Phone barcode boarding passes...

[DJ Jackalope]

The electronic boarding pass pilot enables passengers to download their boarding pass on their cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs). This innovative approach streamlines the customer experience while heightening the ability to detect fraudulent boarding passes. Each paperless boarding pass is displayed as an encrypted two-dimensional bar code along with passenger and flight information. TSA security officers use hand-held scanners to validate the authenticity of the boarding pass at the checkpoint.

This has been around in theory for a bit, but now it's in use at a few airports. Being that our last few airport security threads have been about what TSA will pass for as ID, and that a lot of phones operate on bluetooth, well, you get the picture.

http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/pap...expansion.shtm

[SarperDomain]

Re: Phone barcode boarding passes...

I see wireless interception and infiltration in the near future for TSA's.
Although after reading, they still require photo ID, so unless you know whos info you snagged, you are screwed.

[beakmyn]

Re: Phone barcode boarding passes...

In japan they do it the other way around. There's QR codes on just about everything, advertising especially. Since "everyone" has a cell phone there, with a data plan and a camera... You take a picture of the barcode and the phone decodes it and sends you off to the website. Even the cheapo rental phone I got at the airport had this option.

They also use their cellphones for bus fair. The other neat thing? The phones have TV tuners in them for OTA television.

The one bad thing I noticed about the proliferation of cell phones is they're always texting. Went for dinner at Hard Rock in Osaka and the couple at the table next to us never said a single word to each other, they were texting the entire time.

BTW, the screen has to be pretty bright for this to work. I tried for a client using my laptop and a linear barcode wouldn't scan. Although, I think a 2D barcode would probably fair better since you're using an imaging device to capture and decode rather then relying on the reflection/absorption of light from a linear barcode. Plus, there's data redundancy built into the 2D codes.

[xor]

Re: Phone barcode boarding passes...

The one bad thing I noticed about the proliferation of cell phones is they're always texting. Went for dinner at Hard Rock in Osaka and the couple at the table next to us never said a single word to each other, they were texting the entire time.

They were talking to each other.

BTW, the screen has to be pretty bright for this to work. I tried for a client using my laptop and a linear barcode wouldn't scan. Although, I think a 2D barcode would probably fair better since you're using an imaging device to capture and decode rather then relying on the reflection/absorption of light from a linear barcode. Plus, there's data redundancy built into the 2D codes.

Hmmm are you giving us your secret Shmoocon bar code contest badge idea?

xor

[streaker69]

Re: Phone barcode boarding passes...

The one bad thing I noticed about the proliferation of cell phones is they're always texting. Went for dinner at Hard Rock in Osaka and the couple at the table next to us never said a single word to each other, they were texting the entire time.

That would seem to be a good thing, less noise in a restaurant. As long as they're not driving a train, who cares if they text?

[SarperDomain]

Re: Phone barcode boarding passes...

Off-Topic:

I was pissed when I got stuck in this mess: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/7704846.stm

I was on my way to Manchester, after waiting in line for 8 hours they announced my flight was canceled.

They did give me free wifi while I waited, for the trouble.