T-Mobile G1 Updates Blog

After all the hype, I was anxious to find out more about the much talked about “ShopSavvy” application that was developed for the Android mobile platform (for the G1phone) by “Big In Japan“. The application has had some major air time on all the major media outlets, including NPR the other day, which is where my Mom heard about it, said it sounded amazing, and told me to check it out asap.

So I did.

And I was absolutely, hands down, blown the f**k away.

I downloaded it free from the Android Marketplace (on the phone, obviously), and right off the bat I was already preparing to make fun of how slow, inaccurate and clumsy it was surely going to be.

I was wrong.

As a matter of fact, I was so wrong, that I couldn’t have possibly been “wronger”.

If you’re still wondering just what in the world this Antichrist of applications claims to do, well, long story short, supposedly you can turn on the application, hold your phone’s camera lens up to any bar code on Earth (whether it be a tube of toothpaste, a CD, a book, whatever…) and it will scan it, analyze it, and return all sorts of useful information to you such as:

1. What it costs at several other outlets online
2. Costs and local locations you can get the item at
3. Reviews
4. Save it to your wish list
5. (perhaps the coolest) Set an alert if the price changes to a price you enter.

So, to say that this application is cool is definitely not doing it justice. I consider myself a pretty tech savvy individual, and as someone that pays attention to new technology, you get to a point where you literally think you’ve seen it all (or a variation). I can truly say that not once in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be able to use a cell phone to scan a product in a store in real time and find out if I’m paying too much.

The speed was eerily fast (and being in the St. Louis market, I don’t even have 3G access on my G1, I’m using Edge) and I was truly shocked at the speeds for all aspects of the application (load speed, results, camera speed, scan speed, etc…). Holding the scan bar on the product takes a few seconds to focus the camera in on it so that it can grab the info, but again, overall everything is VERY smooth and quick to the touch.

I’m going to end the review here…because I’m still in awe, and I have to give HUGE props to the evil genius devs over at Big In Japan (the creative creators of Shop Savvy).

Sirs, you have officially humbled me. Out of sheer humility, I bow to you.

Now excuse me while I finish scanning everything in my house just because IT’S SO DAMNED COOL!

(Image from Biggu.com)