Sidebar has launched an application for several models of Research In Motion’s BlackBerry to reach what it calls a sophisticated audience.

The application is available for BlackBerry Storm, Storm 2, Tour, Curve 8900 and Bold 9700. The bar code scanning application lets consumers access price comparisons and product information.

“This launch is a continuation of offering our personalized content recommendation app across all the major operating systems,” said Patrick Kennedy, CEO of Sidebar, Santa Monica, CA.

“Our QR feature is ideal for price shopping and allowing a user to save it for future review if needed,” he said. “It’s a great way to compare and contrast market offers, especially while you’re out and about. 

“This feature makes your BlackBerry become an even greater utility tool.”

Sidebar is a free mobile application that makes it easy for smartphone users to discover and share mobile content in categories such as games, other applications, video, news, lifestyle and entertainment.

Supporting commerce
The application’s 2D bar code reader can read formats such as UPC-A and UPC-E, EAN-8 and EAN-13, Code 39, Code 128, QR Code and ITF. 

The application creates personalized recommendations so consumers can spend more time interacting with content and less time looking for it. 

The company is funded by Mobile Media Ventures.

This is the second application from Sidebar.

It originally launched on Google’s Android platform. Apple’s iPhone is next on the company’s list.

Along with the 2D bar code reader, Sidebar lets smartphone users receive personalized recommendations with content delivered daily.

Selections for consumers are pulled from a range of mobile media such as applications, music downloads, podcasts, RSS feeds, videos, wallpaper and ringtones.

Consumers can select from categories of content such as entertainment, green planet, humor, steals and deals, health, mind and body, style and culture, modern man and news.

Learning via behavior
Sidebar then learns consumers’ interests based on their behavior so that it becomes highly personalized to each individual over time. 

The application is being promoted across the various application stores from carriers and third parties as well as on RIM’s BlackBerry App World.

With personalized content, the company hopes to offer instant gratification so consumers spend time enjoying content rather than searching for it.

“This app addresses an untapped market desperately looking for content discovery on mobile devices,” Mr. Kennedy said. “With Sidebar, BlackBerry users can now find new relevant content across all mediums from video, games, ringtones, music and other apps.

“We are seeing a lot of interesting things being done with QR codes and bigger brands adopting the technology,” he said. “As our app is all about discovery of content and enhancing the mobile experience for consumers it was a natural fit to include a reader as a feature as it fits well with this paradigm.

“It is an additional tool that adds value to your phone’s existing capabilities like the camera and when you scan a QR or barcode you are discovering more about a product or being driven to videos, Web sites, IVRs, etcetera.”