One of the really cool features in BlackBerry Messenger 5 is the ability to add new contacts by scanning a barcode (QR Code, Mobile Tag) using the camera in your BlackBerry. As many of you that have downloaded the leaked version of BlackBerry Messenger 5 know, scanning a new contacts information is significantly less cumbersome than manually entering it in. What you may not have known is that the barcode scanner in BBM 5 scans more than just contact information.
I remember thinking when I first heard about the barcode scanner in BBM 5 that it would it would be nice if it worked on more than just BBM5 contacts. Apparently developers at RIM thought so too because the barcode scanner in BBM5 is probably the best QR Code reader, or, mobile tag reader, as they are commonly referred to, that I’ve seen for the BlackBerry.
The nice thing about scanning mobile tags in BBM 5 is that it uses the auto focus feature of your BlackBerry’s camera to adjust automatically until it can read the mobile tag that you are trying to scan. This allows you to scan tags of different sizes and that may away from you at a distance.
Knowing that a good mobile tag reader will soon be available to BlackBerry users in an application that millions of them user regularly makes me think that RIM will play a big part in making mobile tags popular in the United States.
BlackBerry Messenger 5 is still not officially available, however, you can find plenty of OTA links to the leaked version here.
when will this program be out of beta for the world. I downloaded it then started reading about crashes occurring.
I’ve heard rumors that BBM 5 will makes its debut August 5th when the Curve 8520 comes out. Haven’t been able to confirm that though…
I and all of my friends have it on our Storms and Bolds and haven’t had any issues with it. Just download and try it. The worst that can happen is that it does crash and you uninstall it and go back to the stock BBM.
I’ve read that the BB 8330 can read QR Codes. So I uploaded the free software from upload.fi and have tried but can’t get it to read any codes (even the upload QR code.) I also heard that BeeTagg offers a QR code scanner but understand people are having problems with that service as well.
Is there any other QR code scanner that specifically works well with the Blackberry 8330? I don’t want to have to buy yet another new phone. Am I maybe doing it wrong? Thanks!