[WEB4LIB] :CueCat -- any progress??

[Jenny Levine]

	I, too, installed a CueCat without any problems (using the 
software that came with it, no less).  I agree that this is just the 
beginning for this technology (who still uses an Apple Newton or a 
Betamax VCR?), but keep in mind that while we are perfectly capable of 
typing in a URL, there are plenty of folks out there that have a little 
more trouble with it or who don't want to do it at all.  The CueCat isn't 
aimed at techies or librarians.
	The most compelling version of this technology that I have seen 
online (not in person) is the Qoder (http://www.qode.com/).  It's aimed 
more at shopping, but it uses a smaller, wireless device that is intended
to go on a keychain.  I'm sure hackers will expand upon its potential,
just as they did the CueCat 
(http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,39139,00.html).
	If you want to see how the "average" person could use CueCat,
read Parade magazine in Sunday's paper (if yours carries it). A couple of 
months ago, they had an article about Social Security benefits and at the 
end was a CueCat code that led to the Benefits Planner on the SSA Web 
site.  That's a good *beginning* use for this technology, and it will 
only improve as it gets applied to drug prescriptions, job ads, OPACs, etc.	
There are CueCat codes in each issue of Parade now if you want to test 
out your scanner.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Jenny Levine					125 Tower Drive
Internet Development Specialist			Burr Ridge, IL 60521
Suburban Library System				+1 (630) 734 5141
http://www.sls.lib.il.us/			levinej at sls.lib.il.us


On Mon, 27 Nov 2000, Josh Kuperman wrote:

> Someone gave me a :Cuecat to try out. I tried it, and it doesn't
> work. This is sad.  A device that would read bar codes and provide a
> method of entering web sites from bar codes, would be very useful. I
> immediately thought of being able to hand patrons a scanable
> webography for a search topic.  I had also hoped that we could
> integrate it with our existing catalog as a bar code
> reader. Apparently Convergence's aims are much, much lower; basically,
> steering people to puchase products while gathering demographics. As
> they failed there as well, I don't see the need to advise them to aim
> higher. I e-mailed their tech support a couple of times, and stopped
> after being told to change options that didn't exist on the software
> that came with the device. The device was mentioned in passing here
> with a pointer to the, rightfully criticle, article at
> http://www.llrx.com/columns/notes35.htm which gives some background.
> 
> Compared with traditional barcode scanning devices it is pretty
> cheap. It is however, even when being used as Convergent intended,
> worse than useless. Is there is a way to bypass the software that
> comes with the device - it seems to vary from non-functional to weird,
> depending on the time of day - and make it function as a simple, cheap,
> barcode reader. 
> 
> 
> If anyone is interested in a product that doesn't work very well, they
> are apparently available (for free?) by visiting a RadioShack or their
> web page (for $10 shipping) at http://www.anothercat.com.
> 
> -- 
> Josh Kuperman                       
> josh at saratoga.lib.ny.us
>