Posts Tagged ‘Android QR Reader’

Will the IPhones Arrival in China Usher in the U.S. QR Revolution?

Posted: August 19, 2010 in 2010 eBusiness News, Uncategorized
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Next month the IPhone will be able to be used in the worlds most populated nation for the very first time.  The Chinese super giant Unicom, the largest telecom company in China, has signed a 3 year exclusive deal with Apple for the rights. Could this be the spark for QR in the United States?

While QR is growing in the United States, It has yet to pop into domestic mainstream usage. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing QR in the United States is the absence of a simple universal QR app. But one has to wonder if the entrance of the IPhone into China might change all of that. Unicom has 141 million subscribers, many of whom have been waiting to get their hands on an IPhone for YEARS. It is not an incredible idea to think that a universal QR app would be in development for the IPhone 4 in China. It is also not a far reach to think that a successful universal QR application in China would eventually reach IPhones in the U.S. and perhaps other smartphone platforms such as Droid.

QR Potential

While this is all speculation at the present time, the potential of QR codes in the U.S. market is undeniable. Here are some recent examples of how QR codes have been used in the US:

  • Those in the education industry have found that using QR flashcards is a high-tech way of keeping students interested in their college studies

  • Instead of printing as many business cards, companies have begun to encourage their employees to have QR codes on there business cards so interested parties can scan the information to there smart phones

  • QR Billboards, like the one above, have been surfacing more and more all throughout the country.

  • QR code are even appearing on TOMBSTONES in the U.S. so that onlookers can read more about those who have passed.

Do QR Codes have what it takes to go mainstream in the US?

In a word: YES! It is only a matter of time. The bigger question should be: Is my small business ready for the QR revolution?

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What are QR Codes?

Posted: June 17, 2010 in Central Penn SEO New Tools
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So you have all heard about the idea about saving trees. Go Green Blah Blah. Well in  2010 these QR  (Quick Recognition) Codes are becoming more common at local businesses. Seems like we can Save Time, Paper and typing on a tiny screen with QR Codes what’s not to like.
So let’s take a look into QR codes. Let’s first talk about what a QR code does.  A QR code is a square image with different dots throughout. These dots or pixels represent the data contained in a QR code.  So in theory you could put almost any information into a QR code.  From something as simple as a link to a Web site like CentralPennSEO.com or to something like your entire business card.
So now that you have a better idea of what a QR code can do, how do you think it might affect your Small Business or in your personal life?  Well for starters it would give your real time data about the vendors store. It will give people the ability to read someones web content instantly, read Reviews on their establishment in almost real time.  At the this years Business Conferences and Trade shows they had many participants use QR codes in place of business cards and it seemed to be well received.
So now you may be asking yourself how we are going to read these new QR Codes because as we all know to read a barcode you need a special piece of equipment.
Well QR codes can be read with a combination of your Smartphone and the right app.  If you have a camera on your phone and you download the right app you can use your camera like a scanner and import the data found in the Quick Recognition Code.  So if you scan a QR code that contains some ones business contact information you can then use the app to export that information to your contacts list or email list.
So how could you use this New technology in your Pennsylvania Business?  You could use this as a way to promote your business.  Not only can you scan printed QR codes you can also download them off of internet sites.  So if you want to advertise a specific web link you could put into a QR code and not have to make your user try and read a lengthy web URL on his Smart phone .
Sounds good so far right? Well not so fast there are some downsides.  When you put more information into a QR code it puts more pixels in the square and intern the camera on the phone has to be used either slower or has to be at a higher resolution in order to extrapolate the information correctly.  So there are some limits to what it will allow you to do at this point.
As of lately the Japanese have mainstreamed the use of Quick Recognition Codes the U.S. is seeing them used by the Alpha geek more than the common person, and even some of them are still skeptical.

So where might these codes be implemented in your smartphone use?  Well it has been said that Facebook and Google are experimenting with them at this point.  Imagine being able to follow someone or something on facebook without having to ever visit page.  Also they have been putting up QR codes in the windows of business that are on Google so you can reach their online page without having to navigate the web on the small screen so much.
So how hard is it to make a QR code? Well it’s like everything else you need to find a website or an app that will let you make the code.  Here’s a link I was playing around with earlier today http://createqrcode.appspot.com/ it looks simple enough to create these codes.  Check out the example below.

Quick Recognition Code

In my opinion I really think these QR Codes are a very cool tool to use in Search Marketing. We will begin working with QR codes more this summer and look forward to sharing our results with you. Thanks for Reading the Central Penn SEO blog!!