Bar Code Diet Calorie and Nutrition Tracker Application Suggestion

[csrcyborg]

"ShopSavvy" uses the G1 camera to scan UPC barcodes and then searches on them.

Many weightloss websites have databases of foods that one can input to track calorie and nutrition intake. I'm one of the "ones".

Very often, what I've eaten is not in the database and I end up having to manually input all of the calorie and nutrition information. This is a pain in the butt, so I usually end up failing to track my calorie/nutrition intake.

It would be great if someone would write a program that would use the G1's camera to scan UPC barcodes on products I/we eat and then use that barcode to look up the calorie/nutrition data (perhaps on the product manufacturer's website) and then post the resulting "tracking" information into the diet websites or maybe even a standalone program on the G1.

What do you think? Can it be done? (I don't know the Android programming language, so I'm asking you gurus.)

 

[Ageless Stranger]

This is like one of those deja vu moments all over again, didnt I just reply to this somewhere else? So keeping in the tradition of deja vu, here is what I said the last time I didnt say it

It can be done very easily, the difficult part would be keeping and maintaining a database of food products along with their nutritional values. This could be possible with the leading named brands, but when you go down to the level of small brands including shops "own" brands then you have a scalability nightmare on your hands.

Throw in to the equation foods from the UK, Europe, USA, Australia etc etc *and* the hosting of the database and you will see why no one has done this yet.

damn neat idea if you ask me though, if anyone is daring enough to do this

 

[Phases]

Thanks for replying to multiple threads ageless rather than getting frustrated and just.. not. Tedious? yes.. Still helping users? Yes.

..and hey, having multiple threads with the answer will hopefully help future users find the answer quicker. Also, better chance of shoes seeing it and throwing it into the faq's.

Thanks again.

 

[noisygecko]

There is an app for Android/G1 that does scan barcodes and look up the nutrition information on Fat Secret. It is available in the App Market as Calorie Counter by FatSecret.

It does look up the info either by barcode or searching, and will record items into a Diet Calendar. But, the Diet Calendar on the phone is not synchronised with the one on the FatSecret.com website.

I don't use the app, but have been using the website. I would probably use the app all the time if it synced with the website. I am hoping they will add that soon.

 

[heenakshi]

[FONT=&quot]I want to be slim and I can say that [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Dieting doesn't work because I can't stick with a diet for my whole life. So I would like to prefer diet pills for that. There so many diet pills available in the market but I don

 

[punkzanyj]

Thanks for replying to multiple threads ageless rather than getting frustrated and just.. not. Tedious? yes.. Still helping users? Yes.

..and hey, having multiple threads with the answer will hopefully help future users find the answer quicker. Also, better chance of shoes seeing it and throwing it into the faq's.

Thanks again.

I know you're big on the multiple thread thing, Phases, but don't you see the inevitable problem?
One might have a 1 TB server filled to bursting with thousands of threads on all different subjects answering thousands of different questions. Or, the way you suggest, one can end up with 1 TB server filled to bursting with thousands of threads --- all answering the same 20 questions over and over and over and over again. Doesn't seem like an efficient way to manage your data. Also seems like it may self-perpetuate. Someone does a search, sees 67 threads that purport to answer their question in some way, are they going to weed through those 67 threads? Or just start thread 68? Food for thought. Chew on it or not.

 

[Phases]

I know you're big on the multiple thread thing .... Food for thought. Chew on it or not.

Dude, seriously. I appreciate your concern but just let it go already. You don't have to answer peoples questions if you don't want to.

They won't need to weed through 67 threads, they can just pick one. And saying "use the search" isn't going to reduce the number of search results. It will however increase how many times they gotta click on one of those 67 to find the one that is being referenced with the "use the search" answer they keep hitting in all the others.

This is why we started a FAQ team (well, shoes.) If it's fallen down the cracks and not going anywhere, then clearly we need to add some people to the team who are eager to get that going. You seem eager. Interested?

Whatever gets the end user the answer they're looking for the quickest is what should happen.

For serious, let's stop having this discussion on random threads. If you have ideas to help or want to join the FAQ team feel free to PM me.

 

[nunemaj]

Thanks for the tip. Now they have the sync available, so I'm looking forward to giving this a try.

There is an app for Android/G1 that does scan barcodes and look up the nutrition information on Fat Secret. It is available in the App Market as Calorie Counter by FatSecret.

It does look up the info either by barcode or searching, and will record items into a Diet Calendar. But, the Diet Calendar on the phone is not synchronised with the one on the FatSecret.com website.

I don't use the app, but have been using the website. I would probably use the app all the time if it synced with the website. I am hoping they will add that soon.

 

[bobbijo72]

i had the my touch for all of a day when it froze up on me... could not get it to load.. i had been locked out of my bank because i could not type correctly on the tiny keyboard.. but i LOVED the calorie counter app.. being able to scan barcode for nutritional information is awesome.. does anyone know if this is exclusive to android or is it available on iphone or itouch? thank you... i am still considering trying the mytouch again.. i did return it. i am not a fan of a new phone having issues the day i get it...