I had the exact same thought Scott Rosenberg did when I saw the dopey ad for the CueCat in the latest issue of Wired. I didn't bother to test the thing -- I recall similar products in past years, some with much smaller bar or alphanumeric codes for scanning magazine articles and ads, and the fact that they've disappeared completely doesn't bode well for the CueCat. I also think that the logo the company chose isn't particularly evocative. A red bass clef? I guess not much money was left over after shipping the scanners and installation software for a design campaign. Not that it would have made a difference.
-- Alexandra Weber Morales
Editor in chief, Software Development magazine
I, too, am a long-time Wired subscriber and confirmed gadget guy. I received this ill-conceived CueCat contraption in the mail the other day, looked it over, boxed it back up and cast it aside.
I'll hold onto it as a prime example of a technical solution in search of a problem.
As a marketing professional, myself, I do commend their promotional efforts -- they're everywhere from Radio Shack ads to newspaper articles, with lots of frequency and reach at launch. But it's like pushing a rope. With no chance of success, they could distribute a million of them, and the outcome will be the same. It's doomed from so many standpoints. I can't imagine where the VC money came from to fund this misguided monstrosity.
Your points were well-stated and, I believe, exactly on target. Thanks.
-- Perry Steinhoff
I enjoyed your article very much. It illustrated the absurdities of this new device. I wish it had touched on some of the benefits though. It would have made for a more balanced and informative review. As a member of the publishing community and avid technology fanatic, my views on our new mouse companion change often.
As a techoid, I laugh at the marketing push to make CueCat successful by association (with a rodent). However, as a member of the publishing community I am excited about circumventing the most problematic technology downfall of modern print publishing, URLs in text.
It is impractical to print URLs in books because they change so often. By using bar codes, and a central database that controls where those bar codes point to, the system can adapt as needed so that users can reach their desired destination.
There are many problems with the CueCat's concept and implementation, but there are also merits to its concept while its implementation will surely evolve with time.
-- Keith Fredericks
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