Why QR codes aren't catching on


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Yea QR Codes are a pain...

Bing Vision is the first good implementation that I've used. So I notice I use them more now.

More is probably twice a year instead of once, but still it is more...

yea, for some reason though they don't let you launch bing vision when there's no internet connection, even though they surely can't be relying on a remote server for the qr code scanning....

The fact that most of you believe QR codes are solely for the encoding of web URLs on advertisements is part of the problem. QR codes can contain far more than just a URL.

You can encode email addresses, telephone numbers, or any other text into a QR code. You can even embed an SMS message and mobile number into a QR code.

Have a play by generating some of your own here... http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

I've used them before to put my phone number and email address onto the bottom of an advert to sell my old PC. I've even seen somebody (and admittedly this is geeky) have a big QR code printed on a T-Shirt with their phone number encoded into it :-)

Another good use for them is on the webpages of mobile phone app developers. Interested in their app? Just scan the QR code with your phone which takes you straight to that app on the phone's market app.

but the advertisers don't use it like that.

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Every QR code I've seen out in public and scanned has been a link to a website. It's uninteresting. Give some incentive for spotting these codes and taking the time to scan them. Free or discounted Apps, icons or images/wallpapers for your phone, coupons, things like that.

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they CAN contain far more information but i only ever seen them for advertisements. it'd be neat if they served another purpose: perhaps an unreleased movie trailer... or a coupon for whatever restaurant.

Here in the UK, the SyFy channel use QR codes at the end of programmes like Haven. Scan it and it takes you to a sneak peak trailer for next weeks episode.

The fact is that there ARE other uses for these things. The fact that they're mainly used by advertisers for URLs at the moment does not mean that QR codes are bad.

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What I find most bemusing about QR codes is when you find them embedded in web pages. So there I am, browsing a web page on my PC, and I'm supposed to whip out my phone to follow the QR code link? Even worse is if you're browsing the same site on a mobile device... then what? What do you scan it with now?

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It's just unneeded sophistication. Why not just display the URL itself, which could be just as easily interpreted by an OCR software, and still human understandable instead of appearing like garbage to the human eyes.

It seems the only use is to artificially hide the URL info from normal people for some ulterior reasons.

I think this is what it comes down to. A URL with the company name or some sort of catchy word/sentence/etc will stick in my mind and is far better advertising than the random square that looks pretty much just like every other one. Instead of making me scan the cumbersome barcode, just advertise in a catchy enough way that I remember it. In short, stop being lazy :laugh:

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I would say i generally use around 1 or 2 QR codes in a week however, i generate more than that for use elsewhere, and I have made them for business use so that you can just scan a QR code and configure wifi and a few other things.

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An example of how they can be used for something different is how we plan on using them at my work.

We run classes for the sales reps, and an attendance record is needed to verify they attended said classes.

My department creates the name badges the attendees have to wear during the class, so on the back of the badges we are going to put QR Codes with their names, etc. etc.

Attend the class, the instructor scans the QR code which will tie into a database that is being created in conjunction with our IT department verifying said person was in attendance. We will also use it for the attendees to bring up certain documents throughout the class, etc.

So there are different ways they can be used, just have to think of them.

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It's quite useful on WP7, there just isn't many around the place.

Power up phone, touch the search button, click the eye icon then just hover over it and click the link that pops up.

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in theory its a great idea, but the implementation is just horrible.

the other thing is the over use of it. for instance, a new apartment complex just opened near me and they have a giant, and i mean big qr code poster sitting out front for people that drive by.

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  • 1 year later...

Theres way to increases the QR codes capacity, for example instead of 1-bit black or white,

each 'dot' can be expanded into choice of 4 distinctive colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

afterall most scanner/camera no longer only capable in black-white spectrum these days.

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