Tags – Not Just For Graffiti Anymore!
Bar Codes are so retro! Now we’re all using QR Code tags – the little matrix of black squares and shapes that are popping up on magazine articles, food and beverage packaging, and soon, no doubt, on somebody’s forehead.
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It’s called a “two-dimensional barcode,” and can be used to store a relatively large amount of information when compared to the older types of barcodes that were limited to about a dozen characters.
The entire article you’re reading here is contained in this QR Code:
This computer-readable code acts as glue to connect things we see with actions we want to perform on a computer or mobile device. As an example, you can take a photo of this QR Code using one of the free iPhone apps to move the text of this article onto your iPhone.
These “2D Tags” are typically used – generally by taking a photo of it – to trigger an online action like displaying a web site or revealing a message. They can also be used with programming to perform specific proprietary actions for business needs.
There’s a free iPhone app called Mobile Tag that uses the built in camera to scan these 2D codes to activate a message or load a web site.
Free iPhone App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobiletag-barcodes-reader/id324679839?mt=8
Free Google QR Encoder: http://code.google.com/apis/chart/docs/chart_wizard.html
Thanks for reading my latest “Send Sheet!” There’s a special message in the Scan Me image just for you that you can photograph right from the screen!
–Marc
October 13, 2010 @ 1:00 PM