You probably have seen QR Codes – those square barcode thingies (that’s a technical term) that you see everywhere.

If you’re like me, you think – what the heck?

While I had a vague idea of what they were, I wasn’t entirely sure of their use. So, I decided to find out.

There’s a lot I didn’t know – not surprising.

Note: If you’re a QR code expert, this post is not for you.

Since this blog is all about simple, I decided to break up those square, little demons into bite-size chunks.

  • Post #1 – What Are QR Codes and Why Should We Care?
  • Post #2 – How Do QR Codes Work and What Do You Need?
  • Post #3 – QR Codes – The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

What the Heck?

Starting with the basics -

QR is short for Quick Response.

In our I want it now world, QR codes are the keys to the treasure chest.

  • Connection to a web browser
  • Links to product/service information
  • Access to contact information
  • Geo-location software
  • And much more

QR Codes drop-kick barcodes in the information department.

  • Barcodes are one dimensional with a limited capacity of 20 numerical digits
  • Depending on the type, two-dimensional QR codes can hold up to 7,089 characters

Typically, a scanner reads only one dimension of the barcode – the width of the bars and stripes – as opposed to the height and width of the two-dimensional QR code.

Okay, too much information.

Toyota Recall

While some of us in the U.S. are barely up to speed on QR codes, people in Asia and Europe embraced QR codes years ago.

In the mid-90s, long before Toyota learned the meaning of recall, its subsidiary, Denso Wave, developed the QR codes.

  • The company has a registered trademark for the codes
  • Yet, it chose not to exercise patent rights
  • Open the floodgates of proliferation

Imitation Is The Highest Form of Something

You know any time something catches on, imitation is not too far behind.

Here are two alternatives to QR Codes. There’s plenty more – and I’m sure more to come.

  • Microsoft Tag – similar to QR Codes, but surprise, surprise – only a Microsoft-specific reader works with it
  • Near Field Communication (NFC) – can be used for some of the same things as QR Codes but it cannot be printed

Why Should We Care?

We may not have to – right now. But, it does seem to be inevitable that these will one day be quite routine.

We’ll explore more about them in the future posts, but here are a few uses for the codes.

  • Scanned by airlines on boarding passes
  • Print ads that when scanned connects you to website or more information
  • Store-front posters-scan it after the store’s closed and receive information
  • Business cards put information like Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn addresses in QR Code
  • You can even scan them to generate text messages

There are endless possibilities. Whether or not it makes sense is another story.

In Post #2, we’ll get into how they work and what you need to make them work.

In a nutshell, these little squares of bars and lines contain a world of information.

But, do you have what you need to read them? Stay tuned for Part 2.

How’s that for a teaser?

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This is the first topic of seven from my What I Want to Learn list. It’s another round of practice what you preach. I have to stop preaching! I hope you enjoy the series. I would love your feedback.

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