Giant US automobile supplier Chevrolet (Chevy) is experimenting with using 2D barcodes at this weekend's [March13th-14th] South by Southwest (SXSW) tech conference and music festival held in Austin, Texas. Somebody accidentally published the wrong picture, however.
The illustrations provided showed that Chevrolet will be using QR codes to invite attendees to find out, "What role Chevy has played in film or music?" Attendees can scan the code on their cameraphone via suitable barcode scanning software such as the NeoReader from NeoMedia.
The intention is to takes users to the Chevy Facebook page here specially created for SXSW. Unfortunately, a blogger got hold of an early version of the illustration; scanned it and discovered that it had a text message which read," Hi there, I’m Chrissie."
What that test code was intended to do was trigger the handset's text/SMS message editor. It would then feed in the desired text – in this case Hi there, I’m Chrissie – and then send it to the number provided. Unfortunately the number provided is Chevy PR lady, Chrissie's real cell phone number. Oh dear.
Anyway, Techeye rang the number and explained what had happened. The PR company quickly rectified the problem and supplied us with the correct graphics.
The Japanese, of course, have extensive experience with QR codes. As long ago as 2006, McDonalds in Japan was providing QR codes on the packing of its burgers, fries, etc. When the barcode is scanned, it gives out nutritional information on the item in question.
This campaign made it into a short McDonalds Japan advert which somebody uploaded to YouTube here. American visitors have been desperately trying to scan the QR codes with their cameraphones and can't understand why they don't work.
The solution is simple. The Japanese advertising agency was well aware of the dangers of using 'live' barcodes, so the codes shown in the adverts are spoofs. Simples. Thanks to Dr Müller for sorting that one out for us.
http://streetstylz.blogspot.com/2010/02/neomedia-qr-code-campaign-for-opel.html
:-)
If you follow the link provided by Streetstylz, you will see a GM (Opel) ad with a 2D barcode that resolves to a NeoMedia server. It resolves to a NeoMedia server no matter what code reader is used and after looking up the code on NeoMedia's servers, sends your mobile device's browser to a website at Opel's German site.
Streetstylz has not specifically made a claim that NeoMedia is 'running a campaign for GM', so I don't know what there is to apologize for. He has said that NeoMedia is 'working with GM', which is a fact. A GM ad 2D code resolves to a NeoMedia server where a code registered with NeoMedia is looked up in NeoMedia's database and a URL is returned as described in the indirect method patented by NeoMedia. I fail to see where there is any deception requiring an apology.
Perhaps Frac should apologize for following Streetstylz around the internet trying to discredit him with false accusations.
Unfortunately Streetstzly does not want to clarify the matter. Cdhcourier certainly has not clarified the matter.
Unfortunately for NeoMedia shareholders it is not true that General Motors has an innovative campaign with NeoMedia. The GM European campaign is not with Gavitec either. The rumor would be a bit more plausible if one, there were confirming sources, and two if Streetstylz had posted that NeoMedia's European subsidary, Gavitec, was handling the European business. Also, Streetstylz' rumor would be a bit more plausible if the server involved was Gavitec's.
I would like Streetstyzl to post the NeoMedia URL he states he sees on his camera cell phone after clicking on the qr code in the GM Opel ad.
How about you leave the clear thinking to people who are able to gather and review ALL the available evidence, eh?
Care to explain to us why this ad campaign GM is running using (according to you) NeoMedia Europe AG sends folks to a neomedia.us URL?
Thanks, Frac. Enjoy your tinfoil hat.
PS: everyone stay tuned for Frac's inevitable next rant/response where he dodges the fact that he's just plain wrong and instead rails about the semantic content of a post that is essentially 100% true.
http://www.gomonews.com/new-neomedia-deal-with-arvato-is-big-business-but-is-it-doing-mobile-barcodes-any-good/
Arvato signed a mult-year deal with General Motors in 2003.
http://www.arvatoservices.com.cn/html/en/news.asp
The type of financial instruments Cornell and NeoMedia entered into are called toxic debentures, death spiral financing. The interest costs and derivative costs become so enormous the company goes into a death spiral toward bankruptcy.
If Cornell Capital was not involved, NEOM wouldn't have accumulated astronomical deficits. $18.2 million just in accreted dividends due to a default which was nothing more than failing to register stock on time! See 10k filed 3-28-08 at page 11. Accumulated deficits of $254 million. Working capital deficit of $101 million, yet NeoMedia paid a deemed dividend of $977,000 to Cornell Capital, in one quarter! It is illegal to pay dividends out of anything but profits! 10Q filed 11-16-09 at pgs 6 and 4. Of course no cash was actually paid, the deemed dividends were just tacked onto the enormous accumulated deficit.
NeoMedia's patents are worthless. US patents not being enforced. NeoMedia has already lost its patent suit in Europe and in about 4 to 5 months NeoMedia will find out if the European Court will permit NeoMedia to appeal. Microsoft and other companies ignore the US patents.
"There are several companies in the U.S. working on 2D barcodes, most notably Microsoft Corp., but that fragmentation is holding up adoption, says McCready". Microsoft Tag is full steam ahead. What is not being adopted is NeoMedia being the toll booth for all 2D to online utilizing indirect encoded 2D codes.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/how-much-fat-in-that-frozen-pizza-scan-the-barcode-with-your-ce/19262371/
Streetstlyz is the moderator of the Investorshub.com NEOM stock message board. He has been pushing NeoMedia since 2006 and the stock sits at .006 or 6/10th of a penny.
Watch out for Investorhubs.com. Any stock message board with moderators is fraud just waiting to occur, and has already occurred, multiple times. Mina Mar Group won a judgment against Ihub for $105,000 on 1-20-10 for baseless defamation of Mina Mar.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/Con-Artists/Investorshub-com-Inv/investorshub-com-investors-hub-ds4ce.htm
http://www.stockwatch.com/newsit/newsit_newsit.aspx?bid=Z-C:*SEC-1620982&symbol=*SEC&news_region=C
http://www.livetradingnews.com/sec-sues-eight-in-three-states-in-ihub-fraud-ring.htm
Nowhere has it been said that NeoMedia is running a campaign for GM, yet Frac continues to argue against this point. Regardless of the other entities involved, GM is uitilizing NeoMedia's servers and therefore, NeoMedia. If NeoMedia pulled the plug on the server, would the ad campaign continue as designed? No.
The details of NeoMedia's financing are not part of the discussion, nor is the iHub message board. I'm unsure what relevance this has to NeoMedia's involvement in the 2D barcode field.
The relative value of NeoMedia's patents in this nascent and rapidly evolving market is not yet defined. However, Frac has already determined the eventual outcome beyond a shadow of a doubt, certain that his yet-to-be-proven opinions are the only possible reality. Anyone who disagrees with these opinions is a 'scam worker.'
For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorder
Cdhcourier, the claim that NeoMedia is running a campaign for GM was made in the first comment to this Tech Eye article. And the claim was made by none other than Ihub NeoMedia moderator Streets....
NeoMedia's patents are being ignored by the market. And rightly so. Microsoft Tag is patented.
NeoMedia's CEO has stated that shareholders should watch the progress of NeoMedia's competitors. The CEO is resolved to the fact that NeoMedia has competitors and the patents are of no effect in stopping the competitors.
I think CDHcourier should simply let NeoMedia build its business and forget that NeoMedia is $254 million in the hole with a working capital deficit of $101 million and a pariah hedge fund as the only beneficial owner of NEOM, Cornell Capital aka Yorkville Advisors.
Don't worry CDHcourier, .005 NEOM will do just fine against Microsoft and Google without the patents.
But for everyone else, NEOM is a heavily indebted company with worthless patents and insurmountable competition.