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View Full Version : Aura Takes Consumer Info To Next Level, Or Just More Advertising?


Ed Hansberry
02-15-2004, 01:00 PM
<a href="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1527149,00.asp">http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1527149,00.asp</a><br /><br />Aura is a new technology at Microsoft Research that initially will include a Pocket PC, a bar code scanner and WiFi or some other wireless technology that will allow you to scan barcodes and be whisked to online sites with facts, user reviews, blogs, etc. about that product. In theory it sounds cool. Think about being in Best Buy looking for a flat screen TV. Once in a while you'll run across an informed sales person on the floor, but when making that kind of purchase, I jot down as much info as possible then complete my research online. However, there is the specter of advertising and privacy. Would not such a product have the potential to be the bleeding edge of spyware and adware, with WiFi signals telling the store, or worse - a DoubleClick database :devilboy: - what you are looking at and where you are?<br /><br />"But there's another, darker reason for Microsoft's Aura fantasy. And that's advertising. You know as soon as you enter the store, a little "helper" app will wake up on your scanning computer. And instead of getting Phred's opinion, you'll get Charmin's—thinly veiled as Charmaine from Sheboygan, probably. And the last thing I need is some nasty spyware bot discovering that, in fact, I prefer Cottonelle."<br /><br />The client will require Pocket PC 2002 or later and <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/research/downloads/">should be available here</a> when it is ready.

msm110
02-15-2004, 02:12 PM
Didn't someone try this with a thing called the QCat.
It pluged into your USB port. You could scan bar codes and it would take you to web sites. I think I still have one collecting dust somewhere.
It lasted six months I think.

Inventor
02-15-2004, 02:22 PM
The author says that the unit will *not work* since you need to carry a barcode scanner with you. Not "everbody" will carry a scanner with
them. Even in SDIO form.

Why do you need a barcode scanner?

I would like to see this - but using the built in or SDIO digital camera. You take a digital picture of the barcode and software on the PocketPC will convert this into UPC numbers.

Even if the PocketPC processor cannot handle the Picture->UPC conversion you could do that on a remote server. (Like the HP sign translator service).

So - throw away the scanner part and if I can use the camera on my PocketPC to find out information, MSRP, ratings, website etc from just a picture of the UPC codes I would be first in line.

crdiddle
02-15-2004, 03:25 PM
The bar code part leaves me cold; but, a store with wifi access to a private network providing product, warranty, rebate & etc. would attract my business.

Leviathan
02-15-2004, 05:52 PM
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1527149,00.asp

Aura is a *NEW* technology at Microsoft Research that should be available here (http://research.microsoft.com/research/downloads/) when it is ready.


It must be new for MS, because a similar product but using the camera that comes built-in in most of so called smartphones has been available for over 1 year.


Lev

jgrnt1
02-15-2004, 05:56 PM
The potential privacy issues are huge, but so are the benefits. Assuming you need to register to use the software/scanner, imagine looking at an HDTV, getting info via this service, but deciding to look around some more. If the service is tied into the retailer's POS system, they will know that you did not make a purchase (unless you are the one in a million who still pays cash for big-ticket items). When you get home, your inbox could be filled with offers from HDTV manufacturers and from the retailer.

At the same time, if the service is open, allowing me to look up any information I want on the HDTV, I could go to CNET, Consumer Reports, Home Theater Magazine, Sound and Vision Magazine, etc. and look up ratings, which might encourage me to make a purchase. Perhaps I could do a price check of neighboring retailers. Chances are that, even if another retailer has a lower price, the one I was at would price match. This would be great for me. Before I make any significant purchase, I pour over my Consumer Reports, check the web for reviews, etc. I make a list of possibilities and then go shopping. Inevitably, I see a brand or model I did not look at in the reviews. This usually requires me to go home and do more research. If I could look it up while shopping, I'd be much more likely to purchase on the spot.

IntegraPrelude98
02-15-2004, 07:41 PM
It does sound an awful lot like Qcat. I remembering getting one of those for free with my accounting book my freshmen year. This just seems like a portable version of that to me, which I guess would make it a little more appealing. It would be interesting to see how retailers would react if customers could get competitors prices on the spot in their own store.

Anjuan Simmons
02-15-2004, 08:05 PM
I'm not sure if it would work this way, but this would be great for people who collect things like comic books. I've always wanted an easy way to catalog my comic book collection so that I could keep track of my portfolio's value. :mrgreen:

So, if I could scan the bar code on each comic book and have it populate a spreadsheet with the title, writer, artist, value, etc., then that would be useful. I wouldn't use it for buying new stuff, but it seems cool for doing an inventory of things I already own. This would also be nice for people who want to catalog the items in their homes for insurance purposes (although you would have to keep the orginal box since that's where the bar code is displayed).

quidproquo
02-15-2004, 08:38 PM
I also had a QCat.... the little infrared barcode scanner that was a neat idea that didn't seem to take off.

I tried scanning some items with mine.... like a simple can of Campbell's soup...and boom...I go to their website. It was pretty neat..... EXCEPT... only about 1 in 4 products was in the database.

Most of the time, it went to a QCat site asking you for info about the bar code so that they could get it input into their database.

I liked the idea....and still like it - but it didn't take off...and I don't see why this one would take off any better over that very similar idea.
Heck, they even GAVE AWAY FREE the QCat scanners just for the asking and it still didn't fly!

klinux
02-15-2004, 09:35 PM
The potential privacy issues are huge, but so are the benefits. Assuming you need to register to use the software/scanner, imagine looking at an HDTV, getting info via this service, but deciding to look around some more. If the service is tied into the retailer's POS system, they will know that you did not make a purchase (unless you are the one in a million who still pays cash for big-ticket items). When you get home, your inbox could be filled with offers from HDTV manufacturers and from the retailer.

At the same time, if the service is open, allowing me to look up any information I want on the HDTV, I could go to CNET, Consumer Reports, Home Theater Magazine, Sound and Vision Magazine, etc. and look up ratings, which might encourage me to make a purchase. Perhaps I could do a price check of neighboring retailers. Chances are that, even if another retailer has a lower price, the one I was at would price match. This would be great for me. Before I make any significant purchase, I pour over my Consumer Reports, check the web for reviews, etc. I make a list of possibilities and then go shopping. Inevitably, I see a brand or model I did not look at in the reviews. This usually requires me to go home and do more research. If I could look it up while shopping, I'd be much more likely to purchase on the spot.

Sure, that all sounds good until the offers won't stop come in until you make a purchase, and even if you do, the offers may still come in because some manufactuers' databases were not updated. Not to mention those offers may come in via email, mail, IM etic.

And after you make the purchase, your data is sold to the content providers so that even if you are happy with your service or know what service you want, you are still being bombarded with offers. Or if you get HBO, you are constantly asked why you are not subscribing to Starz. Or if you purchased a Playboy movie once, just when you are having a dinner party, a notice will pop up saying "Don't you want to watch &lt;&lt;title censored>>"!

8O

MaximumPDA
02-15-2004, 10:03 PM
Haha, thats totally funny! I am cleaning my garage this weekend and yesterday my wife pulled out the QCat from a box she was going through and asked if it was "keep" or "toss". I am geeky enough to keep a bar code scanner handy for shopping with my Pocket PC

I already use the XDA II and pricegrabber.com to keep from impulse buying at Frys and bestbuy. The pricegrabber website automatically switches to a WAP/Mobile site when a mobile device hits it, try it out, its cool.

I agree with the comments that they should be able to adapt the camera in devices to read the barcodes.

--bill

KidKomputer
02-16-2004, 05:07 PM
Off topic but for those of you with CueCats check out
http://www.zapwizard.com/MediaPC/CueCat/Index.html

daS
02-16-2004, 05:44 PM
I'm shocked by the survey results. 8O I guess with all the supermarket club cards, Tevo and other ways that companies are tracking us day and night, people just don't care any more. :roll:

grogma
02-16-2004, 11:07 PM
This has been tried before in several different ways. Digital Convergence tried it with their CueCat and went out of business with extreme prejudice taking many VC dollars down the tubes with them. The problem here was that the business model (giving away 1 million cheap scanners and then seeing who would sign up as a commercial partner) was fundamentally idiotic. There were, however, usefull learnings that came out of the debacle. The majority of the scanners were "dumped" on people who had not opted in to the plan (given away to magazine subscribers, etc.) the remainder were given to people who signed up on line or went to Radio Shack to pick one up. Substantially fewer people opted in than were expected. Shoppers did not perceive any value to the service in spite of the fact that it cost them no money.
Air Clic has been somewhat more quietly pursuing a similar goal. They are working with a slightly different business model: small laser scanners, some integrated into cell phones that you can use to request more information on products, etc. The difference here is (was) that they didn't plan on giving the stuff away. AirClic appears to be moribund as well.
Bottom line, this doesn't appear to be a product that people want.

Ed Hansberry
03-05-2004, 01:56 PM
Microsoft has added microsoft.public.research.aura.discussion to their NNTP server for those that wish to learn more or discuss this project in greater detail.