Barcode iPhone App Review: Ebay Mobile
Ebay Mobile
Price: Free | Link to App Store | Tested on iPhone 3G
This app is the mobile version of ebay.com with the added convenience of barcode search and barcode sell.
The first barcode app for iPhone that I remember hearing about was RedLaser. Barcode scanning from your phone just seemed so futuristic, not to mention cool. Then in June 2010 came big news. Ebay purchased RedLaser from Occiptal for an undisclosed amount. Not only was the sale historic for the guys at Occipital, a Techstars company that typified the term 'bootstrap entrepreneur', but it served as a tick mark in the History of Technology timeline. Mobile barcode scanning had hit the mainstream.
The current iteration of Ebay Mobile represents the offspring of this ground-breaking acquisition. Like the original RedLaser app, Ebay Mobile is an app that utilizes barcode scanning in an intelligent, logical manner that enhances the app's efficacy.
Sometimes, we sacrifice ease of use for mobility, but Ebay Mobile is a rare case where the app makes performing Ebay.com functions simpler. For example, selling. Posting items for sale via the app is made simpler due to the iPhone's built-in camera and the barcode scanning integration. Users can populate all the fields in the sell item screen by performing a barcode scan, if the item is in the database.
You can also search by scanning item barcodes. This function works best with media- like books and movies. I scanned ten items. The scanner is quick and accurate. Five out of ten items loaded from a scan, the other five wouldn't load from a scan, but turned up results with a standard search.
Ebay Mobile is one of my favorite apps because the barcode scanning makes sense contextually and significantly increases the usability of the app.
Visit our Mobile Barcode Apps Link page for a list of barcode apps you might like.
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