14 DAY TRIAL // Nokia sees into the future of how mobile technology can be used in the future for bringing interactivity between real environment and mobile phones to a new level. The Point&Find service will allow handset owners to use real images as search tags in the virtual environment.
A pattern-recognition technology currently allows mobile phone users to scan codes placed on posters and print ads in order to later receive more information on them through the Internet or by text messages from the producers. This seems to be only a starting point for Nokia, as the Finnish company plans on making it possible to eliminate the need for specific barcodes.
The Point&Find technology brings a breakthrough concept. It uses only real life images, with no need for codes of any type whatsoever. A simple picture is enough. With this, the number of possibilities for handset users becomes considerably larger, as almost any item from real life can be used as a search tag for receiving more information.
Nokia's solution comes after they have come to the conclusion that clicking buttons is unappealing for phone users and that they are highly receptive to new and innovatory solutions. Even more, typing on a handset is not the easiest thing to do, as not all such devices come with a full QWERTY keypad.
At this time, Nokia is looking to close partnerships with advertising and media companies in order to find way for best developing this new technology. One problem which is frequent in barcode recognizing technology right now is the fact that lighting and image quality plays an important role in the accuracy of the service's results.
Nokia Point&Find solution will be available for Nokia handsets, but will eventually work its way to any mobile phones using Symbian operating system. Unfortunately, it won't be available until next year, as the Finnish company is working on ways to make it as reliable as possible in the meantime.