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Scanbuy's 2D bar codes go south of the border

Scanbuy expands its 2D bar code technology to Mexico.

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
Dong Ngo

Scanbuy, a company that's been making a fuss about its EZCode technology in the United States, on Wednesday demonstrated that it's been busy making a fuss about this in Mexico, too.

The ScanLife app running on a smartphone. ScanBuy

The company announced the launch of a new service called "Codigo Ideas" by Telcel, which allows camera phones to read 2D bar codes.

Codigo Ideas is a smartphone application that can be downloaded from mx.getscanlife.com. The app is very much like the ScanLife for the iPhone, which allows phones to take a picture of an 2D EZCode and then launches a specific action associated with that code, such as opening up a Web site, downloading contact information, and so on.

Basically, the codes create mobile links from physical items and remove the need to type in long URLs or search for content by keywords.

Telcel is a major wireless services provider in Mexico with more than 53 million clients. This is a good news for Scanbuy, and for smartphone users too. I personally tried ScanLife with my iPhone and really liked it. However,the technology is only useful once it has become ubiquitous.

In addition to the U.S. and Mexico, Scanbuy's 2D EZCode technology has so far been introduced to multiple parts of the world, including Brazil, Spain, France, Denmark, and the Philippines.

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