Barcode technology makes Swedish Yellow Pages interactive

Barcode technology makes Swedish Yellow Pages interactive The Swedish companies Eniro and Logistep are joining the Genvägen pilot project in Halmstad, Sweden. The project is run jointly by AirClic and SDR. Eniro is planning to issue a local offprint of the Yellow Pages in Halmstad. This directory will be interactive, and advertisers will through this be able to update their information continuously. Genvägen (short cut), began in Halmstad, in August last year. The project involves further development of the use of barcodes to make day- to-day life easier for all the people of Halmstad. Out of 30,000 households in Halmstad, approx. 4,000 has ordered AirClic's barcode readers. -Since the Yellow Pages is Sweden's biggest marketplace for buyers and sellers of all goods and services, we reckon it's very important to add a new user function. Via the barcode technology we can offer our users increased search possibilities and the advertisers possibility to frequent updated advertisement," says Rickard Jacobsson, Marketing Manager at Yellow Pages. -We offer an easy way to increase the interactivity between companies, suppliers and customers. The fact that Eniro is joining the Genvägen project shows the strength in our concept, says Khalid Qureshi, Sales Manager AirClic AB. Users can read barcodes on advertisements or consumer products and be linked directly to information on the Internet using a barcode reader supplied by AirClic (former called Connect Things AB) connected to their PC:s. For instance, users can use barcodes in the Yellow Pages to access a specific website. They then indicate which products that are of interest and the site returns a price quotation straight away. Logistep is a company offering simple, straightforward information on all kinds of consumer electronic. Genvägen will allow Logistep to offer the inhabitants of Halmstad a new means of access to information on pricing, functions and servicing for technical products. The SDR Group is number-one in Sweden in the field of direct advertising and direct marketing. SDR set up the Genvägen project together with AirClic in 2000. Today, both Swedish and international companies are monitoring the project Genvägen with great interest. More companies are expected to join the project, which is one of a kind. Contact: Khalid Qureshi, Sales Manager, AirClic AB Phone: +46 (0)8-685 07 00 Cell: +46 (0)70-584 05 25 khalid.qureshi@airclic.com www.airclic.com Leif Hultman, Business Development, SDR Cell: +46 (0)708-11 54 54 leif.hultman@sdrgruppen.se www.sdrgruppen.se Jonas Olsson, Business Development, Eniro Cell: +46 (0)709-504 350 jonas.olsson@eniro.com www.eniro.se For more information about Logistep: www.logistep.se Hi-res. pictures can be found at www.airclic.se AirClic has developed a technology, which links barcodes to information or applications on the Internet. Using readers connected to their cellular phones, PCs or PDAs, users can access specific information on CDs or drug packaging, for instance. This technology can also be used for direct access to corporate business, order or storage systems. AirClic was formed when American company AirClic Inc. and Swedish company Connect Things AB merged in January 2001. Both companies were pioneers in barcode technology, and this merger has made AirClic a world leader. AirClic's principal owners at present are Symbol Technologies, Goldman Sachs, Ericsson and Motorola. Together, these companies have invested USD 290 million in the technical development of the company. The Yellow Pages is a part of Eniro, the Northern Europe's leading supplier of directory services in directory-, CD-, and several on-line formats. Eniro's portfolio includes local, regional and company directories. In Sweden the directories consist of the Yellow Pages, Din Del and Emfas. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/10/20010510BIT00950/bit0003.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/10/20010510BIT00950/bit0003.pdf