: Smart Communications

Beauty And The Web 2.0 - Contest Meets mCode Symbology

Recently Smart Communications introduced a service to its customers that allowed the cellphone owner to gain automated connections in a streamlined symbology method they call Decode.

Decode, based on a symbology developed by Nextcode (mCode) is scanned and the customer is taken to a reference website, a bill paying process, or in this case ... a vote for a contestant in a beauty contest!

It is only a matter of time where we in the United States will be able to get away from cumbersome "texting" to photo scanning our vote for ... an American Idol contestant ... really; it may not be that far off.

MS Salesforce Automation Meets PWC Tickertape

Text2Paper - It looks like a timeclock from the movie "Brazil," but one gizmo is actually a mobile phone calendaring accessory created by Microsoft researchers in Cambridge, England. Image Credit: DEAN RUTZ / SEATTLE TIMES

MS Salesforce Automation Meets PWC Tickertape

It's weird, a throwback to a time where typed communications were the standard.

The Dow Jones Index stock trades were once communicated over a wire to a machine that printed out each transaction within minutes of the transaction happening.

This week, Microsoft held a "TechFest" where they unveiled projects that some of the engineers of the company showed off what they had been working on.

Excerpts from the Seattle Times -

Touring Microsoft's TechFest
Posted by Brier Dudley - The Seattle Times - 3-6-2007, 05:22 PM

Here are a few of the demonstrations I saw today at TechFest, the annual "science fair" being held this week by Microsoft's advanced research group.

The company gave press and bloggers an early peek at some of the exhibits before the full show opens up to employees Wednesday and Thursday. Microsoft also posted Webcasts of presentations and demos here.

Some of the projects are being shown for the first time at the event, and the researchers generally don't know if their work will ever end up in an actual product. Some could even end up in products made by other companies, since Microsoft is now licensing the research group's intellectual property.
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Text2Paper, the device receives and prints short SMS messages sent from phones onto clear stickers. The labels can then be pasted onto an adjacent paper calendar, on the appropriate day. The idea is that family members could send appointments, shopping lists and other info to this system, which would most likely be mounted in a kitchen. Each printout also has a bar code that can be read by camera phones, so you can take a picture of an appointment with your phone and have it automatically synced with the device's calendar.
Reference Here>>

Technology solutions are were you can find them ... even when it makes everything old, new again.

Sex And The Web 2.0 - Or, When Denim Meets QR Code

French model wearing the first web-enabled, cellphone-interactive upscale casualware denim (jeans). Image Credit: Denim Code Press Release

Sex And The Web 2.0 - Or, When Denim Meets QR Code

Never has a symbology or denim jeans material ever looked so good.

This type of branding and marketing really has a way of catching ones attention. Let us not miss what is important here though, and that is? ... you ask!

Denim Code Tag (logo) example. Image Credit: Denim Code Press Release

The use of a symbology to act as a logo and a brand identification vehicle through which one is able to access additional information, videos, and even purchase goods from ones phone. One might say, with the code on the denim, these jeans are interactive.

Scan code process graphically depicted. With the code scanned, one might be directed to video images, or even a retail purchase website. Image Credit: Denim Code Press Release Website

Denim Code is a strong example of the future "Web 2.0" world to come ... where (in theory) everyone and everything will have an identifier, a symbology, a link associated with it so that people will be able to find out more information just by taking a picture with the phone camera, and the phone reaches out to a web location somewhere and displays the information that is linked.

The Denim Code, according to Christian-François Viala, one of the founders of the brand, is based on a QR Code (Quick Read) first created by Denso WAVE in Japan (for use in automobile manufacturing).

The QR Code was designed to be read at moving speeds of up to 2 meters a second making it uniquely suited for cellphone PWC/PWH (physical world connection/physical world hyperlink) applications.

The move tolerance of the QR based Denim Code allows one to catch and decode the logo on the move. Little or no technique is required by the operator of the phone camera in order to achieve the desired decoded effect!
Reference Here>> (translation in English from French - Gizmoto France)

(ht: The Pondering Primate)

Get Less With The “Get More” Mobile Network

I find this infuriating because I am PAYING for that connectivity! Doesn't T-Mobile realize that stupid stunts like these are going to drive their customers right over to the iPhone? Caption & Image Credit: Gearlog

Get Less With The “Get More” Mobile Network

Ever wonder why consumer societies in other countries like Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, and etc. are able to use their cellphone for more than … well, email?

It comes down to the restrictive policies of the mobile networks themselves, Symblogogy does not begrudge business operations trying to make more money from the system services they offer but the truth is, it has long been held, that a business effort really has nothing unless it gives just a little away.

In a day and age where physical world connection and hyperlink applications are being developed and deployed at a dizzying pace, where 3D symbologies are being created that would deliver content (up to 20 seconds of video with sound without using the mobile network) directly to phones (with the appropriate software), where the mobile phone can be and is a consumer information device, a wallet for vending machine transactions, a venue access device, a music platform, a portable video entertainment delivery theater, and more – Why isn’t the American consumer society able to be at the leading edge of these functions and applications?

One answer – the mobile network service providing community.

Excerpts and selected comments from Gearlog -

T-Mobile Disses Opera, Says "Get Less!"
Gearlog - Tuesday January 30, 2007

Testing some T-Mobile phones recently, I once again ran into T-Mobile's annoying policy of banning third-party applications from accessing the Internet on their phones. Like so many infringements on our liberties, this started stealthily with a few devices but now covers their entire product line.

This means T-Mobile feature phone users are prohibited from surfing the Web with Opera Mini, checking maps on Google Local for Mobile, listening to podcasts with Mobilcast, and using any other form of software not pre-approved by T-Mobile.

T-Mobile cites meaningless "security" concerns as reasons for attempting to severely cripple the mobile software development industry, but their hypocrisy is painfully clear when you remember that these apps work fine on T-Mobile's network, using T-Mobile SIM cards, if you buy your phone directly from a manufacturer like NokiaUSA.com.

This idiotic policy doesn't even work in T-Mobile's interests. Third party software encourages people to use data services, which encourages them to sign up for data plans, which makes T-Mobile money. A more liberal policy on mobile apps also might help the nation's #4 carrier win customers away from control freaks like Verizon, with their strictly limited set of applications.

T-Mobile's motto is "get more." So it's painfully ironic that nowadays, they let you "get less" -- locking out much of what their phones can do in a pointless, incomprehensible attempt at control. My solution: instead of buying phones through T-Mobile, go direct to manufacturers or through independent retailers that offer non-T-Mobile-branded GSM phones, then drop your T-Mobile SIM card in. (It'll work fine.) That way you'll get your T-Mobile service, and much, much "more."
Reference Here>>

Selected Comments:

Posted by: ron mexico - January 30, 2007 6:48 PM

Um, okay. Perhaps you should do a little bit of research before tossing around the blame so freely. T-Mobile doesn't lock their devices down like this, subscribers just have to pay for the proper level of data access.
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Posted by: Sascha Segan - January 30, 2007 10:41 PM

Ron, I have gotten this confirmed by T-Mobile corporate. I have a tester SIM that has access to everything, and the applications are locked out in the new handsets I have been testing this week. You may have an older handset, before this insidious policy spread. I used to tout T-Mobile for their liberal policies on third party program installation, and I'm very disappointed in the change.

Tony, I maybe didn't make clear enough that this is a feature phone problem. No carrier, not even Verizon, dares forbid application installation on smartphones such as Blackberries, Windows Mobile phones, or Treos.
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Posted by: Ron - January 31, 2007 12:21 PM

Sounds to me like Sahsa has issues with anger management.

Perhaps she's upset because T-Mobile wouldn't give her all the freebie's she thinks she is entitled to as a magazine hack?

All I can say is "get over yourself and move on to real reporting.Better yet,get a real job that requires some semblence of actual physical exertion".
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Posted by: phoenix - January 31, 2007 3:26 PM

Ron: Sascha's a he.

Also, HE is spot on here. What level of "access" are you referring to that allows T-Mobile to violate their terms of service and corporate policies? Perhaps you're referring to buying a smartphone as a "level of access?"

In that case, you might want to "exert the effort" to clarify your point. Sascha has laid his cards on the table here, if you think he just needs to "get over it" or hasn't "researched" enough, then let's see your cards.

It's not Sascha's anger management that needs work here, looks like yours-you can hardly make a point without flinging insults.

In real commentary, this doesn't surprise me one bit. By locking down and crippling features, cellular providers can funnel you into their own preferred services, and leave plenty of room for them to offer "enhanced" services and applications down the road that you'll have no choice but to opt-in with them for, and you have no choice but to believe that your device CAN'T do x or y without their specialized app.

We've seen this from the way Verizon cripples its bluetooth phones and media functionality, making you believe the only way you can get music and photos onto your phone is either through their services (for music and pictures and video) or through your camera (for pictures and video).

I sadly see this trend moving in the wrong direction, personally, as there's less competition in the marketplace for cellular services, and the message to customers is "if want these services that you seem to know every one of our phones is capable of, you'll have to buy special 'versions' of the phones, or upgrade to significantly more expensive devices," and that's a real shame.
Reference Here>>

Anger management comments aside, at Symblogogy we believe - Less Is More - meaning less control over applications and hardware is more service from the mobile network service provider. By opening up the restrictions, the retailer for the service provider would actually make more money (software and hardware sales) as opposed to providing protection for the consumer as well as the enterprise mobility marketplace.

Truth is, one can have access to the applications and services that open up the function of the phone with the purchase of hardware directly from the manufacturer.

Subliminal Advertising With A PWC/PWH Twist

The phone can read invisible images on printed paper. Image Credit: BBC NEWS

Subliminal Advertising With A PWC/PWH Twist

And you thought this digital … phone connection (hyperlink) stuff would never catch up with you.

Fujitsu has been working on a way (whitepaper PDF released July 2005) by which printed materials like advertisements, articles and other printed communications could lend themselves to be more effective and connected at the same time.

In a process called Steganography, Fujitsu has perfected a method whereby a reference barcode or QR Code can be embedded in a photo or other printed article and the reader of this printed material would be able to take a photo with his cellphone camera and instantly be connected (via physical world connection or hyperlink - PWC or PWH) to a website for additional information.

A hidden latent image is placed within the printed material that the human eye cannot see but the camera could pick-up and decode for additional functionality.

Excerpts from BBC NEWS -

Hiding messages in plain sight
Steganography can be embedded as part of the normal printing process
BBC NEWS - Last Updated: Thursday, 15 February 2007, 07:35 GMT

A technology that can "hide" information in plain sight on printed images has begun to see the first commercial applications.

Japanese firm Fujitsu is pushing a technology that can encode data into a picture that is invisible to the human eye but can be decoded by a mobile phone with a camera.
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"The concept is to be able to link the printed page into the digital domain," said Mike Nelson, general manager for sales operations at Fujitsu Europe.

The technique stems from a 2,500-year-old practice called steganography, which saw the Greeks sending warnings of attacks on wooden tablets and then covering them in wax and tattooing messages on shaved heads that were then covered by the regrowth of hair.

Fujitsu's technique works by taking advantage of the sensitivities of the human eye, which struggles to see the colour yellow.

"The key is to take the yellow hue in the picture and we skew that ever so slightly to create a pattern," said Mr Nelson.

"A camera is perfectly sensitive to that yellow hue but the human eye doesn't see it very well.

"Any camera, even those in mobile phones, can decode it very easily."

Pictures printed with the technique look perfectly normal but a camera can see the code printed into the image.

Screen image taken from a PDF whitepaper issued by Fujitsu titled "Steganography - Code Recognition Technology. Graphic example of how the PWH/Steganographic process works. Image Credit: Fujitsu PDF via ecj photo
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That data could be a phone number, a message or a website link.

Printed materials can then connect to the online world by storing information which tells the phone to connect the web.

Almost any mobile phone can be used but a small java application must be downloaded before it can be used to decode the information. Other devices such as PDAs with a camera could also be used.
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Once installed the same program can be used to read other codes on other products. It takes a few seconds for the phone to decipher the data.

And because most modern mobiles can connect to the net they act as a gateway to content that firms want to send to people who have decoded the steganographic pictures, such as music and video.

The first commercial use of the technology is in Japan where a Music Club has embedded codes into flyers it sends to subscribers.
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Mr Nelson believes the technology is more useful than barcodes because of its invisibility and because it connects printed matter to the internet, via the phone.

"There's a lot of printed material out there today whether it be food wrappers, billboards, catalogues, phone directories and business cards and they are not going to go away.
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"We need an added dimension to that flat material and linking that to the digital domain is what we are trying to do."

Mr Nelson does not believe steganography is competing with technologies such as RFID tags, tiny radio chips which can hold information and be scanned at a short distance.

"You have to physically mount a chip into the device - it's expensive and time consuming.

"Steganography can be embedded as part of the normal printing process."

Mr Nelson said he believed promotions and competition would drive take up of the technology as a prize would act as an incentive to use a mobile phone and download the decoding application.
Read All>>

Consumer Automation Made Easy At Smart Communications

Decode is a tool that simplifies the act of entering complex codes on a mobile phone. The system allows cameraphones to scan specially printed codes, called mobile codes or mcodes. These codes can represent web URLs, phone numbers or instructions that include keywords and an access number. All you need to do is scan and send! No more typing. Caption & Image Credit: Smart Communications

Last week, the Smart Communications mobile phone carrying person in the Philippines just became automated through the announcement of “Decode”.

With the download of Decode software, a camera cellphone user on the Smart Communications network will be able to turn their phone into an Auto ID/Physical World Connection powerhouse.

Highlight from advertisement for Smart Decode. Image Credit: Advertising Image – Smart Communications

Based on the simplified 2D format mCode symbology, the average consumer on the Smart Communications network with Decode on their phone will be able to access information, look at their phone account, share contact information, and connect via code to a whole new world of automated services.

Excerpts from a weblog description at CHETTE.COM -

Smart Decode -- Not quite ready, but seems alright
Written by chette (blog) - Sunday, 11 February 2007

Smart Communications launched Smart Decode yesterday. Although it's probably going to be used for a bunch useless promotions (Ringbacks? Seriously?), I just realized that this is actually The Solution to all the senseless typing of VAS ("value added services") commands.

Let me give you an idea:

"Type DUMMYKEYWORD space REGISTER space your FIRST NAME space YOUR LAST NAME space asterisk space YOUR ADDRESS space asterisk YOUR LANDLINE space asterisk, and send this to 999."

Sounds familiar, no?
Of course it does. This is the language that we Earthlings have learned from Pluto. Coincidentally, this is the same language that content partners decided to use in order to confuse, er, help users in using their SMS-based mobile services.

Need to download a wallpaper?
Type DUMMYWALLPAPER space PHONE MODEL space WALLPAPER NAME, shake it to the left, jump ten times, and send to 999.

With Smart Decode, this insanity will pretty much be eradicated. The content partner will simply generate a code (which can be printed in their posters, fliers, and print ads).

When you, The User, see this code, all you have to do is take its picture using your phone's camera. Almost instantaneously you will be presented with a nice interface where you can fill in forms, download your operator logo, etc. -- all in human readable form.

The code is called an mcode ("mobile code"). It’s a 2D barcode which stores information in a bunch of dots.


Examples - PWC/PWH "mCode" access codes from Decode. Image Credit: Advertising Image – Smart Communications

But ooh-la-la, mcode is not just for those boring content partners who can't seem to make a decent mobile application. We regular users, The Much Cooler Ones, can have a little fun of our own:

Contact information.
Definitely a lot more hip than sending a vcard thru bluetooth. Make your friends take a picture of your mcode (which you conveniently printed out & kept in your wallet). Voila! Your contact info will automatically be saved in their address books.

SMS message.
You can have an mcode to generate a specific SMS message. You can also have it sent to a predefined number.

URLs. Your mcode can contain the URL of your website.
When your friends scan it, they will be shown a link (which they can click to launch your website in their phone's browser).

Phone numbers.
You can scan an mcode to automatically dial a specified phone number.
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In order to scan an mcode, you need to download & install Smart Decode (don't worry, you won't get charged for the download). Using your phone's browser, go to decode.smart.com.ph. Click on the link on the website to install the software automatically (no need to mess around with those jar and sis files).

Take note that you need to use your Smart cellphone to download Decode. You cannot download the application using a Globe or Sun SIM, or even your good ol' DSL connection.

Some observations on Smart's credit (give two points for Smart over here!):

The application loads real fast even on a crappy Nokia 6600. It takes an average of 2 seconds for the software to "decode" the mcode. You can actually scan the mcode even if its tilted (it will just take a little longer to scan it).

There's something missing in the equation, though (gimme back those points, dear): The ability for users to create their own codes.

C'mon, Smart, share the love. Help us look cool with those mcodes in our pockets.
Reference Here>>