Amazon came out with a new addition to its mobile app – Flow (another review) – that is just short of amazing. (NOTE: Currently only available for iOS; I’m sure the Android version is right behind…).

What is it?

It’s a visual search – select Flow in the search area of the app (instead of typing in search or scanning a barcode), and your back-facing camera turns on. Point it to what you’re interested in, and – no taking pictures, in real time – the app tries to identify the product and, if found, displays its price/availability/etc at Amazon.

The blue dots you see are dots that continually flash, attempting to identify the product outline/features and so on.

Works great with books and other flat, stock Amazon items – the CD pictured is from 1981 and it was found in seconds. I didn’t find a book or software box it couldn’t identify (Paintshop Pro 8, Windows 2000 Professional Edition, XML for Dummies… )

3D objects are a little more of a challenge (hand lotion was found; flashlight, tape measure and Chapstick not found).

Yet it just launched today – it’s only going to get better. (FYI – battery hog!!!!)

I have a grasp of how they are doing all this, and it’s mind-boggling that it does as well as it does right out of the gate.

And it’s a brilliant move by Amazon that must be terrifying brick-and-mortar vendors. I can stand in a store, just view an item with the app (no noise of picture snapping) and get what it’ll cost at Amazon. If I decide to go with Amazon, hell, toss it in cart, use one-click to buy it (I’m on Prime, no shipping cost issues) and *bam!* I’m done.

Less than a minute from checking it out to having it delivered. This has the potential to change retail in some significant ways.