He highlights ShopSavvy, an Android based application that allows you to scan and compare products using their barcode. Remember CompareEverywhere (AndroidScan)? Both winners of Google’s Android challenge.

Quote: “One of the reasons barcodes haven’t taken off in the UK is that, whereas in Japan the dominant operator in effect imposed a standard, here different companies are peddling their own in the forlorn hope of sweeping all competitors aside.” Source: Victor Keegan

Personally, I could not agree more; if there was one major mobile phone manufacturer using one barcode standard then Europe may well have adopted to QR-Codes by now. Could Nokia achieve this? They do have around a 60% market share in Europe. Where does that leave the US?

Personally, local supermarkets is not where I see the benefit of QR-Codes or barcode scanning. I see barcode scanning becoming very useful if you plan to make a big investment in say… an LCD television; you could walk into a large retailer, size up the item, check out its spec then scan and compare for a cheaper price elsewhere. Most people say buying on the internet is slightly cheaper. Barcode scanning software could well cement this fact.

The Idea

Genius if you ask me. Simply another great innovative idea for using QR-Codes. I wonder if anyone has anything like this going in Asia?

Got an Idea?

Why don’t you match stoop_uk and send us in your own innovative idea to use QR-Codes.

Mobile-Barcodes now lists all compatible models for the following QR-Code readers:

Altogether, there is over 400 models of mobile phone that can download one of the 8 QR-Code readers. That’s a whole load of scanning folks!

Compatibility Engine

We are in the process of generating a more effective way of finding a compatible reader by developing a QR-Code compatibility engine. Upon completion, you can then simply select your mobile phones manufacturer, model and then be presented with a list of readers. Hopefully this should make everything that little bit more user-friendly. Expect this within the next few days.

Submit a QR-Code Reader

Know of a QR-Code reader we have not featured? Get in touch with us and we will review it.

Tempe News are clearly innovative and interested in bridging the gap between traditional and online and they, and of course we beleive the best way to plug this gap is via QR-Codes.

Well done to Temple News for the spotting the potential of QR-Codes and promoting their use within their newspapers website.

Personally, I thought QR-Codes would first become mainstream in the English speaking world (Asia are already all over mobile barcode technology) via newspapers. I think Google spotted this early when they developed their traditional advertising platform called Google Print Ads. Unfortunitely, Google has become subject to the economic climate like any other company and recently axed this marketing innitative.

QR-Code Video

Guess what, Temple News even went the extra mile and created an impressive video outlining how to make use of QR-Code technology and posted it on YouTube. Watch closely folks and you will be able to see the mention of Mobile Barcodes in the video as a useful resource for finding a QR-Code reader. Thanks for the mention Temple News and I hope QR-Codes work well for your newspaper.

Optiscan is based on Google’s ZXing, an open source QR-Code reader. Optiscan have tweaked the functionality of Google’s ZXing to remove the need for selecting when to scan the QR-Code. Apparently, Airsource LTD have also made alterations to the image processing library which should make the capturing of the QR-Code more accurate.

The Optiscan QR-Code Reader is now available from the Apple iTunes app store at $4.99, £2.99, or €3.99. If you are willing to pay money for a QR-Code reader, Optiscan is for you, otherwise, Mobile-Barcodes suggest you try a free alterntive QR-Code reader.

Expect to see a wide variety of new QR-Codes developed based on Google’s open source ZXing project. It is a great open source application that can easily be tailored to your needs.

He provided me with some key advice about ceratin QR-Code readers that I had yet to explore in great detail:

which I have now reviewed, tested and give a thumbs up hence the inclusion to the readers page.

I then swapped a few comments with Nolan and decided to take the oppertunity to ask a non biast bystandard some questions about QR-Codes and their potential usage.

Interview

What is your experience QR-Codes?

Two months total

How did you get introduced to QR-Codes?

I first saw them on http://www.freewarepocketpc.net

What usage do you see QR-Codes playing in todays world?

I see it helping those with mobile phones (especially those with 12
button keypads or a touchscreen as the main input) easily surf the web, get contact information, merely pull up text and more while on the go.

I believe that at the correct size and use correctly, that they can benefit many who have mobile phones and would like to quickly capture information on the go without having the type it in or actually jot it down.

As a “typical” user, how easy did you find it grasp the idea of QR-Codes?

I see it as a MUCH more powerful bar-code.

What did you first think when you first seen a QR-Code?

Hmmm… interesting. Never seen anything like THAT before.

How frequently do you see QR-Codes? Where, when if any?

Not as much as I would like since I live in Canada. I only see them on websites such as http://www.freewarepocketpc.net

How easy did you find it to scan your first QR-Code?

It was easy enough really. Just had to slowly wave the phone in front of the monitor, making sure to keep the QR-Code inside the target.

What mobile phone do you use?

I currently use a Telus branded HTC Touch VOGU100 running Windows

Mobile 6.1.
What QR-Code software do you use and why?

I use BeeTagg for scanning QR-Codes. I tried UpCode and I-Nigma, but they couldn’t live up to BeeTagg’s abilites.

In general, what do you think other people think when they see a QR-Code?

What is that odd square thing? Squiggle? What is it?

Lastly, do you like QR-Codes?

Yes I do!

There you have it folks; an interview with a “QR-Code Kid”.

Analysis

As a fan of QR-Codes, I commonly get asked the question whether or not poeople will “actually” use them. Putting Nolan into a demographic, male, mid-teens and from an English speakig country, I believe it will be his generation and younger who will be the main adopters of such technology. Teenegers are always a powerful market. Teenegers with a mobile phone is an ever more powerful market. We all seen how big ringtones and mobile entertainment has been so far… and growing.

In conclusion, if you are ever asked which demographic and how effective the use of QR-Codes in your marketing campaign could ever be, use the generation statement and put fate in the hands of QR-Codes.

Help!

If there any other users who are interested in being quizzed on their experience with QR-Codes, please let me know and I will be happy to get something sorted

Today is the day that we have decided to launch Mobile-Barcodes.com, a website and blog dedicated to covering all that is mobile barcodes and QR-Code related.

QR-Codes have been an interest of mine for some time now. I initially started to be obsessed with QR-Codes when researching Google’s Andriod Developer program where I stumbled across an applicants blog where the applicants project was to use barcode scanning technologies in a way to capture offline users and bring them onto the mobile web. From reading his application and viewing a nifty video of his project, I was soon hooked. I then continued with my research on QR-Codes and the outcome is this website.

The aim of Mobile-Barcodes is to provide as much data about the technology and monitor it’s development over time as the popularity expands within English speaking countries.

Please take a look around the site and check out some of the content. Additionally, if you are keen on mobile barcode technology, register on our blog and become part of the team.