Picture this! Image Recognition Arrives

If QR Codes were ever the answer, the question might soon be “what had the shortest technology life”.  A unique id? Well didnt we have EAN codes for that? The latter are human-readable, too – and I dont think anyone really came up with a convincing use for the extra 760-odd characters, given the static nature of the code.

However the argument may now be moot, thanks to image recognition technology advances. See something you like?  You don't need its QR code, it could be the shoes your neighbour is wearing! - just take a pic with your phone cam and search, then order it online!

with a smartphone as your intermediary, travel will become much easier, as you won't need to spikka da lingo nearly as much, with the internet recognising the item you are interested in, and supplying translated information back to you. See that restaurant over there? wonder what's on the menu? You won't even need to leave the car.

When the technology moves into facial recogition, the possibilities open up even further – could this be the next unique identity after fingerprints?  The law enforcement possibilities are obvious, but the moment it gets used this way, the avoidance techniques will surface, too.