Bar codes can be your friends

When bar codes became commonplace, we thought it would only be a matter of time before we'd all be using them to organize everything. That day may finally be near, only 30 years later.

The Flic Scanner Media Organizer builds personal media libraries by scanning and cataloging music, movies and books. Microvision, which manufactures the technology, makes it sound almost too easy to be true: "Scan your items, return to your computer, plug in the scanner and watch the Collectorz.com software work for you." You can retrieve such information as cover art and track information, which can be downloaded to portable devices or shared with friends on the Web.

If you're as poorly organized as we are--and that would be saying a lot--it might be worth springing the $200 to buy on of these. As handheld scanners go, you could do a lot worse on price.

(Photo: Microvision)