Mobile barcode company ScanBuy, which runs the ScanLife mobile barcode application, today announced two new features. The first is a barcode that automatically posts a Twitter message from your phone, and the second is an “instant win” lottery service.
Users of ScanLife can use the service to create their own barcodes – and aside from the usual functions like taking you to a mobile URL, it can also trigger a specific phone action like making a phone call. Now users can generate a code that will post a pre-written message to Twitter on behalf of the phone owner. The example ScanBuy gives is a store with a sales promotion – they could add the code to anything in-store, and people who like the deal could Twitter about it. In a wonderful bit of self-reference, the following code posts a twit about this service!
The Lotto Code uses barcodes to give users the chance to win things via barcode. It’s an anonymous process – you just scan the code, and the service works out whether you’ve won and sends you notification without needing your number or details. This isn’t necessarily a cash thing… you could be in a draw for a coupon, or a piece of mobile content.
What we think?
I’m actually pretty intrigued by both of these, especially the Twitter scan. It’s an idea that has been mentioned by several companies, but ScanBuy is the first one we’ve seen actually get around to launching it. It’s a safe bet that we’ll see a lot more cross-overs between Twitter and mobile barcodes, but you have to give a nod to ScanBuy for getting in there early.
The Lottery Code could get lost in the wash. There are a lot of “be in with a chance to win X” things around… so many that people tend to blank them out. But the sheer immediacy of the barcode applications for this lifts could make it more appealing.
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