QuickAdvice: Social Networking and Shopping Come Together in Barcode Hero
Barcode Hero - Social Barcode Scanner (Free) by Kima Labs is an interesting combination of social networking and a barcode scanner.
You don't need to create a new account to use Barcode Hero, but you do need a Facebook account. Once you log in to the app with Facebook, there will be a short little tutorial that will show you how to use the app. First thing you'll do is scan an item, then recommend an item, and finally follow someone (like with Twitter) to see their scans and recommendations and all that good stuff.
To scan an item, you'll simply align the barcode in the box until it's green, which will then signal to you that it will snap a picture and automatically search for the item it belongs to. Most of the results I got were accurate, although somehow some items needed more scans to get through.
Occasionally I got the 'Add this item' screen, which is only when something is not in the database. But it's best to try a scan several times to get the correct result before adding something in.
The app also allows you to shop for the best price for an item, pulling in results from sites like Amazon and any other retail websites.
Once you get the scan done, you can share that you're 'buying it now', 'own it', 'recommend', or add it to a 'wishlist.' You can also comment on the item and post it to your Facebook.
While you scan various types of items, you also earn points based on your scan. The more points you have in certain categories and groups, the better. You get the chance to earn titles for your profile, such as 'Queen of Electronics' or 'King of Games', which will be publicly displayed. If you choose to protect your activity, you don't get these awesome titles. You can also 'oust' people as Queen or King of something, so it's a lot like the ousting of Mayorships on Foursquare. You can take this as a good or bad thing, depending on your standpoint!
Finding people to follow is easy - if you view either Recent or Standings, you can find activity from other people, which will lead to their profiles. You can follow them from there. Or if you'd rather just stick with people you know, you can try searching for them via the Friends screen or even invite friends by email to use the app. The Staff Picks are good too, because it's recommending users for you to follow if you choose.
This is a pretty neat app that combines something not seen before. It's almost like a Foursquare of barcode scanning. The technology of barcode scanning is very quick and accurate, much like that found in RedLaser. The social aspect of it is fun and fresh, and adds a whole new twist to the boring activity of barcode scanning.
I've experienced no crashes or slowness while using the app, so even though it's a 1.0, it's very polished and smooth for what it is. The developers are looking to get user feedback to improve Barcode Hero, so if you want to help shape it into something even better, get it and send feedback from within the app.
If you want to be a 'Barcode Hero' and rack up as many points you need to prove you've got awesome taste in products, I'd recommend you pick up this app now. Happy shopping! Or is it scanning? Either one, enjoy and have some fun!
