Stickybits made quite a splash at this year’s SXSW. I’ve wanted to review them for a while, but they just recently made their Android app compatible with my lowly MyTouch.

Basically, Stickybits lets you attach information (pictures, videos, comments, etc) to bar codes. Then, when someone scans the bar code with the Stickybits app (available for iPhone and Android phones at the moment), they can retrieve whatever you’ve attached plus what other people have attached to the same bar code.

You can use any bar code you like- Stickybits generates original bar codes that you can embed on a website or print off, they sell stickers, or you can use existing bar codes on products. The ability to use existing bar codes and the ease of attaching information appears to be what differentiates Stickybits from Microsoft’s Tags.

Stickybits also sells bar-coded clothing-the ultimate geek fashion statement! Why do I have a feeling that somewhere, someone is walking around with a virtual “kick me” sign pinned to them that only people with the Stickybits mobile app can read?

The concept’s pretty cool, but what’s it good for? Stickybits is a geocacher’s dream, obviously, and someone is currently using it to send a book around the world in 8 days and track it as it moves from place to place.

Another suggestion was tagging product bar codes with your favorite recipes that use them, which I think would actually be super-handy at the grocery store, except for the fact that you’d not only see your recipes, you’d also have to sift through everyone else’s recipes for the same product. That’s probably not a problem now, but it would get annoying if everyone and their brother started using it.

Other examples from the StickyBits website: using it to attach a copy of your resume to a business card, or a picture of something you’re selling to a flyer.

So, there are a lot of different things you could do with it.  The Android app works well, although one feature I think is missing is a way to search the “bits” attached to a particular bar code, whether by keyword, person who attached the bit, or both.

Of course, marketers and advertisers are all excited about Stickybits, too. Personally, that side of it doesn’t appeal to me very much.  Really, I have no desire whatsoever to scan a Coke can and see a Coke ad. Honestly, I don’t have much interest in scanning a Coke can and seeing what other random people have attached to it, either. But, you know, I’m not really into “interacting” with brands unless it’s to get coupons.  I know that’s not necessarily the norm.

Basically, I think Stickybits is a cool concept, but aside from the novelty I’m having a hard time seeing where it would fit into my daily life. What do you think of Stickybits? Would you use it for anything? If so, what?

Our Rating of Stickybits

Tags: Lifestyle

Categories:mobile