Grocist. Billed as a barcode driven grocery list application. You scan barcodes of empty containers you’re throwing away (or recycling?) in the kitchen, and the software automatically creates a shopping list for you, using an online UPC database and laptop. I think it’s a fab idea, but it doesn’t go far enough. Why not dump the PC entirely and go straight from barcode scanner to smartphone?
That way you can scan wirelessly from scanner to smartphone, and do the lookup and grocery list creation on a device that you can carry around the store. Now that would be an awesome utility.
Even 1 step further… put a barcode reader, legs and credit card information on your cell phone! Scan the groceries directly into your cell phone, toss it out the door and a few hours later the little guy will be back with a bag of groceries! :)
Now you’re just being silly Peter. It’s quite clear that you simply have to put legs on the groceries and cut out the middle part directly. Tsk! :-)
There is an affordable bar code scanner that can connect to a Windows Mobile device. It is made by Microvision called the Flic Scanner. http://www.flicscanner.com
The Flic scanner can capture data into any active application running on your Windows Mobile Device.
http://www.flicscanner.com/products/swwm
You can also use the free Software Development Kit available from Microvision to more tightly integrate the Flic Scanner into many other applications and devices including Blackberrys.
http://www.flicscanner.com/developers