Spring Break
Use your cell phone to $ave money
Former student creates application that scans barcodes
By: Kristen Dwyer
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: Features
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A former student answered the call with a device to help consumers find the best deal possible.
Rylan Barns, Class of 2004, was the lead developer of ShopSavvy, a cell phone application that takes pictures of barcodes, then searches online to find the best prices and the location.
Barns co-founded the company Big in Japan Inc. with Jason Hudgins and Alexander Muse, who met during monthly happy hours with other entrepreneurs.
The application was originally called GoCart. It was entered in Google Android Challenge in summer 2008. The online entry has changed the Dallas-based company.
"It was great [to win], of course no one knew or knows about it because Google didn't publicize the award for some reason," Muse said.
The Google Android Challenge is a contest for developers to submit applications for cell phones that will increase usefulness to consumers.
"T-Mobile came to us after the [Android Developer Challenge] and asked if we would like to be their featured application," Muse said. "We agreed. ShopSavvy was released publicly on Sept. 22, 2008, and was available on phones Oct. 22 in the U.S. and Oct. 30 in the EU," Muse said. "On Feb. 1, it will be available throughout the EU."
The application is straightforward. According to Muse, it takes 30 seconds to explain.
As an undergraduate, Barns created his first Web site, Textbook-Trader.com. The Web site was set up as a service to fellow Aggies to find cheaper textbooks.
"The best way to learn is to go out and do it," Barns said. "For the most part Textbook-Trader.com was instrumental in teaching me the things that didn't work well. If I had to build it all over again, it would look noting like it did before."
The experience Barns received at A&M proved to be helpful, he said.
"Getting it done is one thing, but Texas A&M provided me with the education to get it done well," Barns said.
Chris Pick, Class of 1998, is a longtime friend of Barns and helped him with a past project.
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