Comments on: QR Codes – For the easily amused: me!

By: Michael Thomson

Michael Thomson — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:36:38 +0000

pritt stick! – never heard that word for ages. Cheers

By: Carol

Carol — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:53:12 +0000

Thanks Michael, you've got a good overview of QR Codes on your site. I've already got QR codes on the back of my business cards - retrofitted! I'll need to come up with a better solution than pritt stick to stick them down. Onwards to labels.

By: Michael Thomson

Michael Thomson — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:53:27 +0000

If you are looking for a quic kand easy QR-Code generator, try my site.

The most common usage for QR-Codes is acutally to encode VCards and then place them on business cards. Neat huh!

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:53:38 +0000

Hi Dave, thanks for your comments. Good point about the autodetect feature when browsing on the phone for the reader software.

I’d seen mobile study previously and went back to it when I installed the reader software. No problems recognising the QR Codes but it wouldn’t install any of the sample quizzes on my phone. Something about not being able to find a local Java MIDlet installer file.

Update: Just been back to it and everything seems to be working now. Next step for me is to create some quizzes.

It really has a lot of potential.

:-)

By: Dave Spathaky

Dave Spathaky — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:19:46 +0000

Great article, I think many people see the potencial of the idea and that there are a few barriers for the end user but what will overcome all these barriers is the killer-must-have-application.

When end users want to access some really useful (to them) information they will jump through fiery hoops to get there.

Incidentally, I think you may have missed a minor point which is when you access many of the phone code reader download sites with your phone browser, they will auto detect which phone you are using and direst you to the correct version.

http://www.mobilestudy.org/ have an amazing educational content qr code mash up site which automates a work flow from writing a simple q&a quiz, saving it in a mobile phone downloadable format and hosts it on their server in a searchable database and even generates a QR Code for you to distribute so that people can scan.

The code takes them straight to your Quiz which they can then download to their phone and work through ‘off line’.

At the end on the quiz there is an option to text back the results to a phone number you specify.

Wow. Now there is a killer app!

==========all the best Dave ===========

By: Brian Dunlop

Brian Dunlop — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:12:41 +0000

There’s a reason this tech is growing slowly in the US…it’s the double wammy of having to educate on use AND become aware of the benefits of the particular offer being presented.

Look at it this way… in terms of demography say I’m Sarah Palin, the kids are in the mini and I slap open my phone and am presented with a menu of services available. I know email, my camera and how to dial. My snappy new samsung…a gift from my husband Kevin looks so sharp but like my Vista desktop, I might as well be viewing Russia from my window – let alone understanding what my service options are. Scanner Smanner…I want my margarita and I want it now.

Now consider part two of the problem. In terms of demography, this time I’m Tipper Gore and my husband invented the internet. I love my iphone and use my App Store on a daily basis. 2 Months ago, Al told me about this scan thing I can DL and use to get cool stuff. EXCELLENT, Al’s speaking engagements and rubber chickens aren’t what they used to be so it’s time to save money. How about some of those paperless coupons to save the environment. Even EXCELLENTER.

Problem is, no one is promoting the bar codes anywhere or in any consistent fashion. Advertisers are interested but without a clear install-base with the kind of scalability that appeals to our bottom line… this cool tech just can’t gain traction. Intel inside? Sorry…not yet. What’s more…even where the advertiser is willing to test- as for these scary bar code thingies- if you’re a creative director at the DooWee Cheetum and Howe Ad Agency on Madison Avenue…you might as well be adding dooty flop to work of art i just developed.

The double whammy, folks. 18% of the phones and an I-APP amongst thousands of I-Apps doesn’t afford this tech (sexy as it may be) the ubiquity to grow because of both of these factors.

Hey… on a clear day, I can see all the way to Moscow- where’s my camera phone, Kevin? You lent it to the moose, hun.