The Automating QR (Quick Response) Code, Smart Phones, And You

Loyal customers, who are less likely to shop online, can be enticed by QR codes to come into the store after they have scanned a code and experienced rich videos, images, or in-store contests. Recently luxury retailer Ralph Lauren matched up with Red Fish Media to design a custom QR code placed in windows at various Ralph Lauren locations. Once scanned, the customer was enticed to enter the store for a chance to win tickets to the 2012 men’s US Open finals and a $3,000 Ralph Lauren wardrobe. Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

The Automating QR (Quick Response) Code, Smart Phones, And You

A cellphone with a camera isn’t a communications device with a way to capture pictures and share them with friends … rather, it’s a web enabled handheld data scanner with a display which automates the way to reach out, get information, be involved socially, and get things done.

In order to have one's phone behave more like a tool than a personalized toy, all one has to do is download a simple program into the cellphone and presto – the camera takes a picture (scans) of a symbol printed on a billboard, flyer, magazine, or TV/Computer display screen then decodes it and has the phone access a “(dot) mobi” webpage on the internet through a series of pre-scripted commands. Quick, Simple, and Easy.

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

So why hasn’t this form of consumer automation taken off in the larger way it has in Japan and other countries? Hard to say, but get ready because the symbology revolution will be vying for your attention at a cellphone, real estate operation, bus stop, television screen, website, or specialty retail store around the corner from where you live, right now ... it's that weird square with squares in it.

There may be many codes (symbologies) offered by program automation developers, each with their own strengths and benefits, however, if your phone has limited memory space in which to store the software necessary to decode the symbology, then the one code program the cellphone should contain is the QR Code … the best code ever.

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

This excerpted and edited from Multichannel Merchant Magazine -

R U Ready 4 QR Codes?
By Tim Parry, Multichannel Merchant

CONSIDERING MOBILE MARKETING? Then you should probably start thinking about quick response (QR) codes. These two-dimensional barcodes can provide a vital link between print or broadcast media and mobile commerce.
----
WHAT ARE THEY? QR codes store information — namely mobile Website URLs — that can be read by devices with cameras, like cell phones. A user with a Web-enabled camera phone equipped with the QR reader software can scan the image of the QR code; decoding software reads the information and prompts the phone's browser to go to a programmed URL.

WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO YOU? Let's say you have a QR code printed on an advertisement or catalog. A customer could scan it with his cell phone to be directed to your mobile site — and hopefully start buying immediately.

IS ANYBODY USING THEM? Upscale apparel brand Ralph Lauren, for instance, burst onto the mobile commerce scene in August using the technology. The merchant put QR codes on print advertisements, store windows and mailers so that with one wave of a Web-enabled camera phone — with QR reader software — the user is whisked away to a landing page at m.ralphlauren.com.

The mobile site was initially launched back in 2008 with a showcase of its limited edition U.S. Open Collection and other Ralph Lauren classics such as polo shirts, oxfords and chinos. Mobile users could also check out a Ralph Lauren style guide, watch tennis videos, and read articles about the U.S. Open in real time.

“We see mobile as a key channel for marketing, advertising and commerce for all of our brands and retail concepts,” says Miki Berardelli, Ralph Lauren's vice president, global customer strategy and retail marketing. “QR codes are part of the strategy and they serve as a conduit, providing an easy way for people to access the mobile Web.”

Users can download the QR reader application for free from Ralph Lauren; the technology is also available from numerous other sources online.

David Harper, founder/CEO of Website development firm Engagelogic and mobile content management and social networking software company Winksite, hopes the Ralph Lauren launch will encourage others to incorporate QR codes in their mobile commerce campaigns. But the early adaptors like Ralph Lauren may need to do more to educate people about the technology.
----
Why aren't more using QR codes? Creating a basic QR code is easy enough: Multichannel Merchant generated the code that appears on this issue's cover in a matter on minutes on Winksite.com. (Test it with your cell phone camera.)

Dave Sikora, CEO of m-commerce provider Digby, blames a lack of consumer awareness of the technology, and the inability of phones to accurately read the codes.
----
But Harper contends that adding a QR code reader application to a phone is no harder than downloading software to your personal computer. You can do a search for “QR code reader” on your mobile browser and find a site you want to download it from. Once installed, the reader application will show up in the applications folder, and its icon will appear on the screen.

And the QR reader does not have to point perfectly perpendicular for the QR code to be correctly translated by the mobile device, he adds. Even a wave over the code can bring the user to the correct mobile site.
----
Big in Japan

QR codes can be seen everywhere in Japan — no surprise, since Japanese firm Denso-Wave created the technology in 1994. Cell phone users in Japan can click a QR code printed on a poster at a movie theater and view its trailer.

It helps that QR code readers come as a standard feature on many smart cell phones.
----
“When a customer scans the barcode with their phone, it launches a mobile-ready product detail and ordering page,” says Nina Matthews, marketing coordinator for CBC America. “This enables the customer to grab the page for follow-up while on the go or for sharing with others.”
----
Once consumers embrace the technology, Harper envisions some merchants using QR codes on the covers of their catalogs. Eventually, they may generate individual codes to be used for each product offering.

Technology notwithstanding, Digby's Sikora wonders how some merchants would handle the creative elements of incorporating a QR code into their print advertising and catalogs.
[Reference Here]

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

FAQ's from Ralph Lauren -

Frequently Asked Questions (very basic)

What is a mobile site?
A mobile site is simply a normal web site formatted to fit your mobile phone or device.

Is it necessary to download anything to shop the mobile site?
No. Just enter m.RalphLauren.com into your mobile phone browser and voila...

Can any phone access the mobile site?
Any phone equipped with a web browser can access m.RalphLauren.com.

Will it cost me on my phone bill to use the mobile site?
This service is free from Ralph Lauren but charges from your carrier may apply. Be sure and double-check your plan.

Is it secure to shop from my phone?
Yes. Shopping via mobile device is just as safe as shopping from your home computer.
----
What is a QR code?
These are two-dimensional bar codes—just like you’d find at the grocery store—that direct you to a specific website when you scan them with your cell phone.
[Reference Here]

** Article first published as The Automating QR (Quick Response) Code, Smart Phones, And You at Technorati **

2D Barcode Boarding Symbology Tested By The TSA

Ones next set of secure ID documents … discarded! Image Credit: upgradetravelbetter.com

2D Barcode Boarding Symbology Tested By The TSA

An automatic identification barcode symbology that has been in use for well over a decade and adopted for use in advertising messages for cellphones is now being tested as a way to speed up and verify boarding procedures.

Photographic image driver’s license numbers, passport and fingerprint image information is captured and digitally encrypted as squares within a square on boarding passes that can be decoded and verified in milliseconds at stations throughout an airport to confirm identity. What has worked for packages being sent and tracked through our nation’s major shipping service companies appears to be a benefit to humans shipping themselves to their desired destination with security and safety within the Transportation Security Administration managed environments.

The TSA is non-committal when it comes to a possible implementation timeframe, however, so be prepared for long lines and repetitive strip searched for now and the foreseeable future.

Datastrip is a leading provider of 2D bar code software, hardware and biometric verification devices. Datastrip’s products include the 2D Superscript Software Developers Kit (SDK), Datastrip 2D (public domain) SDK and the DSVerify 2D card/passport reader with associated DSVerify Win CE SDK. Both 2D Superscript and Datastrip 2D symbologies are ideal for bar code storage of photographs (both color and grayscale), multiple biometrics and text. Image Credit: Datastrip Group Inc.

This excerpted and edited from Security Director News -

TSA tests boarding pass technology
By Leischen Stelter, SECURITY DIRECTOR NEWS - 11.25.2008 - MINNEAPOLIS

An independent testing body for the Transportation Security Administration in late October completed a 45-day test of Laser Data Command's PassPro system, an automated airline passenger boarding system, which encrypts passenger information on boarding passes.
----
The system was tested at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport using law enforcement officers as the test group. Officers were issued letters with PassPro barcodes giving them permission to carry weapons aboard commercial airlines. Officers presented the letters to airline security officers who scanned the encrypted barcode and confirmed the officers' identities.
----
"We put the system into an operational environment at the Minnesota airport," said Gary Murray, manager of access control and biometrics testing for National Safe Skies Alliance. "We go in and set up the system exactly as it would potentially be set up in airports, and we try out the system to measure how useful it could be in the future."

Miometric Security - Eyes and fingers airport security. "Lufthansa and Siemens has successfully tested a biometric process for check-in and boarding at the Airport [2005]. The system identifies passengers from their fingerprints. After a passenger’s finger is rolled over an optical reader unit, the system converts the fingerprints’ characteristics into a 2D code which the reader prints on the boarding pass. Just before boarding, the fingerprints are again scanned by a reader and compared with the barcode. The data is erased after the passenger checks in. " Caption & Image Credit: wemakemoneynotart.com

The outcome of the testing is confidential, said Murray.

However, John Barclay, president and CEO of Laser Data Command, told Security Director News that he expects to receive a positive report from the TSA when an official report is released at the beginning of next year. "We've been told by the testing principles that all went flawlessly."

Barclay said PassPro is intended not only to increase aviation security and eliminate the possibility of fake boarding passes, but also to speed up passenger travel times. "We see it as a convenience to passengers, but also as a way for security to know about passengers and have done a threat assessment on them," said Barclay.
---
"It's entirely up to the TSA now that they've proven its use," he [Barclay] said. "It's quite scalable and has a variety of uses. The outcome of the trial will enable it be QPL (Qualified Product Listing) with the TSA and then it is applicable for anything they want to use it for."
Reference Here>>

The QR (Quick Response) Code And You

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

The QR (Quick Response) Code And You

A cellphone with a camera isn’t a communications device with a way to capture pictures and share them with friends… rather, it’s a web enabled handheld with a display and a scanner which automates the way to reach out, get information and get things done.

In order to have one's phone behave more like a tool than a personalized toy, all one has to do is download a simple program into the cellphone and presto – the camera takes a picture (scans) of a symbol printed on a billboard, flyer, magazine, or display screen then decodes it and has the phone access a “(dot) mobi” webpage on the internet through a series of pre-scripted commands. Quick, Simple, and Easy.

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

So why hasn’t this form of consumer automation been adopted right here in North America (after all, in large consumer societies found in Europe and Japan, this kind of symbology enabled automation has been used and perfected for years. Fact is, this is why a camera was added to the cellphone in the first place.)? Hard to say, but get ready because the symbology revolution will be vying for your attention at a cellphone or specialty retail store around the corner from where you live, soon.

There will be many codes (symbologies) offered, each with their own strengths and benefits, however, if your phone has limited memory space in which to store the software necessary to decode the symbology, then the one code program the cellphone should contain is the one to decode the QR Code … the best code ever.

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

This excerpted and edited from Multichannel Merchant Magazine -

R U Ready 4 QR Codes?
By Tim Parry, Multichannel Merchant - Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

CONSIDERING MOBILE MARKETING? Then you should probably start thinking about quick response (QR) codes. These two-dimensional barcodes can provide a vital link between print media and mobile commerce.
----
WHAT ARE THEY? QR codes store information — namely mobile Website URLs — that can be read by devices with cameras, like cell phones. A user with a Web-enabled camera phone equipped with the QR reader software can scan the image of the QR code; decoding software reads the information and prompts the phone's browser to go to a programmed URL.

WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO YOU? Let's say you have a QR code printed on an advertisement or catalog. A customer could scan it with his cell phone to be directed to your mobile site — and hopefully start buying immediately.

IS ANYBODY USING THEM? Upscale apparel brand Ralph Lauren, for instance, burst onto the mobile commerce scene in August using the technology. The merchant put QR codes on print advertisements, store windows and mailers so that with one wave of a Web-enabled camera phone — with QR reader software — the user is whisked away to a landing page at m.ralphlauren.com.

The mobile site initially launched with a showcase of its limited edition 2008 U.S. Open Collection and other Ralph Lauren classics such as polo shirts, oxfords and chinos. Mobile users could also check out a Ralph Lauren style guide, watch tennis videos, and read articles about the U.S. Open.

“We see mobile as a key channel for marketing, advertising and commerce for all of our brands and retail concepts,” says Miki Berardelli, Ralph Lauren's vice president, global customer strategy and retail marketing. “QR codes are part of the strategy and they serve as a conduit, providing an easy way for people to access the mobile Web.”

Users can download the QR reader application for free from Ralph Lauren; the technology is also available from numerous other sources online.

David Harper, founder/CEO of Website development firm Engagelogic and mobile content management and social networking software company Winksite, hopes the Ralph Lauren launch will encourage others to incorporate QR codes in their mobile commerce campaigns. But the early adaptors like Ralph Lauren may need to do more to educate people about the technology.
----
Why aren't more using QR codes? Creating a basic QR code is easy enough: Multichannel Merchant generated the code that appears on this issue's cover in a matter on minutes on Winksite.com. (Test it with your cell phone camera.)

Dave Sikora, CEO of m-commerce provider Digby, blames a lack of consumer awareness of the technology, and the inability of phones to accurately read the codes.
----
But Harper contends that adding a QR code reader application to a phone is no harder than downloading software to your personal computer. You can do a search for “QR code reader” on your mobile browser and find a site you want to download it from. Once installed, the reader application will show up in the applications folder, and its icon will appear on the screen.

And the QR reader does not have to point perfectly perpendicular for the QR code to be correctly translated by the mobile device, he adds. Even a wave over the code can bring the user to the correct mobile site.
----
Big in Japan

QR codes can be seen everywhere in Japan — no surprise, since Japanese firm Denso-Wave created the technology in 1994. Cell phone users in Japan can click a QR code printed on a poster at a movie theater and view its trailer.

It helps that QR code readers come as a standard feature on cell phones in Japan and Australia. And Harper says they're starting to become standard in certain parts of China, such as Beijing. (The software remains open-source in the U.S., though Nokia did add it to its N95 model.)
----
“When a customer scans the barcode with their phone, it launches a mobile-ready product detail and ordering page,” says Nina Matthews, marketing coordinator for CBC America. “This enables the customer to grab the page for follow-up while on the go or for sharing with others.”
----
Once consumers embrace the technology, Harper envisions some merchants using QR codes on the covers of their catalogs. Eventually, they may generate individual codes to be used for each product offering.

Technology notwithstanding, Digby's Sikora wonders how some merchants would handle the creative elements of incorporating a QR code into their print advertising and catalogs.
Reference Here>>

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

FAQ's from Ralph Lauren -

Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mobile site?
A mobile site is simply a normal web site formatted to fit your mobile phone or device.

Is it necessary to download anything to shop the mobile site?
No. Just enter m.RalphLauren.com into your mobile phone browser and voila...

Can any phone access the mobile site?
Any phone equipped with a web browser can access m.RalphLauren.com.

Will it cost me on my phone bill to use the mobile site?
This service is free from Ralph Lauren but charges from your carrier may apply. Be sure and double-check your plan.

Is it secure to shop from my phone?
Yes. Shopping via mobile device is just as safe as shopping from your home computer.

What can I buy through m.RalphLauren.com?
Right now, you can purchase anything from our US Open collections and our RL Classics shop as well as our iconic Ricky Bag. In the coming months, more and more products will be available and eventually you will be able to shop a range of Ralph Lauren products from anywhere you take your mobile phone.

What is a QR code?
These are two-dimensional bar codes—just like you’d find at the grocery store—that direct you to a specific website when you scan them with your cell phone. Learn more about QR, how to get it, and what type of device you need to operate it HERE.
Reference Here>>

INDY DownForce And Marketing Blunders

Promotional graphic used by INDY DownForce to promote mobile information alert applications. Non-sponsoring company product married to a log-time IRL racing team and series sponsor from the same mobile products industry. Graphic Credit: INDY DownForce broadcast email to inbox

INDY DownForce And Marketing Blunders

Mark this down as one of those - "What's Wrong With This Picture?", episodes.

To the casual observer, this issue may not mean so much … but to sponsoring entities that pay big bucks to support an advertising and branding awareness campaigns, this blunder is BIG.

This morning, we at Symblogogy received an announcement from the fansite of the Indy Racing League informing fans of a new and free function one could bring to their mobile phones.

The text from the email alert reads as follows:

IndyCar Mobile gets you FREE, convenient access to IndyCar Series racing at your fingertips. Get the inside edge on racing action with features such as:

Just Released!

RITMO Mundo Timing and Scoring - Breaking News - Race Videos - Photos - Discounts - IndyCar Nation and more...

The problem comes when one looks at the photo used to illustrate and draw attention to the free offer. The photo features a BlackBerry mobile phone with Danica Patrick’s - Andretti Green Racing, MOTOROLA Sponsored Dallara racing machine in front to emphasize the IRL Timing and Scoring feature tie-in.

Think of the symbology …

Doesn’t anyone understand Marketing 101 down there at INDY DownForce? Isn’t there any sensibility to the ties of who sponsors what, and if it makes sense to have a non-sponsoring company’s product (BlackBerry, RIM) be shown prominently with a strong, competitive sponsoring company effort (Motorola)?

Why couldn’t INDY DownForce have stripped up this marketing graphic using a Motorola RAZR … or similar Motorola product as opposed to a RIM manufactured product?

How are IRL racing teams going to relate the value of sponsorship with this type of vision and lack of collaborative support?

The fact remains that many teams have started the first three races of the ICS season with little or NO SPONSOR SUPPORT on their sidepods!

This is a blunder … a BIG marketing blunder indeed!

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.
----
"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.
----
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)

Intrasonics – “Soundings” On The Digital Applications Ecosystem

Intrasonics LOGO - Image Credit: Chord Capitol

Intrasonics – “Soundings” On The Digital Applications Ecosystem

Digital enablers to used access, identify, find, initiate, and respond to software programs designed to automate our lives has just found a new partner.

Symbology, as in optical character recognition, barcodes, 2D matrix, and 3D color dimension codes - RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, and RFID with memory - Biometrics, as in fingerprint, retina, vein-pattern, and face - Card Technologies that include magnetic stripe, embedded microchip, and RFID has a new technology player … Sound.

Circle Of Interactivity, patented SLS bridges the gap. Image Credit: Chord Capitol

Intrasonics is a company dedicated to bringing sound as the key communications implementer for a host of applications. As the Intrasonics website instructs, “The company is applying its patented ‘Sound Link and Sync’ (SLS) system to a range of interactive applications in broadcast and recorded media, enabling interactivity with mobile handsets, toys and mascots.”

The science of using sound in this manner is very new and does not have a formal name but we, at Symblogogy, will use “Acoustiology” … automatic identification applications set to sound.

Phone captures embedded sound files and uses them to get coupons, be directed to a website for information and commerce, or interactively respond to events broadcast on TV or radio. Image Credit: Chord Capitol

Acoustiology – AutoID Applications Set To Sound

This information excerpted from The Pondering Primate -

TV And Radio Broadcasts To Embed Hyperlinks In Sound
The Pondering Primate - Friday, December 21, 2007

Intrasonics offers another way to link the physical world to the Net with a mobile phone. By embedding data the sound of a TV broadcast or on the radio, a mobile phone is able to decipher/scan and connect a mobile phone to the Internet.

TV ads and shows can now be interactive with the mobile phone.
----
Intrasonics is added to the list of companies that enable a mobile phone to connect to the Internet via real world objects.

Intrasonics Ltd is Sagentia Group’s interactive media services venture which provides a completely new way of directly connecting broadcast media to mobile networks using data embedded in sound.

The technology can be used across a number of applications including interactive gaming and advertising.

Intrasonics works by communicating directly between a broadcaster and mobile handsets via data transmitted in the sound of ordinary broadcasts.

The data is embedded in the audio and is unobtrusive to the listener. The sound and data is picked up by the microphone in the mobile and can be decoded to enable a compelling range of new interactive experiences for the consumer.

Luc Jonker, CEO of Mainframe Participaties B.V. comments " Our vision is to bring interactivity into every household around the world by changing the way in which consumers currently interact with their TVs or radios"
Reference Here>>

Additional application information excerpted Intrasonics and from the assets found at Chord Capitol and its subsidiary, Sagentia Group –

Intrasonics Ltd is a new company that creates, develops and licenses unique solutions for mobile-media interactivity. The company is applying its patented ‘Sound Link and Sync’ (SLS) system to a range of interactive applications.

SLS allows data to be hidden within almost any audio material. The data is spread across the audio band and then masked using psycho-acoustics, making it unobtrusive to the casual listener.

Intrasonics SLS-encoded audio may then be stored on CD, tape or DVD - or transmitted via broadcast TV, radio, or a public address system - and is unaffected by typical audio compression systems.
----
The technology has application where small amounts of data need to be sent over an existing broadcast or recording system. Typically, it can be used to provide links relevant to the audio material – e.g. giving access to a website related to a TV advert, or facilitating 'one touch' interaction with a TV show.

Intrasonics SLS can also be used to synchronise audio subtitles to a film, to display messages on mobile handsets even if no radio connection is possible, and enable new ranges of interactive toys and themed mascots, whose actions are co-ordinated with broadcast or recorded media.
Reference Here>>

Capturing Coupon from sound files embedded in broadcast commercial. Image Credit: Chord Capitol

Our Product - how does it work and what does the market say ?

Intrasonics Ltd owns a significant portfolio of six patent families covering its acoustic data communications system - called 'Sound Link and Sync' (SLS). SLS allows small amounts of data to be hidden unobtrusively within an audio stream. The audio, carrying the data, may then be broadcast over any distribution system (radio, TV, in-store PA) where it is transmitted to air by any loudspeaker.

Software downloaded directly from a cell tower. Image Credit: Chord Capitol

A simple downloadable application on a mobile handset then interprets the sound, picked up by the mobile's microphone, and decodes the data. This results in the user receiving an interactive link or message on his mobile which he can click to see the advert or play along with the game show on the TV at that precise moment.

Dynamic TV broadcast "Game Show" play. Image Credit: Chord Capitol
----
When the audio is played through ordinary loudspeakers, the Intrasonics data is also carried - and can be decoded using a microphone connected to a low-cost DSP [Digital Signal Processor - A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications] or by a software-only addition to a mobile phone.
----
No special hardware is needed in the handset whatsoever and no change is needed to either the broadcast network or the TV itself – all existing TVs and radio receivers worldwide are already fully Intrasonics-compatible which is a critical consideration for ease of distribution.
Reference Here>>

This ACOUSTIOLOGY "sounds" like another great idea on which our lives are made eaiser through technology and automation.

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).
----
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!
----
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.
----
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.
----
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.

Symbology News Invades 3GSM Conference

Image Credit: Ecrio Inc.

Symbology News Invades 3GSM Conference

A PR Newswire release timed for the opening of the world’s premiere conference for GSM mobile phone communications (3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain - February 12-15) highlights the announcement of a newly patented process.

The process helps to ‘Beam’ regular barcodes from cellphones to everyday barcode scanners at the PoS checkout lane.

With over 35 million barcode scanners used throughout North America in retail checkout applications, combined with the use of the MoBeam™ Service patented by Ecrio, the cellphone can now be employed as a primary consumer coupon redemption device for products sold universally.

Excerpts from PR Newswire -

Ecrio 'Beams' Barcodes From Mobile Phones to Scanners
MoBeam(TM) Service to be Integrated Into the Visa Mobile Platform
By PR Newswire - CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 12

Ecrio, a leader in real-time communications and commerce software for mobile phones, today launched MoBeam(TM), a patented new service ( United States Patent #6,685,093) that bridges the gap between mobile handsets and the global barcode point-of-sale infrastructure.

This new service will be available globally; Visa International, a leader in payment services, has agreed to integrate MoBeam barcode technology into Visa's recently announced mobile platform.

In addition to the service launch, Ecrio announced that the MoBeam value projector already has been tested on several leading mobile phones, including the ASUS P525, the Hewlett Packard iPaq, the Motorola Q, and the Palm Treo.

For years, technologists have known how to send barcode information to mobile phones (via email, WAP, SMS and more), but have been unable to transfer that barcode information (for tickets, coupons, gift cards, etc.) from the handset to barcode scanning devices. Issues with screen resolution, reflection and other technical limitations have prevented scanners from effectively "reading" barcodes displayed on a mobile device screen. MoBeam finally solves these longstanding problems, enabling the instant transmission of any barcode sequence from handset to scanner.

"MoBeam is the missing link between today's mobile consumer and a worldwide commerce infrastructure based on barcodes," said Nagesh Challa, Ecrio Chairman and CEO. "For instance, a traveler using mobile search functions can be sent a digital coupon, easily redeemed at point-of-sale via the traveler's handset."
----
Patrick Gauthier, Senior Vice President of Innovation for Visa International, said "Ecrio shares our commitment to deliver the convenience of mobile payments and services to consumers worldwide. We see MoBeam as a valuable enabling technology for barcode based value added applications using the recently launched Visa mobile platform."

Added Dr. Alex Sun, Vice President of ASUSTeK's Wireless Communication business unit, "As a leading handset supplier to several major European wireless operators, ASUSTeK is pleased to have the MoBeam technology showcased on our phones during 3GSM. MoBeam offers a whole new class of application that we expect will readily be embraced by today's mobile, savvy consumer -- regardless of geography."

Several companies in the current barcode ecosystem have expressed interest in MoBeam, along with major retailers and carriers.
Reference Here>>

mCode Mobility Symbology Is Making Moves

Examples of Nextcode's mCode when paired up with a corporate "physical world connection" or hyperlink that communicates information directly to one’s cellphone --- "Just Point, Shoot, And Watch" --- Information at one's fingertips. Image Credit: Nextcode/ConnexTo/The Pondering Primate

mCode Mobility Symbology Is Making Moves

Most people are familiar with barcodes; they appear on almost every product we purchase. These barcodes are used to identify the products we purchase so that the pricing and other information (inventory and etc.) is easily retrieved from a computer database. In the case of a barcode, it is a little like a license plate.

But what happens when one wants more than simple identification from a symbology? The symbology has to evolve to meet the application.

When cellphones with cameras were first introduced, most thought ... "How novel, now I don't have to carry two devices in my travels, I have communications and a way to capture my travel experience. How cool, but don't I get better images from a dedicated camera?"

Enter the information age through a better symbology. Enter Nextcode.

This mission statement from the Nextcode website -

Nextcode

Nextcode's mission is to help remove the usability barriers to mobile content, commerce and services. We help eliminate countless keystrokes, bypass cumbersome menus and thus help companies improve their services, better merchandise content, expand offerings and enhance customer satisfaction. By doing so, they increase revenue, build loyalty and create happy customers.

Nextcode Logo - Image Credit: Nextcode Corp

At Nextcode, we see camera phones as just the beginning. In fact, if you look closely, it’s not really a camera inside your handset at all. Rather, it's an image sensor that just happens to have the software to process image data into photos. But the potential for mobile imaging is exponentially greater than taking snapshots. And we provide the enabling technology to help you offer services, provide benefits, open opportunities and make consumers’ mobile experiences easier, richer, and more fun.

Let us help you open up imaging opportunities for your business, because today, in their phones, hundreds of millions of consumers are carrying image sensors everywhere they go. Image sensors, coupled to powerful processors, wirelessly linked to the Internet. Hundreds of millions more are coming soon.
Reference Here>>

Ok! so now one has a code that is more easily read by a cellphone, but what does this mean to me? How am I or my company able to access the power of this new type of communication power?

Create your own physical world connection. Create a hyperlink to a website that is tailored to be seen by a cellphone screen.

Enter ConnexTo, a service of Nextcode.

This from ConnexTo (TM) -

ConnexTo

ConnexTo is a product of Nextcode Corporation, a leader in barcode scanning solutions for camera phones. We help remove usability barriers to mobile content, commerce and services. Our solutions help eliminate countless keystrokes and bypass cumbersome menus help consumers do more with their phones. We also help companies improve their services, better merchandise content, expand offerings and enhance customer satisfaction.

ConnexTo Logo - Image Credit: Nextcode Corp.

ConnexTo uses mCode, a special 2D code format developed specifically for camera phones and mobile applications. mCode is based on patent pending technology based on years of R&D with image sensors, optics, and camera phone applications. It provides breakthroughs in flexibility, data density, aesthetics, and performance. As a result, it is easy to use with standard cell phones. mCode is also designed for the requirements of advertisers, mobile content providers and consumers who want to open up the possibilities of a wide range of capabilities of mobile phones, content and commerce.

Use your camera to take you to websites in a snap. Enter SMS messages without wearing out your fingers. Share detailed contact info with just a click. ConnexTo makes your phone smarter, your life easier and your fingers a lot happier.

Just load application on your phone and you're ready to do a lot more than take pictures. At ConnexTo.com you can create your own codes, share them and then connect with friends, co-workers, content and an entirely new mobile experience.

ConnexTo. It's easy. It's fun. And - best of all - it's FREE.
Reference Here>>

Here are some examples of applications designed to reach out and communicate via Nextcode's mCode and ConnexTo (through a service called WINKsite).

One can even create a link of communication to a human … or government official. Why not, say, President Bush? Image Credit: Nextcode/ConnexTo


Here’s an example of a corporate application that would help a customer get the most out of the product they produce. How to cook a Butterball Turkey at Thanksgiving --- “Just Point, Shoot, And Watch”. Image Credit: Nextcode/ConnexTo/Butterball

Using WINKsite,(http://winksite.com) anyone can set up their own mobile site in minutes that's available worldwide from any web-enabled phone or desktop PC. Each mobile site is outfitted with RSS-friendly features that make it easy to glue together content from blogs and feeds with community features such as chat, forums and polls. Over 10,000 individual publishers and brands have created direct-to-consumer mobile portals and sites. WINKsite - Your Life. Your Friends. Your World. Image Credit: Nextcode/ConnexTo/WINKsite

ht: The Pondering Primate

Mobility Device Gives Palm OS A New, Robust Life

Banner Ad photo from Janam Technologies website. Image Credit: Janam Technologies LLC

Mobility Device Gives Palm OS A New, Robust Life

Last week, on the floor of the National Retail Federation's "Big Show 2007", a company was displaying a new mobility data collection device designed to bring the next version of the Palm OS operating system into the retail marketplace in an upgraded, more robust way.

What makes this noteworthy is that there have been a few changes in the data collection market niche and these changes had put the Palm OS operating system in jeopardy of being orphaned or even left behind. The original company that had developed the Palm Pilot and Palm operating system software was sold to another company in Japan and one of the largest manufacturers of data collectors, Symbol Technologies, did not have its licensing agreement to use the Palm OS software extended or renewed. To complicate matters, Symbol Technologies was also purchased by one of the largest manufacturers of communications equipment and phones in the world, Motorola.

Symbol Technologies was having to walk away from a market that they had established through first placing pedestrian PDA technology in data collection environments, then making the PDA with its Palm OS more robust and capable to handle a greater number of tasks. A massive number of these devices were placed in the field without a plan to continue to improve or integrate technologies as they became available.

A couple of former Symbol employees recognized that this niche, the Palm OS PDA-based data collector niche, might end up on the side of the road with a bunch of satisfied customers not having a place to go to find a current "next version". Enter Janam Technologies LLC - a new start-up company that announces "Migration is now as easy as it was meant to be".

Close-up of XP30 Series QVGA Color screen. Image Credit: Janam Technologies LLC

Excerpts from a news item found at PDAsNEWS -

Janam Technologies and PalmSource Announce Five-Year Agreement
By Dimitris S. - Published on 11/9/2006

Janam Technologies LLC, a provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes, and ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc., a member of the ACCESS CO., LTD., group of companies, today announced a licensing agreement that enables Janam to develop and sell application-specific mobile computers based on the latest version of ACCESS' Palm OS Garnet until 2011. In addition, Janam today announced its rugged, barcode-scanning, PDA-format mobile computers that will offer all the winning features of Palm OS Garnet, while still supporting barcode-scanning applications written for earlier versions of Palm OS. More than 40 million Palm Powered mobile phones, handhelds, and other mobile devices have been sold worldwide. With over 29,000 Palm OS application software titles available today, the Palm OS platform offers one of the largest third-party software catalogs to enable users to customize their Palm Powered smart mobile devices to fit particular needs.

"This is a story of investment protection," said Harry B. Lerner, Co-CEO of Janam. "Value-added resellers and their customers who have invested millions of dollars over the last 10 years in barcode-scanning applications for the durable Palm OS platform will now have cutting-edge hardware to which they can migrate their existing applications effortlessly, while adding newer functionality that further extends their solutions."
----
Janam’s XP Series rugged mobile computers combine the benefits of the Palm OS® Garnet™, including long battery life, a simple development environment and overall system stability, with the advanced technical features found in typical industrial mobile computers that run on alternative operating systems, in a much smaller and lighter package - all for up to half the list price.

XP20 Series features a Monotone screen, 266MHz CPU, PDA and Numeric keyboards, Batch or WLAN, 1D symbology scanner only. Image Credit: Janam Technologies LLC

The XP20 Series features a custom, "bright white", 160 x 160, monochrome display that was developed to provide continuity with today’s Palm OS® industrial mobile computers.

XP30 Series features a QVGA Color screen, 266MHz CPU, PDA and Numeric keyboards, Batch or WLAN, choice of 1D scanner or 2D imager scanner. Image Credit: Janam Technologies LLC

The XP30 Series adds a color, quarter-VGA display and Bluetooth as standard.

Hand Held Products' tiny 5000 series image engine is a revolutionary combination of a digital camera, illumination optics, and aiming optics. Devices powered by Adaptus Imaging allow you to capture signatures, take photos, read virtually all bar codes - even damaged codes - and so much more. Best of all, it allows you to tackle emerging applications with confidence - protecting your investment well into the future. Image Credit: Hand Held Products

All XP Series products offer a 2D barcode scanning option [not supported by distributor documentation - All XP20 Series products are offered with 1D scanner only / All XP30 Series products are offered with a choice of 1D or 2D scan engines], meet IP54 sealing requirements, withstand drops to concrete from 4'/1.2m and weigh less than 10 ounces. The XP Series will be the world's first, rugged, mobile computer that combines Palm OS Garnet (version 5.4), numeric keypad option, user-accessible memory, NAND flash memory backup, USB connectivity, double capacity battery option and, in WLAN versions, WiFi Protected Access (WPA) wireless security.

With easy management of accessories in mind, Janam will also offer a single-slot charging/synching cradle, four-slot charging/synching cradle, USB synching/charging cable and attachable magnetic stripe reader (MSR) that works with all XP Series mobile computers.

Read All>>

Also, these excerpts and reflections from VARBusiness -

Symbol Bids Adieu To Palm, Start-up Seeks To Fill Void
By Shelley Solheim, VARBusiness - From the November 27, 2006 VARBusiness

Partners who have tested out the new devices say they think the products will fill a market need.

"The Palm OS base is shrinking, but there definitely remains strong demand from customers who need an aggressive barcode scanner with a simple application at a low price point -- something that Palm OS excels at," says Brad Horn, Portable Technology Solutions, a provider of mobile barcode enabled data collection solutions. "These customers cannot afford and do not need the higher end features bundled in with the Windows Mobile and CE.Net Terminals. The Janam terminal is a great fit for these price sensitive customers."

"There is still a Palm market out there. We found some customers were pretty upset with the end-of-life with Symbol's program," says Tom Moxley, president of Next Level Solutions, in Scottsdale, Ariz. "This will give the Palm user a good window to convert so he can do it on his timetable not with his back to the wall."

There is another small provider of rugged Palm-based devices based out of New Zealand, called Aceeca, although its devices are based on an older version of the Palm OS.
Read All>>

At the time of this post, the first production units are expected to ship out in the first half of Q1. List pricing of the XP Series devices is expected to range from $995.00 to $1,545.00 depending on how the XP Series device is configured.

The renewed focus, improvements, and upgrades of this OS developmental effort may translate into greater functionality of the PALM OS in general.