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Barcode Scanner in iPhone app
The latest version of the iPhone app (1.1.5) features a barcode scanner! We added this feature for two reasons: to scan your books and easily add them to your Goodreads account, and to quickly pop up information about a book, if for example you are in a bookstore trying to decide which book to buy.
The scanner is available in the iPhone app under My Books. After each scan you will see the book title and cover appear at the top of the screen: if you tap on that, you can quickly see reviews about the book you just scanned. Regardless, all your scans will be saved in a list that you can browse once you close the scanner. From there, you can add them to your shelves or simply read the reviews whenever you want.
There's one known issue though: the scanner will close on its own if you leave it open for too long. This is necessary to work around a problem in the actual barcode scanning software, which is not under our control. Your scanned books won't be lost. A workaround to this issue is to force-close some of your other apps running in the background.
We hope the barcode scanner will make it even easier to add your books on Goodreads and improve your experience at your favorite bookstore!
UPDATE: I added some topics in the help section for the most common problems related to the barcode scanner (and the iPhone app in general). Please refer to those first for a possible answer to your questions.
UPDATE 2: version 1.2.1 adds the widely requested "mass-add" feature: add all your scans to the read or to-read shelves, as well as the ability to just clear your scan list.
The scanner is available in the iPhone app under My Books. After each scan you will see the book title and cover appear at the top of the screen: if you tap on that, you can quickly see reviews about the book you just scanned. Regardless, all your scans will be saved in a list that you can browse once you close the scanner. From there, you can add them to your shelves or simply read the reviews whenever you want.
There's one known issue though: the scanner will close on its own if you leave it open for too long. This is necessary to work around a problem in the actual barcode scanning software, which is not under our control. Your scanned books won't be lost. A workaround to this issue is to force-close some of your other apps running in the background.
We hope the barcode scanner will make it even easier to add your books on Goodreads and improve your experience at your favorite bookstore!
UPDATE: I added some topics in the help section for the most common problems related to the barcode scanner (and the iPhone app in general). Please refer to those first for a possible answer to your questions.
UPDATE 2: version 1.2.1 adds the widely requested "mass-add" feature: add all your scans to the read or to-read shelves, as well as the ability to just clear your scan list.
Comments Showing 51-100 of 348 (348 new)
message 51:
by
Katherine
(new)
Jan 25, 2011 09:06AM
You guys ever going to have an Android app? :(
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Doesn't seem to be an option on my Ipad, does it need a camera to work?
This is a great feature i cant wait to use it. thank god i have the iphone yippee!!!!!
Hmmm. I see the option to open the Barcode scanner, but the moment I open that option it immediately shuts down and tells me I haven't scaneed any books yet. It just closes before I can focus on a barcode.
Just another... "please make getting an app to android users a priority" message. :)Thank you!
Stacy wrote: "Same here. I updated, double checked I have Version 1.1.5, restarted my iPhone. No scan choice."Weird. Then the only other possibility is that your device is not on iOS 4. I forgot to mention this works only on iOS 4.
Andrea wrote: "Doesn't seem to be an option on my Ipad, does it need a camera to work?"Yep.
Karin wrote: "Hmmm. I see the option to open the Barcode scanner, but the moment I open that option it immediately shuts down and tells me I haven't scaneed any books yet. It just closes before I can focus on ..."That's the issue I was referring to at the end of the blog post. The software library we are using to actually perform the scan wastes memory, and in order to prevent a crash we are forced to close the scanner: basically the device is running out of memory. This problem is made worse by multitasking in iOS 4, where your apps continue running in the background when you switch apps. So a workaround for now is to completely shut down some of the other apps. (Or you can restart the device, but you don't need to.) See this forum post:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...
The maker of that software component is working on solving that issue, so this will likely/hopefully be fixed soon. We decided to use it and ship it because beside these issues (that like I said will be fixed) we think the scanning software is great.
I go to My Books and BarCode scan. And I get the screen that says Align barcode edges with arrows. Is there supposed to be a red laser to scan? Is this only for the new iPhones/iPod Touch that were released last year? I have iOS4 for the iPod Touch. And I have the most recent version of good reads.Thanks.
wow!great add!can't wait to try it out.
It seems that my (older model) iPhone can't focus close enough to fit the barcode in the frame. I tried using a magnifying glass over the phone's camera - it was then able to get two of the four books I tried - but it would have been easier to type in the isbn.
Ettore wrote: "Stacy wrote: "Same here. I updated, double checked I have Version 1.1.5, restarted my iPhone. No scan choice."
Weird. Then the only other possibility is that your device is not on iOS 4. I forgot ..."
:)
yep, that'd be the problem.
Weird. Then the only other possibility is that your device is not on iOS 4. I forgot ..."
:)
yep, that'd be the problem.
Ettore wrote: "Chris wrote: "Awesome! Is there any way to clear the list of scanned books?"You make a good point.
Sorry, no, not directly. Only thing you can do right now is force-close the app. When you resta..."
Are there plans to make it so we can delete individual books or clear the whole list of scanned books in the future?
Super excited!!! I've been hoping for this update! :) Much better than typing it all in...as I do now.
is mee... kissa wrote: "ooooh, that's so cool...too bad i don't have an iPhone"
lol I agree!
Jen wrote: "Are there plans to make it so we can delete individual books or clear the whole list of scanned books in the future?"Yes. Likely in the next release.
Howard wrote: "It seems that my (older model) iPhone can't focus close enough to fit the barcode in the frame. I tried using a magnifying glass over the phone's camera - it was then able to get two of the four books I tried..."That sometimes depends on lighting conditions. I noticed that glare especially prevents the scanner to actually "latch", and/or sometimes it causes bad readings. That, a non-so-steady hand. =)
Also, and this is maybe more confusing, there's the fact books have multiple barcodes on them. Typically the code below or close to the ISBN or EAN code is the one to scan. Barcodes labeled "UPC" are to be avoided.
Moreover, look at the 1st screenshot in the blog post: see how the arrows are aligned to include only one barcode, and leave the one on the right out? That's what one can do to "help" the scanner. If the scanner detects a 2nd barcode, it often gets confused.
Maisha wrote: "I go to My Books and BarCode scan. And I get the screen that says Align barcode edges with arrows. Is there supposed to be a red laser to scan? Is this only for the new iPhones/iPod Touch that w..."There's no visible red laser and yes this works only with iphone/ipods with a camera and iOS 4.
Maisha, see my previous message to Howard, I think you are having the same problems. I hope that helps!
that sounds very useful!! will try it
To echo a lot of other people, not everyone has an iPhone... when are we getting a GR Android app?
Ok Goodreads, I'm going to hold my breath until the app comes out on Android. Here I go!! ...HUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu (pfh)
That is the coolest thing I've ever seen! So helpful when trying to decide on a new book, just hope that there's WiFi at whatever shop I'm in :)-India
This is exactly what I signed up for Goodreads hoping for today, but in Android... Please tell me an Android version is coming soon?
Would love to see this app on the Android phones as well.
an official android app would be good. used to use the iphone app all the time, and now that i have droid, i cant update on the move - the user made apps for goodreads are rubbish, and cost£2!
Sounds very handy. Like many others here, I will be very, very glad when an Android app is released.
uggh why cant my ipod touch have a camera!?!?!
So I scanned a book with my phone and I'm trying to figure out where to find it when I get on the Goodreads website on my account...Where will I see the scanned book at?
WHERE'S THE DROID APP?????????????????
Obligatory "release on Android" post. Nexus One FTW!
Need this app for my DroidX! Sounds cool though...
The DROID app is called MyBookDroid. It will also allow you to load into Goodreads. Its also FREE!!!!
I tried it on 4 books. One was so old it didn't have a barcode. One said it wasn't in Goodreads (Terry Pratchett's Reaper Man.) One it kept giving me error messages. My own book was the only one that scanned successfully, it it's already on my shelf. Not sure how useful this is going to be.
For Droid: Go to Market on your phone, type in "goodreads" in the search. Choose the one from hactar. It is .99 and well worth it.
