Many of you have probably printed your own ticket for an event- you purchase your ticket online and then print it at home and it has a barcode on it for admission. I always do this when I’m going to a concert so I don’t have to wait in line forever. Well have you heard about the newest evolution in ticketing? Mobile ticketing, or m-ticketing, is poised to replace preprinted paper tickets with electronic tickets. Instead of printing out your own ticket after a purchase online, a mobile ticket consisting of a barcode will be sent to your cell phone or PDA via SMS (Short Message Service). This barcode can then be read directly from your mobile device’s screen for admission. This type of ticketing is even more beneficial than preprinted paper tickets because in addition to better service it also saves customers printing costs.
According to HandHeld Products, the barcode best suited for this application is the Aztec code, pictured at left. This high-density 2D symbology has a bulls-eye pattern placed at the center for critical data and this is where mobile display screens are brightest. Having the data in the center of the screen in the brightest area ensures the best reads possible. Of course a 2D barcode displayed on an electronic display will need to be read by a 2D imager. But 2D imagers are very flexible and can read linear barcodes as well, so customers with paper tickets or m-tickets will have no problem attending an event. This video from HandHeld Products explains a little more about mobile ticketing and shows some examples of its use.
For more information about mobile ticketing or the different types of 2D imagers required to scan these electronic tickets, please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.
It appears that QR (Quick Response) Codes are beginning to gain more interest in the United States. The new Ralph Lauren US Open advertisements, like the one pictured at left, are introducing QR Codes to allow consumers to shop directly from their mobile phones. When the QR Code in the bottom right corner is scanned by a QR-enabled cell phone, such as an iPhone, users will link directly to the new Ralph Lauren mobile site. The new mobile site, m.RalphLauren.com, currently allows users to purchase from the US Open collections and the RL classics shop.
As more large retailers begin utilizing QR Codes as a new form of marketing media, it won’t be surprising to see them popping up everywhere. Currently very few cell phones in the U.S. are capable of reading QR Codes, but this will probably all change very soon as interest in this new marketing tool grows. I can’t wait to see where they show up next.
Someone just sent me the link to this video on YouTube and I had to share. More amazing drop tests and attempted destruction of the incredible Intermec CN3! It really is amazing what this device can put up with.
I read about Blog4Mobile in 2d code online magazine the other day and I had to try it out for myself. Blog4Mobile offers users a free-service to adapt their web content for cell phones and it reads the entire blog rather than just the RSS feed. This means your readers can access the entire content of your blog instead of being stuck with just the extracts from your RSS feed. Another unique feature offered by Blog4Mobile is the option to create a QR Code (Quick Response Code) for your blog URL. The original QR Code created for barcode.com is pictured below. Now readers can take a snapshot of the QR code for your blog with their QR Code-enabled phone and instantly access your blog without typing in the URL. Users also have the option of adding their new mobile blog to a directory to increase the number of readers. Visit Blog4Mobile to learn more about their free service and register today.
After reading Part 1 of this post, you’re already familiar with two ways GPS technology can benefit your business- Navigation and Route Optimization. Now we’re going to look at two more GPS applications, Route Auditing (which goes hand in hand with Route Optimization) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL).
GPS Route Auditing- also known as “breadcrumbing,” route auditing allows managers to record and monitor activities that have occurred in the field. Route optimization finds the most efficient routes and route auditing makes sure they’re followed. Managers can compare the actual route taken by drivers to the planned route to ensure that the most efficient course was taken. This can save your company fuel costs and ensure your employees are providing consistent on-time service for customers. Applications can record driving speed to deter speeding and provide data for accidents or insurance purposes. Excessively high or low daily mileage can be tracked to monitor anything out of the ordinary. A GPS can also measure stop times to ensure that employees aren’t taking excessive breaks, or that they’re complying with union laws. GPS applications can also include a location stamp for deliveries. When a package is delivered and scanned with a mobile computer to record the delivery, the GPS will also record the delivery with a location stamp. This automatically records the location of delivery and can be used for delivery confirmation and proof of services.
GPS Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)- AVL can provide real-time visibility of the entire fleet to managers or dispatchers. This allows supervisors to monitor employees in real-time to ensure that drivers are sticking to the pre-determined route. Dispatchers can also locate the nearest available vehicles to route them to a customer site for service or pickups. AVL also provides package tracking for customers, allowing them to access real-time data about their shipment. Real-time information and monitoring can also increase security of your fleet. GPS applications can help reduce the risk of stolen vehicles and increase recovery times due to automatic alerts if vehicles deviate from their routes.
For more information on Global Positioning Systems, mobile computers equipped with GPS, or GPS software, please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.
According to HandHeld Products, the barcode best suited for this application is the Aztec code, pictured at left. This high-density 2D symbology has a bulls-eye pattern placed at the center for critical data and this is where mobile display screens are brightest. Having the data in the center of the screen in the brightest area ensures the best reads possible. Of course a 2D barcode displayed on an electronic display will need to be read by a 2D imager. But 2D imagers are very flexible and can read linear barcodes as well, so customers with paper tickets or m-tickets will have no problem attending an event. This video from HandHeld Products explains a little more about mobile ticketing and shows some examples of its use.
