Mobile Phones | Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel

Google iPhone Favorite Places App Free to First 40,000 to Download

Published December 7, 2009 | By Barbara Weibel

Google announced today that said it has sent window stickers with bar codes to more than 100,000 local businesses in the U.S. that are popular search terms on Google’s home page and Google Maps. Consumers will be able to receive information about these “Favorite Places on Google” by taking a photo of the bar code in the store windows with their mobile phones. In addition to reviews of the business, in some instances the information could include coupons and special offers.

Favorite Places program launched by Google

The bar codes on each store’s window decal can be scanned with an iPhone or Blackberry and Android phones using a special reader application. Google recommends that users of Android phones download the free Barcode Scanner App, while iPhone users will need QuickMark app. Normally QuickMark costs $1.99, but starting today, Google and Apple are offering the application free for the first 40,000 people to download. The bar codes can be read by Continue reading →

Posted in Travel tips |

Tagged Android, app, application, bar code, Blackbery, Cell Phones, favorite places, free, Google, iPhone, mobile devices, Mobile Phones, QL code, Travel |

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Proof Positive That Cell Phones Are Dangerous To Your Health?

Published June 4, 2008 | By Barbara Weibel

Check out this video of four friends testing the theory that their cell phones can actually be used to pop popcorn. If our phones are emitting strong enough microwaves to do this, what are they doing to our brains when we hold them up to our ear? I think I will be using either the earphones or the loudspeaker function from now on.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Tagged Cell Phones, dangerous, health, microwave, Mobile Phones, popcorn, videos |

4 Comments

Hi-Tech Japanese Barcodes

Published November 15, 2007 | By Barbara Weibel

The Japanese are so far ahead of us in electronics that it’s positively scary. These two-dimensional barcodes, called QR Codes, are their newest twist on futuristic technology. Developed in 1994, the codes were originally developed to track parts in vehicle manufacturing. Today they appear in magazine ads, flyers, signs, buses, business cards – on almost any object about which a user might need information. The codes are aimed at mobile phone users, who use the built-in cameras in their cell phones to take a photo of the code. Reader software in the phone scans and decodes the image, then launches a browser, which automatically goes to the appropriate Internet website. Continue reading →