QR Codes?

[stevew]

Perhaps it's just a random thought, but I had to look up what these things were even called. It seems like you see them plastered everywhere.

1. Does anyone actually scan these things?
2. Am I missing out on something by not scanning them?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Wikipedia_mobile_en.svg/296px-Wikipedia_mobile_en.svg.png

[JonInMiddleGA]

With the exception of music samples that I believe are occasionally coded with these, the only people I've ever actually seen scan them are marketing and/or brand management people who wanted to see if they actually worked & what happened when they did it.

[flounder]

I've tried using them before, but the detection on my phone is really hit or miss. By the time I get it to recognize the code, I could have typed in the URL a few times over.

I could see the utility if it was a really long and complicated URL, but even then it's probably easier to use a URL shortener.

[Alan T]

Some stores have them on the sales display of items that I will every now and then scan if I want more information about that product on my phone than what the store simply says.

(ie: scan it, it takes me to a webpage on my phone from which I can look at customer reviews or whatever)

[DougW]

http://img.scoop.it/Dw7XeoshwkWkpVfkrkgJJjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ

[Fidatelo]

I've never scanned one, but I do see them all over the place. They look retarded.

[Barkeep49]

I got all excited about this a couple years ago for use at school and then realized "I'm quite digitally savvy. I have a smartphone. I NEVER use them."

Thus ended my excitement.

[Ksyrup]

One of my daughter's teachers couldn't be at "Tiger Bash" (basically one evening before school starts when the kids get to go into the school, get their schedules and lockers, and meet their teachers), so he left a paper with one of those codes on it. They scanned it and it generated a text that directed them to the class homepage for information about the semester. Kinda cool, I guess.

[Rizon]

I have a friend that does custom QR logos, so once he told me about them a couple years ago I started seeing them everywhere. I have a dumbphone, so I can't scan them anyways.

[Young Drachma]

Some brands do a good job with Quick Response codes, but for the most part, we make fun of how poorly implemented they are by most companies/brands/people, etc.

They can be useful used the right way, especially if say, you save a QR code and are sent to a landing page or there's some sort of takeaway associated with it. But just a QR code that takes you to their website? Unless it's a one-off thing? Less useful.

And a QR code on a big billboard that no one can reach? Or in the newspaper? Yeah, not a good use of the technology.

[sterlingice]

What are some of the better uses of these? It seems like every smart phone has a reader so there's a market for it, potentially. But how best to utilize them?

SI

[Rizon]

What are some of the better uses of these? It seems like every smart phone has a reader so there's a market for it, potentially. But how best to utilize them?

SI

Someone can walk around a public place with a QR code on their shirt that links to their website or something they are selling. Examples: a girl with it on her shirt that links to her website where you pay to see her naked.

[gstelmack]

One of the best uses I've seen is actually in the Lowe's garden center, where the little info stakes inside potted plants have the Microsoft version of these QR codes that takes you to a web page with a ton more info on the plant.

[Raiders Army]

From what I understand, you can have one time use QR codes. I will be using them in our next mobile game. We'll hand out cards in packs of 5 and some of them will have the QR codes for an in-game boost.

Kinda crappy that phones don't have RF capability organic to them...ah well. If it were up to me, I'd put a passive RFID chip in the cards and it'd be simpler.

[jeff061]

I on occasion scan bar codes with amazon app to compare prices and reviews. That's the bar code on the actual product. I never use this QR thing.

[Barkeep49]

I on occasion scan bar codes with amazon app to compare prices and reviews. That's the bar code on the actual product. I never use this QR thing.
I too do this. Definitely not the same as QR code.