You could also include the state / suburb you're in so as to receive comparisons from stores that are within a reasonable radius of your current location.

Dude, that's a great idea!

I was actually thinking of this a while back..However wouldent the camera on the phone have to be quite a high res?

barcodes are unique. comprising of country codes, etc. if every barcode is unique for a product type then maybe instead of taking the picture you could use a shortcode to submit the barcode. This would cut cost significantly as a picture would need to be scanned after submission to retract the bardcode. Even if barcodes are similar you could ask them to submit some additional information that distinguishes between similar items i.e. the brand, model, etc

my friends mac has a program like this, takes a pic of the bar code and he finds the best prices

This is a great idea, and I expect I would use it.

Three points to consider:
We’re very close to the point where the traditional barcodes will soon be phased out in favour of cheap microchips.
Some products particularly electrical have more then one barcode; I’ve seen some cases with 3. Finding the correct one might be irritating in some cases.
Big web name like eBay or Google would launch similar services if a success and then become the norm.

This is a good idea and open source software already exists to do the low level processing: http://sourceforge.n...ts/barcr-reader/

Several databases exist for tying up the barcode with a product name which you could search for on froogle but I don't know how complete they are.

I think we could have a prototype up and running pretty quickly.

What would be the business model? I think that setting up your own price comparison engine would be too much work so a deal would have to be done with one of the existing ones.

AWESOME!
As a matter of fact, I was thinking about this just the other day--not this product, but wishing I could compare the prices I was looking at in-store with online ones.
I do have newbie type questions, tho....would this software run independently of wifi/i-net connection, or would yer PDA, etc., have to be connected to run this? (Cuz then it's dependent on people with access to data plans/wifi/i-net access, no?)
And/or would it search through the actual phone/service connection? I wonder cuz most big-box stores are problematic for signal issues even on a PDA.
I don't know enough about prog'ing to understand exactly HOW this would work, but I do LOVE the idea!!! :)

Ok. I think this is a great idea, and Im pretty sure this has or is being done now? If not, I guess that just proves this idea is a good one...

Great idea for the search application.
It seems to have been made available for certain phones in 2003:
http://www.mobiletra.../barcode_scanner.php

Not sure if it had been commercially accepted for anything as huge as what you are talking about.

Dmitriy

I didn't think you could do that. In thinking about it more and realizing how a barcode works I can see that it is very possible. You would need a good resolution though wouldn't you? How finicky are those bar codes anyway? I would use this process.

The idea of taking a picture will be a problematic one.

I'm not sure Wal-Mart would want us taking pictures of all their goods and send the info across the net.

Try bringing in a camcorder in one of these stores an see how far you will got before being arrested by security.

To be honest I would just use my phone the browse froogle for the object.

Nobody could stop for that.

]V[oogy

ok. some new phones can ALREADY 'read' the barcodes.
IE they don't store the picture, just the numbers!

This idea could work, but savvy retailers would hide any barcodes on larger items real fast!

If this idea became very popular, then the non-online shops would all go out of business, then the idea will fail totally.

Success guarantees extinction!

Buy the darn things locally, from a local merchant, not a super/hyper market and keep local business alive!

Do you really want to force the place you live in, to become a slum???????

Seriously??? (I'm not even a retailer)

Thanks for the comments, everyone! Quick clarification on a few points.
1. Although there are currently phones that have internet access or can read barcodes, the majority of phones out there just have a simple camera. That's an important part of this idea, to make this functionality available to the masses.
2. gzep - I do get your point to support local stores, but this was meant more for major purchases that are made at a big-box retailer (Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc..). This definitely wouldn't be worth the hassle for smaller items found in your neighborhood market.
3. With respect to phone quality, resolution is improving by the minute. I'll admit that reading barcodes from low-resolution photos is not an easy comp sci problem to solve, but it's definitely not impossible. Plus, there are a few new barcode proposals out there to solve this exact problem - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semacode

Great idea!

nice idea, but many cell carriers charge quite a bit for a photo upload - as high as a buck! plus you will need a dataplan and decent enough browser to review the results on a 240x240 pixel (or smaller) screen!

I like the idea. I recommend doing as much as can be done in software on the phone. i.e. process the photo on the phone to get the bar code id and reduce the air time needed.

Nokia already has RFID (The next generation bar code) reading capabilities on some of their phones (http://www.rfidjourn...ticleview/834/1/1/). However, bar-codes are still simpler and cheaper and will be around for a long time.

Consider also that many phones will soon be or are GPS equipped. Sending a position along with the bar-code to a central server means localized pricing information could be retrieved.

Love your idea - Good luck!

not bad...

It seems to me the big box retailers would fight hard - and have a logical point - they are spending money to display the products for you.

In the Philippines it will cost you P5 ($0.11) to send an MMS. So maybe the product is applicable to big items such as furnitures, appliances, etc. You can't do that with grocery items here.

How soon RFID will replace bar code? That is a consideration for investors before they place their money.

Good one LoveTech. RFID is on the fast move. besides that: often the item is displayed in a shop and not always the box, containing the barcode.
Tommy

The mobile would need GPS to find the good deals in the neighbourhood.
Tommy