Photos of barcodes on smartphone?
Discussion
Apologies for the title, but i didnt know what to call my question.
For Christmas, my dear wife bought me a wingback wallet as I always complained about my work trouser pockets being over full.
As you can see, the wallet is uber slim, but the downside is hat it can carry only four to five standard credit card sized cards. I have chosen to carry my suite of debit and credit cards. This means that all other cards - loyalty etc are left at home. Examples are Waitrose and tesco club cards.
Now, If i took a picture of the bar code on the back of my tesco club card, using my smart phone (Nokia N9), could this be scanned at the tills? Would this technique work on all types of barcode?
I already carry a picture of my RAC card to prove that I am covered for the year.
Thanks
For Christmas, my dear wife bought me a wingback wallet as I always complained about my work trouser pockets being over full.
As you can see, the wallet is uber slim, but the downside is hat it can carry only four to five standard credit card sized cards. I have chosen to carry my suite of debit and credit cards. This means that all other cards - loyalty etc are left at home. Examples are Waitrose and tesco club cards.
Now, If i took a picture of the bar code on the back of my tesco club card, using my smart phone (Nokia N9), could this be scanned at the tills? Would this technique work on all types of barcode?
I already carry a picture of my RAC card to prove that I am covered for the year.
Thanks
Yes in theory it will work, bit of a question about the size as the bar code displayed will have to fall within a certain range. There are apps for Windows Phone, Android and IOS that store card details and present the bar code when called. Not sure that there are any apps for the N9 though.
Not convinced the screen on the N9 is good enough to let a barcode be scanned. A printed and laminated card in the wallet with the barcodes on it might work, means 1 card instead of 3 or 4. In fact, can you get business cards with barcodes on them? If so just get some of those printed.
Curious about what else you have in your pockets that takes up so much space beyond phone, wallet and keys?
Curious about what else you have in your pockets that takes up so much space beyond phone, wallet and keys?
poing said:
A printed and laminated card in the wallet with the barcodes on it might work, means 1 card instead of 3 or 4.
This is probably the best solution, might even do it myself!http://wingback.co.uk/
The N9 is very 'app limited'. I think it might be time to renew my mobile phone!
Poing - My wallet was a small tri fold Hugo Boss one before Xmas. This, when filled with cards could easily be 5 cms thick.
My wife also bought a OrbitKey which has tidied up my house keys.
When i wear suits, it looks a lot better, than having huge bulges in your pockets - especially when going to see my male boss.
http://www.orbitkey.com/
Poing - My wallet was a small tri fold Hugo Boss one before Xmas. This, when filled with cards could easily be 5 cms thick.
My wife also bought a OrbitKey which has tidied up my house keys.
When i wear suits, it looks a lot better, than having huge bulges in your pockets - especially when going to see my male boss.
http://www.orbitkey.com/
Edited by Ray Singh on Tuesday 10th February 20:39
Ray Singh said:
I give all my change to my kids for school dinners. Actually joking aside - this technique costs a fortune.
Contactless pay is the way forward.
Sadly My bank card is non contactless, I have a bpay wristband except I don't like the chunky rubber look so don't use it. Hopefully this year we will get apple pay in Europe and my change issue will be resolved. Contactless pay is the way forward.
I see, that explains it. I'm a big fan of keeping it to a minimum, 1 house key, 1 car key and nothing else on keyring. 1 minimalist wallet - although not as small as yours so now I'm going to go check that out! I have just bought a wallet case for my phone though so I'll see how I get on with that first.
Anything else stays in jacket pockets, car or some other bag type deal - I particularly like the Lidl carrier bag look. I'm not yet stylish enough for a man bag.
New phone sounds like a plan, just don't expect it to be better than the N9 as it was a great phone. Mine is still in the dead phone cupboard!
Anything else stays in jacket pockets, car or some other bag type deal - I particularly like the Lidl carrier bag look. I'm not yet stylish enough for a man bag.
New phone sounds like a plan, just don't expect it to be better than the N9 as it was a great phone. Mine is still in the dead phone cupboard!
Subject to resolution, you’re more limited by the scanner trying to recognise the barcode then the media it’s held on. Older style laser scanners will struggle to pick out a barcode on the digital screen, the scanner would need to employ either CCD or camera based technologies for this.
I've played about with barcodes on low res screens. It's a very durable medium and I think you should be fine. The problem is less likely to be technical and more getting a jobsworth or kid who sees a deviation from the training of getting a card and says no because it's not the official card.
Problem is older barcode scanners don't or can't scan from phones, this is coming from someone that works in retail. Our company has an app with the loyalty card barcode. Whilst all the updated tills with the new scanners have no problem scanning the barcodes but it's the older scanners that would simply not read the barcode and we resorted into typing the number which took a long time as we had to load a special menu.
So based on the above you might have a problem if the company or shop you shop at does not have a native app for their loyalty program as it means they might have the older style scanners.
So based on the above you might have a problem if the company or shop you shop at does not have a native app for their loyalty program as it means they might have the older style scanners.
Waitrose and Tescos (+ others) have keyfob size loyalty cards which scan perfectly well so the size of the bar code is not critical.
If you don't want to use the keyfob ones, then a single card with multiple barcodes as suggested above should work fine if scanning the on your phone doesn't work.
If you don't want to use the keyfob ones, then a single card with multiple barcodes as suggested above should work fine if scanning the on your phone doesn't work.
Funny how Google searches so often come back to PH.
I don't have a clubcard so use the OHs to pay for fuel.
Cashier wouldn't accept screenshots of the vouchers. First excuse was they post them off. Pointed out they were from the App, second excuse was nonsensical but by that point they weren't for U-turning.
Never been refused before.
I don't have a clubcard so use the OHs to pay for fuel.
Cashier wouldn't accept screenshots of the vouchers. First excuse was they post them off. Pointed out they were from the App, second excuse was nonsensical but by that point they weren't for U-turning.
Never been refused before.
They may have recently had a telling off from a manager over a recent incident and been warned to only scan codes/vouchers from the app or paper. So told no screenshots or pictures to be accepted etc
Very easy to use someone else's vouchers these days with a screengrab or quick photo.
Can you have the app active on both of your phones?
Very easy to use someone else's vouchers these days with a screengrab or quick photo.
Can you have the app active on both of your phones?
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