Old barcodes on new bottles

I'm always intrigued by non-standard barcodes, especially UPC bar codes. I find this product-inspired packaging creative. The label is diecut to resemble an apple and the bump in the upper left is the stem. Clever.

Reminds me of a bottle of wine I ran across years ago from a winery named Eye of the Swan. The barcode was part of the illustration: cattails with a swan. The barcode was part of the stalks.

Makes me laugh when I hear about companies trying to patent barcodes-as-illustrations. A Japanese company with an American partner here in Seattle comes to mnd. Can you spell "prior art"?

Barcode scanner as camera

Take a look at this photo. Looks like it was taken with a camera phone, right?

No. It was taken using this barcode scanner and its bundled software.

Not really a big surprise given that barcode scanners are CCD devices.

We told you not to trust RFID...

As we've been saying, RFID ain't safe. And here's someone who's done what we've all had nightmares about.

The cat's outta the bag. You've been warned.

666 is coming! 666 is coming!

We all know that 666 is the Mark of the Beast. Don't we??? If not, read this.

And we all know that UPC barcodes include the Mark of the Beast .

So all fellow barcode nerds are hereby given notice of the upcoming date: 06/06/06 Read all about it right here. Better polish up that barcode tattoo of yours.

Let's all move to Wisconsin!

Prgressive politics have been part of WI's political heritage for generations. This proposed stance on chip implants makes me smile.

Would you believe a barcode robot?

Now herer's a guy with an interesting hobby.

There was a barcode in there somewhere

This story strikes me as funny. On a number of levels. My only regret is not having been there to witness this man-machine interaction.

You just know barcodes played a part in this drama!

Suntan tattoos as barcodes

This story reminds me of using laser printed transparencies to make suntan tattoos.

If only I'd listened to Ray Delnicki and done RSS barcodes oh those many years ago we wouldn't be struggling with PLUs today. Sh*t...

Linux Barcode Fonts. For IBM no less!

We sent out a press release today announcing our new Linux barcode fonts for UPC, Code 128, Code 39, and Interleaved 2 of 5.

Let's just say that the 'official' release was somewhat sanitized. I encourage you to read the real press release instead!

RFID virus

We all knew it was possible. We all suspected it was coming. But you wouldn't believe me because I own a barcode software company. I'm not supposed to like RFID.

Well, read this. Stop and think about it. RFID is coming in at the top and being deployed enterprise-wide. Just ask Walmart. This makes the RFID story incredibly scary.

The good news/bad news is that this story comes out of academia, not Def Con.

With that said, things like this don't look so paranoid, now do they? In fact, I'm writing my letter to Santa right now!

Time to get your passport. NOW!

Reading this underlines the fact that I need to get a new passport before RFID chips are mandatory. In fact, I need to get them for my kids too. Nobody should have RFID chips in their passports until the weakass encryption is fixed.

Not this again...

If I had a dollar for every time someone comes up with a scheme to use UPC barcodes to index a database for endusers, I wouldn't have to sell barcode software myself. Sheesh, doesn't this reek of the CueCat? Again.

Chip implants

Now this story on RFID chip implants gives me the willies. Guys, that X-Files story line was fiction. F-I-C-T-I-O-N. Make believe.

Sheesh...

Drunken UPC

So was the barcode done by an intoxicated graphic designer or is this an indication of what'll happen to me if I drink this brew? And which is the better of the two?

Gotta love them barcode tattoos!

Barcode tattoos. Who knew they were so popular. Don't believe me? look here. If you've got one, please contribute your favorite photo. Dont' be shy; step right up.

This proves that barcodes have moved into the mainstream visual vocabulary. Me? I'm not tatted.

Here we go again...

Here comes another barcodes-as-interactive-marketing scheme.

Come on folks, didn't the ill-fated CueCat fiasco teach us anything? Or is our collective memory that short and/or defective?

Sheesh...

RFID passports

So you think passports with RFID chips in them will make us all more secure? Read this. Now will you sleep better at night? I won't.

Big enuff for ya?

This is a multi-pack so the barcode really is this big. Waaay too big to be in spec. IMHO

A barcode building

Now I like my office. In fact I love my office. But this building is over the top!

Barcode Tattoos

Do you have a barcode tattoo? If so, someone we know (wink, wink) is putting together an online photo gallery of barcode tattoos.

Don't be shy. If you've got a tat odds are you want others to see it. Now's your chance.

BTW, check out this web site too.