Billy Chasen

Today’s post has nothing to do with antiques, but rather my son, Billy Chasen, and his latest creation, Stickybits, which was launched a few days ago. Billy is a software engineer with a very fertile imagination, who would rather be called an inventor. His latest idea is so clever, I predict it will be a major success. The proud father wants to tell you about it at this early stage.

Basically, Stickybits allows digital information to be attached to a bar code. First you download the free app on your smart phone, like the iPhone or Google Android phone. Then you scan a sticker with a bar code and attach any digital information you want to the sticker. The sticker can physically be attached to anything, like your computer or a greeting card or a bottle of prescription medication. If the concept is a little fuzzy, let me give you a specific example. Let’s say I buy a birthday card for Aunt Vicky with a Stickybits bar code inside. I line up the whole family and record a video singing happy birthday to Aunt Vicky. Then I attach the video to the Stickybits bar code and mail the card to Aunt Vicky. When Aunt Vicky receives the card, she uses her smart phone to scan the bar code and voila, she watches the video. The information is automatically encoded with GPS information and a trail is formed. Information is added every time the code is scanned.

Stickybits logo

How about this? I’m going to put a Stickybits bar code on my business card. I can attach and change the information as often as I like. One day if you scan the code, you might see a photo of my latest purchase, or a link to my blog. On another day, there might be a video of me and Lia wishing you a Merry Christmas.

How about tagging an object with Stickybits and sending it on a random trip around the world, a modern-day version of message in a bottle? Everyone who picks it up can add their information to the trail of its travels with automatic GPS locations. That would make a cool TV show.

The possibilities are limitless, which is what’s so nice about this technology. Billy and his group have come up with lots of suggestions about what can be done with Stickybits, but there are many more possibilities that haven’t even been dreamt up yet. Once the technology becomes ubiquitous, the true potential will start to be realized. More information is available at http://stickybits.com. The idea is getting a lot of publicity and buzz. Here are links to several of the articles that have been written. The LA Times at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/03/stickybits-barcodes-social-network.html. CNET at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10467485-36.html?tag=mncol;txt Ecoconsultancy.com at http://econsultancy.com/blog/5592-q-a-stickibits-founder-billy-chasen

What do you think? Email me at philchasen@aol.com.

I’m taking a lot of time to add new items to my website. I’ve already listed new items under Gallé glass, Daum Nancy glass, Tiffany Studios glass and Marblehead pottery, to name a few. Please take a look, as every day I’m adding more. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.