In 1974, a cashier in Ohio slid a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum over a glass window. A red laser beeped. For the first time in history, a computer recognized a product automatically. That moment changed the world. Today, barcodes are everywhere—on your cereal box, your Amazon package, your airline ticket, and even the menu at your local restaurant. But how do these black-and-white lines actually work? Why can some scanners read phone screens while others fail? And is it safe to scan that random QR code on a parking meter? A Barcode Scanner is the tool that bridges the physical world and the digital world. It translates meaningless patterns into readable data like prices, URLs, or tracking numbers. Whether you are a business owner managing inventory or a shopper checking prices, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about scanning technology. What Is a Barcode Scanner? A Barcode Scanner (or Barcode Reader) is a device or software tool that captures image data fro...