Been seeing a lot of email come in about this story that originally showed up on /. It looks like we are 'one stop closer' to merging the print media with the online world. This article talks about a new technology that is already showing up on a couple of major newspapers and looks to be getting pretty widespread in the near future. It's actually two technologies, one is 'Digimarks' which basically embed web page URLs into paper that you can actually scan with your webcam, scanner, or a free handheld device that is going to be distributed. Another is very similar using miniature barcodes also scanned in by a small handheld device. Of course who gets attracted to this stuff? The advertisers:

Anything that increases the possibility of impulse buying is bound to attract advertisers. Ford Motor Company, for example, is preparing to include Digimarc's technology in full-page advertisements in both Wired and Popular Mechanics. At least 10 other advertisers, including Visa and Sony, are also planning to test the technology.

I think its pretty cute and all but unless they make the scanners absolutely and incredibly retard proof its gonna bomb.