Rating: Even support colour like Microsoft Tag
Probably because it was feeling a little bit left out, ScanLife (Scanbuy) has decided to enter the current spat over 2D barcode technology. Avid readers may recall that SpyderLynx has just announced it has received a patent for its SnapTag technology. See here. One of the things which SpyderLynx claims SnapTag can offer is “the only logo-centric mobile activation tool in the marketplace today.” (See here). So what has ScanLife just done? Only gone and sent GoMobile News examples of its latest service for customers. Yessiree, the ability to embed logos into various 2D codes including QR codes. If that isn’t throwing the gauntlet down, then what is?ScanLife is calling this new offering a Designer Code mobile barcode service. It claims this, “allows those creating 2D codes, like QR codes, the ability to select from a number of different colour schemes and include images like a brand logo within the code’s design.”
Before we go any further, notice that these designer codes can incorporate colour – something which until now was a major argument for using Microsoft’s Tag technology rather than boring old QR codes.
The examples ScanLife provided which are replicated here include a 2D barcode shaped as a heart and a Ford (cars) branded QR code which even has a little car icon in the centre.
This is exactly the kind of thing which SpyderLynx claims only its technology can provide. The amasing this is exactly what Tagnition and UpCode proved they could do back in 2009 – without colour, though.
As an excuse for publicising the Designer Code story, ScanLife claims that it has recently conducted a survey and found that consumers are 47 per cent more likely to scan a recognizably branded QR codes than a non-branded code.
Oh, and there’s another bonus. The good thing about this new solution is that ScanLife will test the code and make sure it can be scanned successfully.
Naturally, here at GoMobile Towers we have the clicknology to test out ScanLife’s claims. And, YES, it does work.
We trotted out our Nokia Lumia 800 W7 Mango handset; loaded it up with arch rival NeoMedia‘s NeoReader software; and scanned the 2D barcodes.
Lo and behold it worked perfectly – for both the heart shaped one and the Ford one. Which is great because ScanLife’s technology doesn’t always work. But that’s another story …. here
Hey Tony,
I might take you seriously if you actually spelled the name of the company correctly its SpyderLynk not Spyderlynx? How are you the Editor? Not that hard to figure out
Glad to see some other brands are venturing into color QR code with logo’s. It’s about time, we’ve been buzy with this for years already
Scanbuy, the johnny come latelys of the mobile code space. Always second to file for patents. Always a follower. Never a leader. A true runner-up.
Nothing, absolutely nothing anyone can conjure up will salvage the wreck that QR codes unleashed on the general public over the past two years (speaking of North America, where, frankly, we botched it up).
Consumers simply do not scan QR codes in any meaningful percentage. So, a 47% increase over a .01 scan rate still means bupkus.
I really don’t think that the Spyderlink patent and an image overlay on a QR are in conflict. But, let the lawyers have fun arguing their sides. No one is scanning either format, so only the lawyers will be making money from here on out.
Oh yeah. A master of the English language who doesn’t know the difference between it’s and its. Go to the back of the class
Check out Cimbal: http://www.cimbal.com. The company uses color and a 2D barcode format called DataMatrix. Logos are embedded into the code itself and are much more easily recognizable. What ScanLife and similar competitors provide is still a very ugly QR code. Cimbal has a much more robust offering and scanner technology.
I tried to capture that heart QR code with Scanlife Classic on a Windows Phone and it would not decode. I tried to capture it with the NeoReader and while it did decode, their server never delivered any results. Maybe they don’t work with Scanlife codes.
I did capture and decode with ScanGadget on Windows Phone and it worked fine. Red Laser also worked well.