Aral Balkan

Update: ^^^ Oh man, that's a priceless expression on my face. :P

I'm sitting at the Halcyon cafe in downtown Austin with a cool bunch of technically-inclined people from SXSW and talking to Richard Rutter about QR Codes.

I was telling Richard about the Singularity expo stand that I ordered and received just before setting off for Austin. It has a big ass QR Code on it with the short URL for the conference (http://si-conf.com).

I usually mention QR Codes, which are special square bar codes, in my talks as they have the potential to alter our actual landscape with links to the virtual world via URLs. I feel they'll eventually be playing a role in creating a layered/augmented reality when coupled with other location-based technologies like GRPS and cell-tower triangulation and the proliferation of free wireless Internet.

Richard mentioned that it would be cool if QR Codes could be incorporated as water marks into pictures, to which I replied that QR Codes exist with pictures in them. (Not sure if anyone is using QR Codes as watermarks, but if not, it is a great idea to be able to scan a photo and, for example, get the link to its Flickr page.)

The problem, as Andy pointed out, is that not all mobile phones have QR Code readers and even if they do, most people aren't aware of them. Wouldn't it be cool if, by default, the camera on a cell phone recognized a QR Code if it saw it and read it?

OK, so we're wandering off to Whole Foods for lunch now, so I'll cut this off here.

Update: Roger Smolski contacted me to tell me that he has an online magazine devoted to QR Codes. Very cool. Check it out.

Comments

• Is there any QR code open source solutions for a php based site that can create QR codes on the fly or something we can modify to do this? thanks contact (at) socioclick (dot) com

  by azzam on 2008-07-11 12:17:32

• Check this out - QR Codes on Google Maps http://www.ventipix.com/qrcodemap.html

  by Perry on 2008-06-16 19:41:05

• Nice Info Thanks

  by شات on 2008-06-16 05:56:03

• I definitely agree with you. It is maybe the bridge we were missing between real world and digital world. I like very much the Lendorff.Kaywa scarf ;) Here in Switzerland they are plenty of cars with advertising on it (mostly Smart cars). I just imagine grabbing the website address of the advertiser by reading its QR code (whether waiting for green traffic light in my car or wandering around. It may be also of interest for example for short term advertising campaigns linked to microsites, or for plot based viral campaigns like the Nokia game,... By the way, The Swiss National Railway Company, has been using an e-ticket system based on QR Codes for 2-3 years. You print your Train ticket on an A4 paper and people controlling Tickets have a reader which is part of their multi-purpose pocket device. It seems to me that you can also get your ticket directly to your mobile phone. Do you know about the artist Space Invader? This guy makes colourful mosaics of Space Invader Characters and put them at strategic points on buildings around the world. Could this idea be merged to QR codes, making QR codes into real mosaics ;) Best regards.

  by Cedric M. (aka maddec) on 2008-03-08 11:51:35

• Great post :) Thx very much. Regards,

  by bramy segmentowe on 2008-07-09 10:20:26

• QR codes overlaid in video would be really cool (if used responsible). Yes, it is a shame more devices in the West do not support QR. However, I think it is only a matter of time ... Thing is there are many competing standards for codes in the West ... I'd like to have to worry about only one standard when QR'ing! ;)

  by Scott Janousek on 2008-03-09 02:50:33

• I agree: QR codes really seem to be the missing bridge! Been playing with those yesterday: There really is a lot possible! I could even grab the link in the QR in the video, using my phone! I really love it! Should've checked this way earlier. Anyway: The expo stand looks pretty slick!

  by Ronny on 2008-03-09 02:42:06

• I think QR codes are cool from a techie POV. However.. I cant help asking if its currently that practical for short urls. Which is easier and quicker.. Entering a short memorable url manually. Or.. launching the QR scanner, pointing the device at the code, waiting for the software to decoding the url.

  by Luke on 2008-03-09 21:06:45

• Hi Chris, I know that Mario Klingemann expressed interest in this at some point in convesation -- I don't know if he's worked on it at all (but hey, if anyone can...) :) @Johnny: ROTFL "shit-eating grin" - love the phrase :)

  by Aral on 2008-03-10 17:30:20

• Cool Stuff! Check out these free embeddable QR code flash players that enable people to download the video clip that they are watching or the song that they are listening to using a QR code! Basically, people watch the video clips or listen to the songs, and if they loved it, download them directly to their phone by scanning a QR code or by typing the shown Checkout link on their phone's browser. They then land on a page where they can find more info about the content they are about to download. Furthermore, the composers of these video clips or songs can charge the users for their content using Google Checkout, PayPal or Bango. See the demos below: http://www.ventipix.com/audiodemopage2.html http://www.ventipix.com/videodemopage2.html

  by Perry on 2008-06-07 11:06:17

• QR Code Streetwear!!! http://www.loadedbarcoded.com w00t!

  by Justice on 2008-03-18 16:34:48

• Give the NeoReader a test run :) It is able to read and decipher all common non-proprietary 2D codes (Data Matrix, QR, Aztec) as well as URL embedded 2D codes and all 1D UPC/EAN/Code 128 open source codes. The NeoReader supports direct and indirect code linking, which guarantees maximum interoperability with already existing platforms like 2D Data Matrix Semacodes, and Japanese QR links. This allows the user to click on a variety of codes with a single application installed on their mobile device. http://www.neoreader.com

  by streetstylz on 2008-03-12 01:39:38

• Hi Mike, No posters yet but I'm going to be releasing the logo, etc. so that everyone can contribute (and I'll probably release a few designs too!) :) I want this to be as open as possible and to get the community involved as much as possible. Thanks so much for volunteering to do this. Keep an eye on the blog for updates... I should have a few announcements very soon! :)

  by Aral on 2008-03-15 23:24:20

• "Update: ^^^ Oh man, that's a priceless expression on my face." - That's the start of a shit-eating grin just about to appear across your face :-) Cool expo stand though, and QR codes look like something that have amazing possibilities!

  by Johnny on 2008-03-10 07:17:08

• Hi Luke, Imagine if you didn't have to launch the QR scanner; if the camera on your phone automatically detected QR codes (the time to decode the QR Code is negligible). That's where I hope things will go.

  by Aral on 2008-03-09 21:29:02

• I am currently finishing up a site that lets you track the life of collectible items (art, etc). How cool would it be to get a small write up on the life of a piece by just scanning a code. Eventually codes could give you information on the products you buy.... where your bread was baked, background on the leather used to create your shoes. I am really excited about what could be done with qr codes. When I get some time, I would like to make a flash webcam QR reader. Anyone done anything like this before?

  by chris on 2008-03-10 06:26:40

• Hi Aral, Do you already have posters with information about the event? (with or without the QR-code ^_^) I was wondering because I would like to put up some up at my school :) There a lot of people that find this very intresting :D So putting up a bunch of posters would get them to notice it and check it out I'd reckon :D Greeting, Mike van Kuik (from the Netherlands)

  by Mike van Kuik on 2008-03-13 12:58:42

• [...] am bit late to this but Aral has a post about the conference he is organizing, Singularity, where he use QR Codes to advertized the conference. This is great! I [...]

  by biskero.org home page on 2008-03-13 12:58:07

• you can use the google web servers chart api to creat qr codes on the fly. check out www.cognation.net/qr for more details and links. Cheers, Dean

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  by sesli chat on 2008-07-26 20:31:20

• I agree: QR codes really seem to be the missing bridge! Been playing with those yesterday: There really is a lot possible! I could even grab the link in the QR in the video, using my phone! I really love it! Should’ve checked this way earlier. Anyway: The expo stand looks pretty slick!

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