QR Codes Decoded
July 19, 2010 by Jenni
The newest wave of instant gratification is coming out of Japan in the form of QR – or “quick response” – codes. The pixelated images resemble your average barcode, but are capable of decoding a variety of information. Just snap a photo with your phone, and voilà!, the message is revealed.
QR codes are most commonly used as an alternative to lengthy web addresses, but can also contain phone numbers and hidden text. But, there is a catch: you need to have the appropriate software installed on your phone before you can read the code. (I recommend Barcode for iPhone users.)
Recently, Calvin Klein replaced their usually racy billboards with QR codes encouraging passersby to “uncensor” the ad, which redirects them to an exclusive provocative 40-second commercial.
And, in one of the most creative uses I’ve seen, blogger David Fell uses a QR code to complement his business card. Snap a photo of the code and David instantly becomes one of your contacts, complete with name, phone number, email address and website.
Given that you not only need to have a smartphone, but also an additional application to reveal the codes, it’s unclear whether the codes will live up to their potential. Either way, it’s fun to decode the secret message … and even more fun to create your own.
Photo source: Mashable.com
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July 19th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Whereas this is a really cool gimmick, I think marketeers are over-estimating the intelligence and gumption over Americans, given that it would take both to decode these.
July 21st, 2010 at 8:17 am
I think we are just beginning to see the potential of QR codes here in the U.S. Our company (PervasiveTags), has software that will allow you to easily create mobile pages as well as generate QR codes for those pages.
We are conducting a free beta (http://www.pervasivetags.com and looking for feedback, so let us know what you think!