The University of Bedfordshire’s Library has published a guide to QR Codes.
The guide looks at:
- What are QR Codes?
- What can I do with them?
- How can I scan the code?
- Will it work with all mobiles?
- Why should I bother?
- How exactly do I get the mobile to read the QR Code?
- How are QR Codes created?
The guide notes that at the University of Bedfordshire “Learning Resources are experimenting with their use to promote and provide quick to our services. We believe that a QR bar code reader is becoming a must-have addition to your mobile!”
The guide links to I-nigma as a source of information and a dowloadable QR scanner. I-nigma have a helpful About Mobile Barcodes page:
Mobile barcodes, storing addresses and URLs, are a new and innovative way to access the mobile internet where users can use the camera on their mobile phone to scan barcodes that may appear in magazines, newspapers, billboards, LCD/plasma screens, packaging, business card and even t-shirts. A user having a mobile camera phone equipped with the correct reader software can scan the image of the 2D barcode causing the phone browser to launch and direct to the programmed URL. Codes can be used to provide fast-track access to mobile websites, special discount offers, send an SMS, and receive a ring-tone, save contact details on mobile address book.
On the same page there is this note about 2D barcodes:
In general, 2D barcodes can encode more data than 1D barcodes of the same size and can encode the same amount of data in much less space. The most common use of 2D barcodes is to request information or content from a Web site like details of a promotion, discount voucher or to activate a download like a ring tone or video, depending on campaign.
The page links to case studies of QR use in Japan.
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QR Code
