Camera Phone as Bar-Code Scanner
Toshiba Corp. has developed software that lets shoppers use their phones to check the reputations of products on the Internet. Shoppers only need to use the phone’s built-in digital camera to take a photo of the product bar-code label. The service will cover products that consumers are particularly concerned about, including consumer electronics products, food, books, CDs, DVDs and cosmetics. Commercial application is expected to begin in fiscal 2006 after further testing at electric appliance retailers and bookstores from February.
Toshiba categorized about 500,000 Japanese words into fields such as travel and culture, and classified words related to evaluation as good or bad. A similar service is already being provided by a Sony Corp. affiliate. Continue