RedLaser

Price: Free | Link to App Store | Tested on iPhone 3G

RedLaser is a comparison shopping app utilizing barcodes.

RedLaser started it all. When Occipital launched RedLaser, it was like one of those little foam pellets my little boy gets at the dollar store, when you drop them in the tub they morph into a jungle animal 20x their original size. In this case the tub was word-of-mouth, followed by a handsome Newsweek article and an Apple commercial. Then Ebay came a-callin' and well, the rest is history.

Fascinating history aside, the RedLaser app remains one of the most powerful and reliable tools in my purse. If you've been in the toy aisle at Target this month, you've likely seen me pointing my phone at a Fur'real Friends or Lego barcode (no that was not me headbutting that lady for the last dolphin pillowpet). I even discovered that Target was selling Kung Fu Zhu Zhu pets for $3.99 compared to $9 everywhere else (come December 26^th, my house will be aflutter with Zhu Zhu Pet activity). I've tried all the shopping comparison apps, but in everyday life, I instinctively tap the RedLaser icon.

The scanner is quick and easy to use (a necessity for bustling holiday shopping) and even reads QR codes; I can't recall an instance where it didn't return a result. The user-interface is simple and intuitive. It even tells you if the local library has the book you scanned.

I reach for this app because I know it is going to work, and I have an authentic need for the service it provides. Some of the apps on my iPhone are under-utilized because I forget about them. They may be cool, but they aren't predicated by daily need. I come back to RedLaser because I need to save money, and it helps me do that, unobtrusively and dependably.

Visit our Mobile Barcode Apps Link page for a list of barcode apps you might like.

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