Barcodes? It's not just me. YouTube too!

I know, I know. All y'all think I'm singularly obsessed with barcodes. Well, what if I am? At least I'm not alone.

A quick cruise through YouTube turned up multiple barcode-related videos. Don't believe me? Check it out:

video 1

video 2

video 3

video 4

See? It's not just me. Others too.

Barcodes Turn Up Everywhere

I'm not a big fan of consumer barcode applications but the RecyleBank seems to have a truly useful use.

Search Amazon by ISBN Number

ISBN-13 barcodes are the current standard for book barcodes, replacing the older Bookland barcodes. The big deal? ISBN numbers are now 13-digits making ISBN-13 barcodes GTIN-compliant. Yea!

If you need to convert the older 10-digit ISBN numbers to 13-digit ISBNs you can do so online.

Speaking of doing things ISBN-like online, how about searching Amazon by ISBN number? Pretty kewl, ehhh?

Barcode tattoos, GooglePigs, and zonkdogfology

Congrats to JetCityOrange for collecting and displaying no less than 40 photos of barcode tattoos in an online photo gallery.

This is consistent with our thesis that barcodes have become cultural memes, part of our collective visual vocabulary.

BTW, the word of the day is "zonkdogfology", as in "GooglePig. Funny.

Azalea Software unveils new barcode web site

Azalea Software, those barcode software folks in Seattle, have a new barcode web site. Taking advantage of Google hosting, this growing bar code resource is available in multiple languages and highlights Azalea's barcode printing and bar code fonts.

The company FAQ alone is worth the visit. Compliments Azalea's about us page.

RFID, the home version

It should be no surprise that I'm no fan of RFID. Sounds like Walmart is learning the same lesson (the hard way).

Now you too can play with RFID in the privacy of your own home. Amaze your friends, win the school's science fair, harass your sleeping roommates. All with the RFID home kit. So strange I couldn't possibly be making this up.

And if that ain't weird enough for you, how about a RFID stapler?

See? That's why I stick to barcodes myself.

Barcodes, as in "opera"

Regular readers are probably familiar with this gallery of barcode-inspired artwork.

Whilst trolling for new material, imagine my surprise when I came across barcodes in an opera costume. Not just any opera but "The Queen of Spades".

Additional proof that life is stranger than fiction.

Another barcode web site

Never one to leave well enough alone, Azalea Software has launched yet-another barcode web site. UPC, ISBN-13, Code 128, Code 39, and all the rest.

Here we go...

It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I ain't no fan of cell phones as barcode scanners. Methinks it's a "solution" chasing a non-problem. I always ask myself "does my mother need [fill in the blank]?" 9 times outta 10 the answer is no.

So things get interesting when one thinks through the potential implications of patents & licensing being thrown into the mix.

I still say if this is a legitimate niche (as in profitable) there'd be two, maybe three dominent players by now. It would resemble a mature market instead of nerds playing with their toys.

In other words, tell my why I'm gonna give up my new Sidekick 3 for a barcode scanning cellie. Heck, I've been selling barcode software for almost 18 years and I still don't have a scanner in my own home.

Do you???

Old wine in new bottles

Now call me crazy but doesn't the IntelliScanner look an awful lot like the Symbol CS1504??

Didn't Symbol all but shutter their consumer barcode scanner division years ago? Cuz no one bought into it? Cuz no one cared??

Now honestly. How many of you feel like your life is empty and meaningless because you don't a.) carry a barcode scanner on your keychain and b.) scan and catalog everything you own?

That's what I thought.

RFID tattoos for cows

All I can say after reading this article is THANK GOD I DON'T EAT MEAT.

Regular readers all know that I'm no fan of RFID. I do however love barcode tattoos.

I'm going to file this little tidbit under technology chasing a non-issue or a solution in search of a problem or simply misguided nerds.

Those new RFID-enabled passports

If you have a newly issued US passport, you have an RFID-enabled passport. Wanna kill the RFID chip? Here's how.

Reminds me of the old saying, "Every problem is a nail if the only tool you have is a hammer."

Me? My passport application is sitting here on the table in front of me. Looks like I missed the cutoff and my soon-to-be-issued passport will have hammer bait in it.

UPC barcode thievery

Now this is the way not to use a barcode to commit crime. When I first started writing barcode software several friends suggested we go shopping together with home-made barcodes.

I quickly realized that I could make more money selling barcode software than I could using barcodes to steal. Plus I get to sleep better at night.

And the winner is... RFID!!!!

If I had a dollar for every time I read an article about how RFID is going to take over the world, I wouldn't have to sell barcode software.

Tongue in cheek humor acknowledged.

Barcode this!

etchamac laser etches iPod's & Mac's. I hope they do Thinkpads too. Note at the bottom of the page they'll put a barcode on your laptop. How cool is that?

My next vacation...

...will be in ZIP code 55172, where else!

Yeah but does it have a barcode in it?

I hear "unique code" and I think barcode. Silly me. So does this dating gimmick have a barcode in or on it? If not, why not??

Seems an impersonal and statisticly challenged replacement for Claddagh rings. What, you never lived single in Boston??

The NY Times style guide

I love the NY Times, really, I do. I've been reading it for almost a quarter century.

I do get annoyed at their style guide. They do dumb sh*t with abbreviations. Oh, it's "IBM" and "NATO" but "Dram" chips? Gimme a break. Great high tech writers and they can't conform to normal abbreviations. Bozos.

But today's headline takes the cake. I love Morgan Freeman and I do want to see what appears to be a charming little film but "Bar-Code"?

Bad barcode. Bad!

This story about fake boarding passes would be truly funny if the loophole(s) it highlights weren't so serious. Seems this enterprising young lad had a web-based boarding pass generator complete with counterfeit barcodes.

The FBI wasn't amused.

Barcodes, even Michael Crichton gets it

I see Michael Crichton's new book Next features a big barcode on the cover. Further proof that barcodes have mainstreamed into our collective visual vocabulary.

I dunno know what the book is about. Don't care. Probably won't read it. But it has a barcode on the cover. That's what's important. It's further proof that my white paper is on the mark.

Told you so...