Thursday, August 6, 2009

Xerox: Unlock the value at PARC. It's about MPS, SmartPhones and QR codes.

Hopefully I've got this all wrong. Let's say PrintTicket is already being used in the field. But if I'm not wrong, then I'm seeing a pattern that started with PostScript continues through the no delivery date of Erasable Paper. I hope I'm wrong. But if I'm right . . .

I can't quite figure it out.

My best guess is that the legacy business process is get the tech into a patentable form then lock it up in IP and sell the IP. A better process might be to deploy a full featured prototype as soon as you can. Watch how it's used in the market place. Refine it. Find the evangelists. Let them help it naturally scale.

Most important: create a separate business unit, with new appropriate business process. Read Clay Christensen to see what I'm trying to say. My favorite separate business unit would be PARC University that sells certificates. Oops! I meant to say grants degrees.

Imagine the effect of using Xerox technology to support Xerox MPS if what is described below works. Given the scientists at PARC's track record, I would bet that it does. Given that I already have made a significant-to-me bet on XRX, I need someone at the C Level to pay attention.


At any rate, yesterday I was wondering in twitter land and found this:
Making mobile printing easier with QR (quick response) codes: http://bit.ly/403vsG [What are QR codes? http://bit.ly/3Ey2Bx]
Which took me to the PARC blog, where I found:
The Video:

The Words
Making mobile printing easier with QR codes - PARC blog
Currently, about 20 U.S. airports enable passengers to check in through a “mobile boarding pass”. These airports use special scanners to read the 2D barcodes displayed by diverse mobile manufacturers’ hardware.

We realized a similar technique could be used to “acquaint” a mobile phone and a printer, so that someone could easily print something from their phone wherever they are and whenever it’s needed (e.g., instructions, maps, notes, product information to leave behind for a prospective client).

To print from your phone, you first have to make the phone and printer “talk” to each other — which isn’t always easy. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to re-register my Bluetooth- or wifi-enabled mouse with my laptop; the irony is that they’re sitting right next to each other!

But using the scanner (MJ: on the smart phone) on a multi-function printer (or MFD) simplifies the process of acquainting the printer with your phone. All you have to do is:

  • display (a QR code with some print instructions embedded in it);
  • place (the phone on the MFD scanner); and
  • press (the big green button on the printer to scan it).

In addition, the code can contain cryptographic information so the phone can send an encrypted document over untrusted networks. The printer uses the cryptographic information embedded in the QR code to decrypt the document once it arrives from the network.

4 comments:

  1. Hi,

    It is very surprising to know that passengers can check into the airports with help of the cell phones.

    unlocking mobile phone is a great way for people to switch services, not all phones can be unlocked. The only phone companies that have this feature are AT&T, Cingular, and T-Mobile. If you are not using a GSM mobile phones, chances are your phone has no ability to unlock. Nevertheless, if you have the opportunity to unlock your mobile phone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the tips. I'm waiting for the time that bottom of the pyramid high school kids will use their cell phones to check into school. And then the trigger that will send Mom and SMS when junior decides to skip that day.


    At any rate, sooner or later they will all be unlocked, but while we're waiting for the business deals to work themselves out, it seems like you've got a good alternative.

    Now I have to go check out your site.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mick,
    I haven't checked out the prices, but for the benefit of our visitors, here's what unlocking a cell phone is all about from the site:

    "What you need to know about your cell phone and network provider.

    These days, most mobile phones come “locked” to a particular network (i.e. T-Mobile, Cingular, Orange, Vodafone, Rogers, etc). This means that you will only be able to use your cell phone on the network from which it was originally purchased. For example if you purchased a phone from T-Mobile and later wanted to change your service provider to Cingular, your new Cingular SIM card would not work in the mobile phone you bought from T-Mobile.

    This can be frustrating for several reasons. It can get very expensive if you have to purchase a new cell phone every time you change network service providers. And for the frequent travelers your roaming charges would cost you a fortune. For the bargain shoppers or if you are the person who is looking for the next best deal on your cell phone service plan, a locked phone can make this very difficult and costly.

    The only solution to solve the problems listed above is to unlock your mobile phone. It is completely legal and is a more cost effective way to get the greatest use out of your cell phone. The only reason that your network provider lock their mobile phones is to discourage you from changing your cell phone service to a different network provider, thereby keeping your business until you buy a new phone from a different network.
    What does it mean to unlock your phone?

    When a wireless network provider ‘lock’ their phones, it means that their phones have been programmed to only work with SIMs issued by their company. Unlocking reverses the programming put on your phone by the network so it can work with any SIM on any compatible GSM network around the world."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice article nice unlocking code information..I want the Unlocking code for the Nokia N95 8Gb mobile..I found the Unlocking Instructions in the site mobileunlockguide

    ReplyDelete