QR Codes
QR codes, what exactly are they? What purpose do they have? Why use them? And do you decode these funny looking square stuff? I wonder if you have some of these questions.
QR Codes – What Are They?
These 2 dimensional barcodes encode data horizontally and vertically (hence 2D) and can therefore store much more data then the conventional barcodes.
So let’s answer these questions one at a time.
What Purpose Do They Have?
These codes store a lot of compact information. Once decoded (after being scanned by a mobile or smart phone) it will link you to a some text, image or to a link (web address). After you scan a barcode your smart phone app may bring you to a particular destination.
Who Use Them and How?
We see these codes in a lot in magazines, printed book covers, business cards, fliers, bill boards, posters, T shirts, caps, mugs and even stationery. You can also put QR codes on product packaging (to describe products), and basically anywhere that you want to put across your message.
QR Codes can bring visitors to online web sites, web pages, mobile coupons, and video channels, even to your online stores and sites. They also bring you who are on mobile devices to local business stores, physical. In that sense, they bridge the gap between offline physical stores and online.
QR codes let you to bring information to people in a fast and easy way. With these codes, mobile devices users does not need type in long web addresses or to even remember them. And once scanned the data is stored in your phone it is there until you delete it. What a nice way to store information?
How To Scan Them?
There is no need for any high tech devices. If you hold a mobile phone, any phone that comes with a camera you are set to capture these codes. To scan QR codes just follow what I have outlined here:
1 – Download the decoder here – according to the model of your phone
2 – Tab the application to activate it.
3 – Now take a photo of any QR code (try the one here)
4 – You application will interpret the data and do the rest of the work for you. It will bring you to a destination page that the vendor has in mind.
This code I have here even bring you to a transitional place (scan this QR code and see what I mean). But don’t worry, all you have to do is to follow the step by step instructions given by your application. You can’t do anything wrong!
Next time you see this weird square thing (and they are not feng shui stuff), just snap a photo of them with you mobile phone and see what the vendor wants to tell you. A lot of information can be encode here.
If you find this interesting and relevant fell free to pass this on. Mobile devices make life much more fun and convenient. Who can live without a mobile device these days?
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