Monday, February 24, 2014

Favorite Websites: Making and using QR Codes.

You are probably not using QR codes but you should.
What is a QR code?
QR stands for Quick Response code, it was developed back in 1995 for use in the Japanese car industry. While there have been barcodes years, QR codes are actually much faster to scan and contain a great deal more data than a standard UPC barcode. QR codes also contain several different kinds of data. All you need to read a QR code is a smart phone and a QR or barcode reading app.

What can you use QR codes for?

Websites
This QR code links to the website of a Sushi and Thai restaurant that my wife and I happen to like. You can put a QR code like this on a Real Estate sign, poster, store window, flyer, business card, or even a company shirt. You can just snap a picture or scan the code and go right to a website. 
Contact Information
The QR code below actually holds a vCard that contains my name, email address,  and a fake street address and phone number. A QR code like this would be ideal on a business card, name tag at a conference or even the wall paper of your phone.

Your Twitter profile
Or in this case my twitter profile.

Here is a more compete list of what you can put in to a QR code.
  •  Website URL
  •  YouTube Video
  •  Google Maps Location
  •  Twitter
  •  Facebook
  •  LinkedIn
  •  FourSquare
  •  App Store Download
  •  iTunes Link
  •  Dropbox
  •  Plain Text
  •  Telephone Number
  •  Skype Call
  •  SMS Message
  •  Email Address
  •  Email Message
  •  Contact Details
  •  Digital Business Card
  •  Event (VCALENDAR)
  •  Wifi Login (Android Only)
  •  Paypal Buy Now Link
How to make your own QR code.
There are a number of programs or websites you can use to make your own QR codes, my favorite is the website http://www.qrstuff.com/. It is what I used to make the QR codes I used here. 

Let your imagination run wild.
Once you have created a QR code you can print it out on any printer. You can use an inkjet printer and a transfer paper like Avery T-shirt Transfers for Inkjet Printers and you can put a QR code on any piece of clothing. Of course you could also use any number of papers such as decal paper, business card stock, or stickers to put QR codes anywhere you see fit. Some ideas that I think would be really useful.

  1. A poster for a concert, play, party, or community activity with a QR code to a VCALENDAR or website. You do not have to be limited to just one QR code you could have one with a calendar entry and one with the location.
  2. Business card with your contact information.
  3. A scavenger hunt where you hide cards or magnets with location QR Codes to the next point?
  4. A card or sticker with your WiFi logon info for your guests with Android phones.
  5. Us a QR code as your wallpaper on your phone or a link to bring up a QR Code that acts as your business card. 
  6. You could even use temporary tattoo paper and an inkjet printer to make a temporary tattoo that links to your Facebook page. 
An Application I would really like to see. 
When I go out to dinner, I hate to wait to pay my check. Why do I have to wait for the server to bring the check, comeback for a check, and then bring the check back for me to sign it? Just print a QR code on the check so I can scan it with my phone and then pay for it with PayPal, Google Wallet, or Square? The server prints out the check and brings it to me, I scan the code, check the bill on my device, and I hit pay and go. Come on people let's do it people.



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