What is the :CueCat?
The :CueCat is a handheld scanner that is about the size of your computer mouse.  It uses an LED to read:  UPC barcodes, ISBN barcodes, and various other product codes, as well as it's own special cue code.  It basically functions in the same manner as an ordinary supermarket scanner.  The :CueCat connects to your PC through your keyboard port using a special adapter which is included.

How does it work?
The code read by the :CueCat is fed to the :CRQ software, which connects to the Digital Convergence server that looks up the code in it's database.  Each barcode corresponds to a URL in the Digital Convergence database.  You can setup the software to automatically open the page in a current browser window, in a new browser window, or simply keep a log of all the products scanned.  If for some reason the scanner can not read the barcode, the numbers at the bottom of the code can be entered manually into the software, which will then work in the same manner as if the code was scanned in.  In addition to using the :CueCat to read codes, you can use the sound line level output from your TV and the input of your sound card which will detect and load web pages for the products in commercials automatically (However, this setup may recquire a cable that converts a standard RCA-type connector to an RCA mini-connector to correspond with the jack on most sound cards.  The cable is sold separately). Overall, the interface for the :CRQ software is simple yet quite suffiecient for the task.

My Impressions
I brought the gizmo home and proceded to install the hardware first.  It was a simple matter of plugging the keyboard cable into the adapter and then the cable into the keyboard port.  The software CD included with the :CueCat presented the installation in the form of a Shockwave Video which contained a setup video as well as common uses and general information about the product.  After installing the software, and trying to scan a few products, I receiver the error message, "Waiting for internet."  Apparently, the software was not detecting my cable modem as the internet connection.  I headed to the website for information.  On the first page of support I found a newer version of the software, ver. 1.10, to replace the ver 1.0 software included on the installation CD.  After installing the new software, the program was now working as it should.

I grabbed a spool of silver solder (I didn't want to try out something easy like a Coke can), and swiped away.  The website for Fry Technology came up with no delay.  I then proceded to try any product I saw in the room:  a deck of cards, a box of CD-RWs, a couple of video game cartons, a bag of potato chips, and a tech manual.  All of the web pages for those products were displayed flawlessly.  I found an old textbook from gradeschool and gave that a go.  The code registered, but a URL for it could not be located.  That was expected considering the book is 14 years old.  For the most parts, the scanner was able to read all the barcodes I threw at it.  The database contained URLs for almost all of the products less than 5 or 6 years old, it only had trouble with older products.  The scanner had trouble reading codes from shiny materials, but that's probably due to the reflections of the LED canceling out the scan.

Final Thoughts
The :CueCat can be a pretty handy product when it comes to looking up websites quickly.  Of course product sites that you visit normally don't really need such a contraption.  However, if you need to look up warranty or other product information, it can save you some effort by not having to dig through a search engine.  Other than repeated attempts needed to scan a code from a shiny surface, the process of looking up a URL only takes a few seconds.  This is a pretty handy product, especially since it can be had for free.

You can find out more about the product at :CRQ.com and at  Digital Convergence  .  You can get the product free at your local RadioShack store, or if you don't live near a RadioShack, one can be ordered at one of the aforementioned sites for a $9.95 s/h charge.