NeoMedia & Gavitec To Attend CTIA Wireless

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated barcode transactions for mobile devices, and Gavitec AG - mobile digit, the leading provider of mobile ticketing technologies and marketing solutions, are excited to showcase their innovative optical code reading technology at CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2008 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA from September 10 - 12.

CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment, the largest wireless data event in the industry, embodies the ever-changing, dynamic, and innovative world of wireless data in enterprise and in entertainment. CTIA Wireless is the one show that brings key audiences such as enterprise users, solution providers, content owners, and mobile distribution channels together to form strategic partnerships, service industry needs, and create new innovations in wireless data. With over 300 exhibitors and special technology pavilions in mobile entertainment, enterprise mobility, M2M and application development, CTIA Wireless is the most comprehensive expo in wireless data showcasing ground-breaking innovations and creative solutions for enterprise and entertainment.

NeoMedia's flagship optical messaging and code reading platform, along with Gavitec's mobile ticketing technologies and marketing solutions will be on display at CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment in booth #229.

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.

CTIA Forms Code Scan Action Team

At its October 23 meeting in San Francisco, CTIA’s Board of Directors approved a new initiative of CTIA’s Wireless Internet Caucus (WIC) in the area of Cameraphone Barcode Scanning.

CTIA's Code Scan Action Team, comprised of industry representatives, is currently in the process of evaluating solutions to implement Cameraphone Barcode Scanning on wireless phones in the United States. According to its charter, "The Code Scan Action Team will work together to enable unified communication to external stakeholders (such as consumer goods, media, and retailers) that need to hear of a unified approach (technologically and systemically) prior to committing to their initial capital expenditure, technology selection and marketing resources. These external investments are required to drive actual utilization of the cameraphone scanning technologies infrastructure.

It is proposed that the Action Team be limited to the national U.S. wireless carriers until June 30, 2008. In the intervening months, the carriers will collect and analyze data through trial and analysis, and formulate a plan for Cameraphone Scanning Technologies market development.

Numerous opportunities are contingent upon standards being agreed upon and communicated in the areas of symbologies, code resolution, priority functions, value added services, and measurement and reporting.

According to its charter, "The Action Team will articulate conventions for code resolution, either directly through the code or indirectly through server translation."

There are two primary methods of 2D barcode symbology encoding: direct encoding and indirect encoding.

In a direct encoding method, the target information itself is directly encoded in a 2D barcode. The code reader on the mobile phone translates the code data and takes an immediate local action.

Indirect encoding is the process of linking the target information to an index (364528) and putting that unique identifier into a 2D barcode. The code reader on the mobile phone reads the 2D code and sends the code data over the Internet to a central resolution server that will tell the mobile phone what action is associated with the index.

The Indirect encoding method offers obvious advantages over the direct method, and presents huge application areas for carriers, handset manufacturers, consumer goods, media, and retailers.

Listed below are just a few of the many advantages of indirect encoding:

* Indirect codes are small: The code size varies depending on the amount of information encoded in it. As indirect codes only compress an index, they have the adequate size to be successfully read and decoded by the mobile phone. However direct codes, containing a URL for example, are mostly too large and not appropriate for printed media.

* Indirect codes compress unlimited information: While direct codes allow limited data to be carried in the code in order to be read by the code reader application, indirect codes can be created limitless. The target information linked to the index contained in the code can vary and be as long as the client or code owner needs it. The variety of inputs possible is lager for indirect than direct codes that can contain UPC, EAN, ISBN and other product codes as well as keywords.

* Indirect codes ensure added durability and maintain advertising continuality: The central resolution server manages the content indexed to each indirect code, allowing clients and code owners to easily update information without having to change codes. New or additional information would simply involve changing the content linked to the index and not the code itself. Indirect codes remain the same and keep linking to the proper data while direct codes are unusable any longer. Using the direct method, if a website changes and a webpage is removed, the URL encoded within the 2D barcode will be incorrect. The direct code will not link to the appropriate website and all materials (e.g. newspapers, ads, billboards, books, etc.) where the direct code has been placed will be erroneous and out of use. However, the index encoded 2D barcode remains the same making indirect codes durable and always up-to-date.

* Indirect codes make the most of the advertisement utilization: Besides their durability and long-term use, small and smart indirect codes can be discreetly placed in any kind of print or attached on any information display surface, such as advertising panels, billboards, walls, enabling any mobile phone user to access digital information and therefore maximizing the advertising utilization. As advertising space costs in given media vehicle are significant and mostly very high, the budget-minded advertiser or agency will not use any ad space for large direct codes which will impact the communication's goals.

* Indirect codes maximize the addressable handset market: Being small, discreet and durable, indirect codes can be read and decoded by a large number of mobile phones currently available on the market and not just a handful of handsets. Depending on the camera lens, optics, resolution and illumination, not every mobile phone is able to read large direct 2D barcodes.

* Indirect codes offer a wide range of exciting applications: The ability for individuals and corporations to interact with the electronic world will allow economies to be much more efficient and consumer-product companies to make their products more attractive. This also will revolutionize the ad industry by providing a one-to-one, permission-based, personalized and profiled dialog with customers. Indirect codes can be used in a wide range of application areas, from commercial to social to educational. For example, indirect codes can be used in grocery stores to get recipes and nutritional information on products. They can be used for advertising purposes, to download a trailer or music off a movie promotional poster, for instance. Or simply to help users to find the nearest cinema or call up an online box office to locate movie times. Indirect codes can be embedded in business cards to link to constantly updated contact information. Moreover, indirect codes can be used in museum and galleries, where visitors can download high-quality audio and visual content about exhibits in multiple languages. Tourists can even retrieve sightseeing information as they walk through a city.

As cameraphones become increasingly common and cameraphone barcode scanning technologies mature, an alliance of proactive carriers can create conditions that will encourage market growth. Given the aggressive timeline for the CTIA's Code Scan Action Team, we should have a good idea by Summer 2008 of its continued effectiveness in helping the industry reach win-win solutions.

Experience qode® At CTIA Wireless 2007

NeoMedia Technologies, a global leader in mobile enterprise and marketing technology, announced today that its flagship qode® platform will be on exhibit in four different locations at CTIA Wireless 2007 at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla from March 27 to March 29.

qode® is a revolutionary new mobile solution, providing One Click to Content™ Mobile Web Connectivity from handsets, as well as end-to-end mobile ticketing and mobile couponing solutions. qode® is the only comprehensive mobile solution available to marketers and enterprises today.

People attending CTIA Wireless 2007 can experience the power of the qode® solution at the following locations:

• qode® booth: Booth #5454 (Hall D)

• The qode® Experience: Outside Hall D, our booth #5454 will have a team to direct you.
  

• E-tech Awards exhibit: The E-Tech Awards Display will be located prominently in the Hall C Lobby.
  

• QUALCOMM Booth #1645 (Hall A3)

"This is our broadest exposure at a CTIA event to date," said Chas Fritz, acting CEO and chairman of NeoMedia Technologies.

"Our industry-leading BREW application will be demonstrated in the QUALCOMM booth, our involvement in the E-tech awards competition has positioned us in the special showcase for the E-tech Award participants, and we will be demoing the entire suite in our booth and in the exclusive "qode® experience" mobile demonstration vehicle," Fritz said. "As the only 2D code reading solution vendor actively exhibiting in this leading industry event, the broad coverage will allow more people at the show to experience the qode® solution."

NeoMedia's qode includes qode®reader and qode®window, providing One Click to Content™ connectivity for products, print, packaging and other physical objects to link directly to specific desired content via the mobile internet. qode reader works with camera-enabled phones, letting users "click" on 2-dimensional "smartcodes" for a direct connection to desired multimedia information, advertising, promotions and content, etc., and qode window lets users enter a key word, slogan, barcode number or other unique identifier, for similar connection. The qode® mobile ticketing and couponing solution consists of a back-end system for ticket/coupon generation and validation as well as readers that can be deployed in a stand-alone configuration, integrated into venue turnstiles/entryways, or combined in point-of-sale systems.

Ride The qode® Experience At CTIA 2007