When I wrote about five applications we wish were made for the BlackBerry last week, one thing I mentioned was a barcode scanner. A commenter was kind enough to point me to NeoReader, a comparable but not well known application for the BlackBerry. Excited, I decided to test out the application right away. So for those of you wanting to know a bit more about this application, read on. 
To get the NeoReader, go to http://get.neoreader.com/ in your BlackBerry browser. You’ll go through the download process. Once done, open up your camera application and go to Options. If your picture size is set to Large, you’ll have to bring it down to Small. That’s the setting compatible with NeoReader. You can then open the application, which will prompt you to set the permissions. It allows a lot, and I know some people might not be comfortable with that. Still, it’s the only way to use the application. After the app starts up, I suggest going to Preferences and turning the audio off. You don’t want to hear the shrill sound the program makes if a barcode read fails. From there, select Click, which will bring up your camera application. So get shooting. Find a barcode and scan it. This is where I hit a problem. I couldn’t get the camera to focus on the barcode enough, and each time the scan was rejected. I did this under both the CFL light in my office and the florescent light in my kitchen. Multiple attempts in each position failed. I even wiped off the camera lens. Still nothing. I’m sure other people have gotten it to work, but with my Curve it was a no go. Thankfully, you can take advantage of the application by manually entering the barcode. It might not be as cool as just taking a picture of it, but hey, it’s the same thing in the end. From there you can compare prices, read reviews, and find similar items. Has anyone else had success with this app? If so, is there some kind of trick, or is my camera just not good enough?
44 comments… read them below or add one
I am downloading NeoReader now. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I have a curve and the same thing happened. The camera couldn’t focus on the barcode enough, and each time the scan did not work.
I didn’t try the app, but did take a look at my Curve’s ability to focus on a bar code, getting close enough for the bar code to almost fill the screen. The fixed-focus lens is just not going to give a clear picture when the subject is only 2 inches away.
A large picture size may allow you to get far enough away from the subject to get a clear picture while still maintaining enough resolution on the area containing the bar code for this to work, but that I can still see the app being useful as is.
I would figure that it would be very hard to get a normal BlackBerry camera to work with this application. I had a G1 briefly for testing and I used the barcode scanner on that phone. The G1 has auto focus so it did work, but for some barcodes, such as smaller ones it was harder for the camera to focus on each individual line in the barcode, which it would not end up scanning. With new BlackBerries such as the Storm and Curve 8900, this application should work much better due to the auto focus feature on the camera (when it is available). I guess neoreader needs to be updated for BlackBerries. Here is one I found on CrackBerry Forums http://www.beetagg.com/supportedphones/#Blackberry seems to be supported by more phones and is said to work better.
iirc, it only works with 2D barcodes (the ones with all of the squares), and not 1D barcodes (the ones that have the bars)
Yeah, I thought the Curve camera was fixed focus, not auto focus???
I wonder if anyone has tried this on a Storm?
I just tried on my storm and as of yet it is not compatible.
I was excited as hell to see this app out there; however, it is not available for the 8220. Bummer!
tried app on storm. says app not avalible for storm
It has to be a 2D Barcode, made to communicate. Scanning random regular barcodes will not work.
The Blackberry has no macro focus, which is what you will need in order to read a 1D UPC barcode. The same goes for the iPhone. That being said, the NeoReader does a great job reading 2D Data Matrix, Aztec, and QR codes.
I’ve used this application, and its a function of focal distance. Try holding the Blackberry about an inch off the page, then start increasing the distance from the camera to the barcode. I believe the focal distance on a 1″ square 2D code is around 5″. You can see a description of another camera barcode reader at our review of the Motorola MC75.
Hang on a bit the technology is there for 10 codes. We use cam scanners installed in Moto Pocket PC’s on 10 codes and 20 codes. Give it a while and it will surely hit the Berry,s
I was trying to use it on a Bold. Same result, even with 2D Codes. It only worked once with one of the sample codes on their page….
Tried with BB bold and codes generated at neoreader web site and at nokia web site. Success most of the time (75%) It is true that the ‘failure’ signal is really annoying
Still not available for the Storm.
The web site works well for keying in the codes
If they allowed for the Autofocus on the Storm, it should work – the Storm version apparently doesn’t even try to use the auto-focus on the Storm and apparently the focus when the auto-focus isn’t used is impossible to get anything in sharp enough focus to use.
With the new BB Tour’s camera I believe it does do auto focus … maybe this will work for it ?
Worked with my Curve 3810, Only the 2D codes ofcourse, wich you can generate yourself at the Neoreader site
Tried NeoReader, BeeTagg, and ScanLife with a BB Tour. The camera does autofocus, and both “line” barcodes and 2d barcodes come in crystal clear in the picture, but all programs fail to ever read the line barcodes successfully. How can the iPhone make this so easy and yet a BlackBerry with an autofocus 3.2mp camera fail so miserably?
its works when scanning the barcode you have to hit enter the button right under del
Don’t waste your time with this application if you have a storm.
Focusing the camera is imposible.
I found another scanning application in Blackberry Apps name edocrab that works much better. It focus well, search the web, give you prices and reviews. And it is FREE.
I just downloaded the app onto my Storm. It would not work no matter what was tried. Don’t bother with it.
Just loaded this into my 8350i. I have not been able to scan the barcode but typing the numbers in has worked. I am happy with that for now.
Technically, i mean programatically it’s not possible to take an auto-focused ‘snapshot’ picture. The app must invoke the Camera application of the Blackberry and then process the saved(to be deleted after) picture.
I tried the app, my Javelin doesn’t auto focus either..Good luck.
So, is there an update available for the Sprint 8350i to update the camera from a fixed focus to an auto focus. Edocrab works well with the Tour’s ability to focus on the barcode. Is there some type of camera support updates?
Scanlife uses the auto – focus and supports most barcode formats. You do however need to use the camera button
Also if you have got blackberry messenger press the black berry button and then click on scan a group barcode. All you need to do then is hover the bb over the barcode, the camera will take a picture when the focus is good enough to decode automatically. Down side is it only supports 2D barcodes so will not work with product barcodes
Hope this is any use to anyone.
does any one know if scanlife is going to be updated to be automatic like bb messenger or if there are any applications that accept universal barcodes that take shots automatically like bb messenger
Thanks
Tim
i have a bb storm.. and it works for me… so for u storm users.. take a better look at ur phone… coz it has the application on it to scan it..
You have to have a campera phone with Auto-Focus for the reader to work properly.
Guys,
i have the 9700 Bold2,
first it was not working… in fact it didnt work at all… then i had an idea, because i carry a Nokia E90 as well, and there was a barcode i wanted to read using thee blackberry (i used to read both 1D & 2D barcodes using the E90) then, the BB was not working, althought the camera has AF !!! finaly, i took a picture of the barcode using the E90 and i brought the BB to read it from the E90 screen and it was perfect!!!
i dont know why it happened like this… but it worked! – for me, i have no problem either ways… i always carry the E90 with me :)
Cheers!
Koshhamaqwa
I downloaded Neoreader and found it a total wast of time! The software did NOT work at all on my blackberry bold 9700. 1 first turn off the camera flash. 2 turn off all above lighting.
LOL in an office. And after doing all that the software still could not find its own a*** with the web. NOT for me!
I recently changed my BB device from 9000 to 9700. The NeoReader app worked on 9000 but not on 9700. NeoReader seemed not support 9700 at this time, according to the website of neoreader.
To use NeoReader on 9000, keeping appropriate distance from objects (prevent defocusing) will makes successful scanning.
Downloaded on to my Tour 9630 and it works great! I have had no problems, other than now and again i may have to take a photo twice, but that has only happened a couple of times. All in all a 4 out of 5 in my opinion.
I tried the software and is really peice of junk. It fails on 90% of the tries!
Worked perfectly on my Torch. Thanks so much!
I have a BB Curve 9300 3g and I have not found a upc or qr reader to work on it yet been looking for a whie,,but nothing works..
I don’t have Auto Focus on my camera..So if anyone has a sugestion please let me know.
Thank you
I just downloaded the neoreader for my bb 3g 9330. Worked on the first try! Excellent! If you have the 9330 it will say that it’s not compatible, just click the find another phone and use the bb 8520 I think it was..they are so similar it won’t matter! I love this app…thanks!
Somebody can try putting reading glass in front of camera!
I just downloaded this app and while it didn’t work the first time, it did the second time. The shrill sound the program makes when it doesn’t work is annoying so I appreciated the warning.
I had the BB 8900 and moved to the 9300 after the screen cracked. The 9300, though cuter and faster has a crumier camera. The camera will on do 2 Megapixel, that’s not enough for the barcode. My 3 year old 8900 will work perfectly b/c it had 3.2 Megapixel camera. Face it BB is just cheap junk!!
Hi! Thanks sooooooo much for these instructions! I have a BlackBerry Storm 2 and I downloaded the application, rebooted my Blackberry and it worked perfectly, the first time, not a problem at all!
yeh how can i download it i have a curve 8520
can anybody tell me plz
Hi
Im looking to use a pen scanner into BB and need a pen writer to build into a BB app…Scan codes and print doc with signature via pen on blackberry