NeoMedia Appoints New CEO Iain McCready

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated barcode transactions for mobile devices, is pleased to announce the appointment of Iain McCready as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Iain joins to take NeoMedia into the next phase of its growth and to be responsible for day-to-day operations and business strategy.

Outgoing CEO Chip Hoffman, who is moving on to new activities, will help Iain during the transition period.

Iain was previously employed as a consultant for NeoMedia and has extensive experience in successfully growing relevant technology businesses. Most recently, Iain spent three years driving the growth of Mobiqa, the world leader in mobile ticketing and mobile couponing solutions based on the creation, optimization, delivery and redemption of barcodes to mobile phones, from a start-up to the world leader in their field. As CEO, he rolled out the company's strategy worldwide, entered new markets and struck major deals with the biggest companies in their field, including Ticketmaster, Major League Baseball and Nokia.

Previously, Iain was Non-Executive Chairman of Scolocate Limited, a provider of co-location and managed services to the IT marketplace, specializing in IT architecture, design and planning, project management and implementation services. Prior to this, Iain was the Non-Executive Director of Concept Systems Limited, a leading supplier of advanced IT systems, solutions and service to the oil exploration and production industry, appointed to manage the business to a successful exit, which he achieved.

In 2003 Iain served as the Interim Chief Operating Officer at Hanon Solution Limited. Before that, he had an almost 20 year career at KSCL, which was Scotland's largest software house and developed customer care and billing applications for the world's leading mobile phone operators, now part of Convergys. Iain had held a number of roles at KSCL including Chief Operating Officer and Customer Services Director.

George O'Leary, board member said, "We are delighted to welcome Iain on board. Iain comes with direct experience and the proven ability to develop and execute business plans, establish companies internationally and build and lead teams. He was the natural choice for CEO. We have been particularly impressed with his ability to assess and assimilate business issues quickly. His extensive experience leading a top barcode and technology company will provide key direction in developing NeoMedia's strategy and driving the company forward."

Iain McCready said, "Having already worked with NeoMedia, I am looking forward to taking the reins and being operational from day one. At the forefront of a rapidly growing sector, the company's innovative products, exciting solutions and its intellectual property for the mobile market in particular offer impressive potential. I look forward to contributing to its future success."

OMA Update On Mobile Code Standards

The OMA recently published an April 2008 Technical Plenary Summary stating that a 2D barcode white paper has been completed and is currently in consistency review. The summary also noted that a requirements document has been started with initial sections populated.

Last December the Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2) announced it had carried out initiatives which lead to GSM Association (GSMA) and Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) activities to accelerate mass mobile marketing using 2D barcodes.

The Mobile Codes Consortium, the cross-industry group created to promote unified standards in camera cell-phone barcode reading technology, in conjunction with the GSM Association and the Open Mobile Alliance, continues to bring large scale adoption of mobile codes closer to reality.

Dr. Frank Müller, Director of Intellectual Property and Strategy at NeoMedia Technologies, said: "The commitment of GSMA and OMA gives important impetus for the worldwide development of mobile marketing based on using 2D barcodes. The barcode reading technology, enabling people with mobile phones to read mobile codes and immediately connect to content and services, makes the mobile Internet much more accessible for consumers and likewise offers advertisers various opportunities for innovative, well-directed and cost-effective marketing approaches with precise response evaluation."

William "Chip" Hoffman, CEO of NeoMedia Technologies, said: "We are creating the mobile equivalent of 'hyper-text' for broadcast and print media. Like SMS, a standard technology used by all carriers world-wide, mobile barcodes allow Brands and Consumers to interact on static media the same way they do on the web; cross-country and cross-carrier. With this wireless technology and the associated systems supporting it, old-media becomes new-media."

Thomas Curwen of Publicis Dialog and co-chairman of the Mobile Codes Consortium, added: "Now that we are making real progress, we will now start work with the marketing industry to ensure that their needs are taken into consideration in the developing standards."

The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) delivers open specifications for creating interoperable services that work across countries, operators, fixed and mobile terminals. Driven by users’ needs and the expanding market for data services, the member companies of the Open Mobile Alliance stimulate the adoption of new and enhanced information, communication and entertainment services. The Open Mobile Alliance includes contributors from all key elements of the wireless value chain, and contributes to the timely and efficient introduction of services and applications.

William Hoffman & Tim Kindberg To Attend I3A

NeoMedia Technologies' CEO William "Chip" Hoffman, and co-chairman of the Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2) Tim Kindberg will both be in attendance at this years Imaging Innovation, the 62nd Annual Conference of the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A). The 2008 edition of the conference will be held at the Vancouver Marriott in Vancouver BC Canada from June 4th through the 6th.

Imaging Innovation ‘08 is an extraordinary two-day conference featuring thought-provoking discussions on hot industry topics and valuable networking opportunities. The event will provide:

* An in-depth look at emerging technologies such as holographics and color matching by phone.

* Exploration of new and existing challenges within the imaging industry on metadata, security, mobile commerce, and global markets.

* Interactive discussions leading to action plans that will turn industry challenges into success.

* The opportunity to make valuable networking contacts that can translate to deals.

Chip Hoffman and Tim Kindberg will both be participating in an I3A panel discussion on June 5th from 4:00pm to 6:30pm. The panel discussion, Beyond Snapshots - Advanced Mobile Imaging Technology, takes a look at making money using the imaging capabilities of camera phones for everything from visual search to purchasing goods and services.

In the past few years mobile phone imaging capabilities have gone beyond picture taking. Mobile phones are now capable of connecting a barcode, watermark or even an ordinary image to timely and pertinent information relevant to the camera phone user. In many places, the handset can now be used as an electronic wallet, capable of purchasing goods and services such as transportation and point of sale payment for consumer goods. The panel will discuss current worldwide applications and future technologies that will allow users to get information or make purchases by simply pointing a camera phone.

In order to create a global ecosystem for mobile codes, NeoMedia is collaborating with recognized leaders in telecommunication infrastructure management to create a worldwide infrastructure for the processing of optically initiated transactions - called the Optical Messaging Interchange. This interchange would provide the mass reach required by brands and advertisers to invest in the technology, while enabling operators to leverage their investments in networks and subscribers. By embracing open standards, full interoperability, and by being barcode symbology agnostic, NeoMedia Technologies wants to provide a global infrastructure to insure that all transactions requested by end users “work” as intended, all parties are compensated correctly, and that the technology achieves mass adoption globally. In doing so, NeoMedia enables a seamless, secure, and reliable platform for mobile commerce using 1D and 2D barcodes and mobile devices. NeoMedia’s mission is to offer new ways to make mobile internet transactions effortless and more accessible while enhancing customer value and convenience.

La Gazzetta Dello Sport Adopts QR Codes

La Gazzetta dello Sport, a popular Italian newspaper dedicated to the coverage of various sports, has launched a QR code initiative to make print interactive.

The newspaper, published on distinctive pink paper, sells over 400,000 copies daily, with an impressive readership in excess of three million.

Readers of the newspaper can now use their mobile phones to scan printed QR codes to access specialized mobile content, such as sports related video clips.

In order to scan QR codes, users can download the NeoReader, which is a free mobile code reading application.

Based off the award winning Lavasphere technology developed in Germany by Gavitec, the NeoReader features NeoMedia's patented resolution technology combined with Gavitec's ultra-small footprint and platform independent algorithms. It is able to read and decipher all common non-proprietary 2D codes (Data Matrix, QR, Aztec) as well as URL embedded 2D codes and all 1D UPC/EAN/Code 128 open source codes. The NeoReader supports direct and indirect code linking, which guarantees maximum interoperability with already existing platforms like 2D Data Matrix Semacodes, and Japanese QR links. This allows the user to click on a variety of codes with a single application installed on their mobile device.

The NeoReader ushers in and inaugurates a brand new era of innovative mobile enterprise and optical code reading solutions for the wireless industry. Visit get.neoreader.com to download the free application, and instantly transform your mobile phone into a universal code reader.

Another Step Closer To Mobile Code Standards

Last December the Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2) announced it had carried out initiatives which lead to GSM Association (GSMA) and Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) activities to accelerate mass mobile marketing using 2D barcodes.

The Mobile Codes Consortium, the cross-industry group created to promote unified standards in camera cell-phone barcode reading technology, in conjunction with the GSM Association and the Open Mobile Alliance, continues to bring large scale adoption of mobile codes closer to reality.

A work item document entitled "Mobile 2D Bar codes" was created last year by the Mobile Codes Consortium and approved by the OMA Board of Directors.

The approved work item included the following recommendations: (1) Choice of 2D barcode symbologies (2) The data stored in the barcodes and (3) The terminal behaviors in response to reading barcodes, including behaviors with respect to some existing (1D and 2D) barcodes standards. Prime candidates include the industrial standards for barcode symbologies QR and Datamatrix, and the NFC Forum NDEF data structure. The normative specifications to be developed shall ensure backward compatibility with relevant 2D barcode systems, so that mobile devices that are compliant to the specifications to be developed shall be able to recognize and process such existing 2D barcode print-outs or images.

The work item also concluded that, barcode reading software needs to be included in devices supporting mobile codes, and the interface towards back-end servers also needs to be agreed.

The OMA recently published a February 2008 Technical Plenary Summary stating that a 2D barcode white paper has been completed. The summary also noted that work was about to commence on formal standards.

According to Tim Kindberg of HP Laboratories and co-chairman of the MC2, "Barcode reading technology makes it much easier for people with mobile phones to click straight from paper or displays to content and services. You just point the camera and click to connect. This will make the mobile internet much more accessible."

Thomas Curwen of Publicis Dialog and co-chairman of MC2, said: "Mobile barcodes will make advertising much more efficient. Customers clicking straight from, say a poster, to the Internet on their mobile device – will make traditional display advertising as interactive as banner ads. With the added advantage that advertisers can track and measure which ads create the highest click-through rates." Curwen added, "It is unique for an ad agency to be leading technological change on such a scale – and we are doing this because it will help make us more efficient."

The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) delivers open specifications for creating interoperable services that work across countries, operators, fixed and mobile terminals. Driven by users’ needs and the expanding market for data services, the member companies of the Open Mobile Alliance stimulate the adoption of new and enhanced information, communication and entertainment services. The Open Mobile Alliance includes contributors from all key elements of the wireless value chain, and contributes to the timely and efficient introduction of services and applications.