‘National Post’ First North American Newspaper to Adopt 2D Barcoding

Toronto-headquartered National Post Tuesday said it has become the first North American newspaper to adopt a 2D barcode system that allows readers to scan the printed paper with a mobile device to get updated digital content.

The National Post is using Scanbuy’s ScanLife client application and Code Management Platform for the system.

Readers with data-enabled camera phones, such as a BlackBerry, can scan the or take a snapshot of the digital-looking barcode found alongside a Post story. Updated content from the newspaper’s mobile site is then uploaded to the mobile device.

“The brilliant thing about ScanLife is how it ties our newspaper and our mobile site together,” Post Vice-President/Digital Media Jonathan Harris said in a statement. “With ScanLife, our readers can use their smartphones to dig deeper into the story on our mobile site while they are reading the paper. At the Post, we are always searching for new and innovative ways that make it easier for our readers to connect with our stories. This new technology helps us do just that.”

The ScanLife application can be downloaded for free from www.getscanlife.com, and used to take a photo or scan any 2D barcode in the Post.

In addition to updating news, the Post said the 2D barcode technology could be used for contests and advertisements.

“We are very excited that a national daily newspaper is embracing this technology to seamlessly connect one media platform to another,” Scanbuy CEO Jonathan Bulkeley said in the announcement. “This represents a more holistic approach to media which we believe 2D barcode technology can help facilitate.”