Dornbirner Messe & T-Mobile Select NeoMedia

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in mobile barcode scanning solutions, and philipp, an Austrian-based mobile solutions and services company, were selected by Dornbirner Messe and T-Mobile, to provide 2D barcode services for the spring exhibition Frühjahrsmesse, which took place in Dornbirn, Austria.

Trade fair organizer, Dornbirner Messe used 2D codes from NeoMedia in their promotion campaigns for Frühjahrsmesse.

Visitors at the spring exhibition were encouraged to text MESSE via SMS over the T-Mobile network, which linked them to the NeoReader download site. Once the NeoReader code scanning software was installed on their device, visitors could scan the Data Matrix code, which connected them to mobile content.

Through NeoMedia, traditional advertising is instantly transformed into a multi-media experience when advertisers incorporate 2D barcodes into their marketing mix. Any product, magazine/newspaper, retail display or billboard with a 2D code can provide access to real-time product or service information, downloadable content or mobile commerce transactions.

VW QR Campaign With NeoMedia & DIMOCO

Volkswagen has kicked off an innovative QR code campaign with NeoMedia Technologies and DIMOCO which is currently running in several Austrian magazines.

Readers of the magazines are linked to the NeoReader download site and will receive a VW-Scirocco Video when they scan the printed QR code.

This is the first mobile code campaign worldwide where the reader download and the content download are free for operators T-Mobile and Mobilkom Austria covering 2/3 of all Austrian subscribers.

NeoMedia At DMVÖ MMA Mobile Innovation

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated barcode transactions for mobile devices, was in attendance at the November 11th DMVÖ MMA Mobile Innovation event in Vienna Austria.

The event, held in cooperation with DMVÖ Mobile Innovation Working Group and the Mobile Marketing Association of Austria was sponsored by m4c, DIMOCO and Nokia, and featured representatives from Ericsson, Bertelsmann-Arvato, T-Mobile, and Orange.

Thomas Hinterleithner, head of linking solutions and global sales at NeoMedia conducted an informative lecture and question and answer session on mobile code reading using various examples from Asia, Europe, and the United States. He demonstrated the many exciting communication channels and business models that are achievable through code reading.

"Innovative tools such as mobile code reading allow direct and easy communication with the consumer. The consumer has a quick, precise and even controlled access to the desired information and advertising is measurable, stated Thomas Hinterleithner, "The software is, for example, here in Europe but not yet preinstalled on the phone. But that will soon change. A global standard comes in early 2009."

Margit Anglmaier of DIMOCO and director of the Working Group DMVÖ Mobile Innovations prepared a white paper on the topic, "Use of mobile codes in marketing" that gives insights and views on mobile code reading and answers relevant questions for the Austrian advertising industry on the subject.

Gavitec Scanners Used By T-Mobile & Vodafone

Gavitec AG - mobile digit, a leading provider of mobile technologies and marketing solutions and a wholly owned subsidiary of NeoMedia Technologies, today announced that its mobile ticketing scanners were deployed last week at the T-Mobile Street Gigs and Vodafone Music Unlimited events. Since the first Street Gig in June 2007, more than 10,000 music fans received access to these unique events by having their mobile tickets redeemed by the Gavitec scanners. In addition, Vodafone Germany adopted mobile ticketing to distribute exclusive tickets for their July 13th event in Leipzig.

Last Summer, T-Mobile put on a series of spontaneous live music events known as Street Gigs in surprising and unexpected locations across Germany. Tickets for the concerts were available to winners of a “mobile ticket lottery” running on the T-Mobile Street Gigs website. All those registering free of charge as a member of the new T-Mobile Street Gigs community at www.t-mobile-streetgigs.de simply gave their mobile phone numbers. The lottery winners were then sent a pair of mobile tickets in the form of a 2D barcode directly to their mobile phone on the day of the concert. At the gig venue, winners had their mobile ticket scanned by the Gavitec scanner linked into a live database. Once the tickets were validated and redeemed, the winners could enter the venue and enjoy a great night in an exclusive location. Since the first gig in July 2007, more than 10,000 winners have attended the T-Mobile events using mobile tickets.

In order to strengthen its commitment to music products, Vodafone Germany sponsored a live concert featuring one of Germany's most popular bands, Ich + Ich, free of charge in Leipzig, Germany. The tickets for this live concert on July 13 in Leipzig's Kohlrabizirkus were available to all-comers registering at www.vodafone.de/music and taking part in a mobile ticketing lottery. The winners received a mobile ticket for 2 persons in the form of a 2D barcode to be redeemed at the concert venue by the Gavitec scanners.

"We are really pleased that music fans can now take advantage of a more convenient ticketing procedure. Our easy-to-use and versatile scanners are already used successfully in other European countries. It is great to bring this fantastic technology to Germany”, says Dr. Christian Steinborn, CEO at Gavitec AG - mobile digit, and continues “Gavitec’s scanners bring not only enormous advantages for mobile phone users, such as improved customer service, reduced queue times, reliable access control, but also provide event promoters with an easy way to collect data and build a personalized customer database. Therefore, it is a remarkable tool to open new distribution channels and to realize mobile marketing campaigns".

Is NeoMedia Technologies For Sale?

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated barcode transactions for mobile devices, released an 8-K SEC filing last Monday which alluded to the potential sale of the company.

The filing states that during the next 18 months NeoMedia's CEO Iain McCready can earn a commission of up to 2.5% of sales proceeds for selling the company if the sale price is not less than $45M, with a commission cap set at a $200M sale price.

However, that's not to say that Iain can't sell NeoMedia for more than $200M. He can. Especially with a favorable patent review by the USPTO anticipated later this year.

NeoMedia Technologies has a suite of twelve issued patents covering the core concepts behind linking the physical world to the electronic world dating back to 1995. These patents cover various linkage methods including: Barcodes, RFID, Mag Stripe, Voice, and Other machine readable and keyed entry identifiers.

These patents were first licensed by Digital Convergence for $100M in 2000 to facilitate the launch of the :CueCat.

In 2001, NeoMedia Technologies formed a strategic alliance with Symbol, now owned by Motorola, and signed a worldwide agreement which gave Symbol the right to grant licenses to itself and third parties under NeoMedia's intellectual property. Symbol would later offer to buy NeoMedia's valuable patent portfolio in 2002 for $150M. The offer was declined however in favor of further developing the IP and growing the patent portfolio as a core component of NeoMedia's long-term growth and market strategy.

In 2005, Virgin Entertainment and NeoMedia Technologies entered into an extended licensing agreement, which saw Virgin license NeoMedia's patents through 2016.

There were even strong rumors that Microsoft was interested in purchasing NeoMedia back in 2005.

Flash forward to today, mobile barcode reading is an everyday part of the popular culture in Japan and Korea. The technology is just now beginning to emerge in Europe with North America not too far behind. With so many companies entering the mobile code reading space, and looking to carve out their niche, NeoMedia has positioned itself well with it's extensive patent portfolio and barcode technology, and will bring tremendous value to anyone interested in acquiring the company.