While I don't love the quality of the camera on my touch, I must say that it is easily capable of taking CLOSE-UP pictures of bar codes that several software apps quickly turn into results from online data. I was afraid the touch wouldn't get any of the bar code reader-love that the iPhone got, but after a brief period of poor support, vendors came to the rescue. I'd expect that the PB can get reasonably close if my lowly touch camera can.