Berkshire Hathaway's Benjamin Moore & Co. is courting the coveted iPhone demographic with a new application called ben Color Capture.

As the No. 1 color source for designers and architects, Benjamin Moore took its know-how to the mobile world by creating an application that takes photos direct from the phone and lets the user pin-point whichever color inspires them. The application then detects the color and gives its name and generates matches that harmonize well with the original color.

"Ben Color Capture was conceived as a fun to use application that would interest iPhone users who may not be traditional Benjamin Moore customers," said Bob Chin, manager of color engineering and development for Benjamin Moore & Co., Flanders, NJ.

Berkshire Hathaway is a conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, NE, specializing in insurance.

Warren Buffett is the company's chairman and CEO.

Benjamin Moore is a manufacturer and retailer of coatings and provider of related goods and services for decoration and preservation.

Benjamin Moore sells paints, stains and finishes through a network of more than 4,000 independent retailers across North America.

The app user can grab a photo out of their iPhone library or snap one on-the-spot to detect any color in the photograph and match it to one of more than 3,300 hues that are in the Benjamin Moore color system.

Since inspiration strikes all the time, ben Color Capture gives users the option to save favorite shades so they can move on to the next enticing color in sight.

Favorites can also be saved for immediate color coordination and comparison.

"By capturing every-day inspiration and translating it into decorating ideas and specific color suggestions, the application adds an element of fun to décor," Mr. Chin said.

"Ben Color Capture allows users to see how much color is part of their world and allows them to take colors they love and translate them into their home environments," he said.

The application also allows users to locate the nearest Benjamin Moore retailer via the iPhone's GPS system.

Benjamin Moore claims that the application is good for anyone who is interested in color, such as photographers, designers, architects, and decorators. The company admits that its main priority was extending the simplicity of indentifying color.

By tracing a finger across the digital photo in the iPhone's built-in camera library and zooming on the desired color, the ben Color Capture finds a match immediately.

In a strip of colors below, the closest matches will appear and the closest match will be highlighted.

When the user shakes the phone, the application generates up to four coordinating colors. All coordinating colors harmonize with the original color selection.

Favorites are saved and can be enlarged for full-screen viewing.

"Nobody knows yet what mobile will do in the marketing industry, but we are committed to participating in this platform and learning to exploit it for the benefit of our customers and our retailers," Mr. Chin said.