So What Is A QR Code? How Can It Work For Me?

So What is a QR Code? Simply put a QR Code (meaning “Quick Response”) – is like a Bar Code that you see used in the grocery store when they scan your items. QR Codes basically do the same thing.

The exciting thing is- if you have a Smart Phone – you can download a QR Code Reader App and have instant access to information on anything that has the QR Code displayed - (For Sale Sign for Example)-

QR Codes are appearing more often now days and your seeing them in magazines, at department stores on the product price display, signs, T-shirts, or on the back of someones business card...  And they sometimes have pretty graphics with them, but they do the same thing. They are a window to something else - a web site, a spec sheet for a product, a blog, they can also be linked to download a MP3, dial a phone number, prompt your email client with a sender address...

If you haven't seen them yet - Don't Worry You Will!
But why would you want to download a QR Code Reader?
Let’s say you are in a place like Best Buy. You’re starting to look for a new camcorder (for example). You’re not sure what you want, you’ve done some research online, and you’re your standing in front of the 5 models that you think will work for you. The salesperson doesn’t really know that much more than you – and, had you remembered to print out your findings from your research at home you could have referred to them, but you forgot to .

Well, QR code reader to the rescue. At Best Buy, if you look you’ll see that each camcorder on display has a QR code printed on the price sign. If you already downloaded a QR Code reader to your phone, you would simply start the app on your phone – point it at the QR code – and ba-da-bing it takes you to the information site for that camcorder model. And now you have all the information you need on that product right on your phone. VERY COOL. Move over to the next model hold your phone up – Sha-zam you have knowledge in front of you…

Just don’t do what I did. When I first learned about QR codes (in 2010), I thought “this is very cool”, and the next time I was in Best Buy, looking for a new Camcorder, I saw the QR codes, pulled out my camera and started taking “Pictures” of them… But nothing was happening! I later learned (when talking to a colleague of mine) that I needed to download a QR Code Reader to my cell phone in order to make it work. Duh!!!!

So yesterday I downloaded a QR Code Reader for my HTC Droid Incredible and have to say, I am now officially a fan of QR Codes. What a great way to get information fast when you are on the go – no typing, or speaking into the phone – just hold up your phone to the code and your there.

Below is what I did to download the QR Code Reader – but I’ve sense learned you only need to go to your phones app store and do a search for QR Code Readers – and a long list will open – and from there you can download a FREE app quickly and easily.

Here is a little video on the subject cbsnews did.   

Not being sure which QR Code reader I should use, I found a pretty good web site that spelled out everything I wanted to know - click here to go to that website  or copy and paste this url into another browser. http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/about-qr-codes/  In addition to learning more about how it works, the site also has a list of QR Code manufactures. And with so many QR Code Readers and cell phones, this is where I found the I-nigma reader.

Not being too Geeky but geeky enough I opted to download my I-nigma reader by using my cell phone and going directly to this web site http://www.i-nigma.mobi/ - and it told me immediatly what my phone was, which meant it was compatible.  Here are the steps I used to download (if you want to try what I did)  Do this with your Smart Phone.

 – In my phones Internet browser after I typed in the URL above, it opened up a search results window and I clicked on the first one in the list which was just the name i-nigma (underlined) with the above web site address under it. When I clicked on it, a new page came up saying Welcome to i-nigma – your handset is Android, press here to install on the reader on your device. I clicked on it, I got a new window that asked how I’d like to download using Internet or Market – I selected Market, another window opened with the i-gnma icon with 4 stars and the word FREE – I clicked on it again and it opened another window where I could read more about it. Having already read the reviews on I-nigma, I clicked on Install at the top (where it said FREE) then I had to accept the permissions – Once I clicked ok I saw a message that the app would be downloaded.

After a minute or so, I saw a message that it had been installed. So I went to my app window and sure enough it was there. Since I plan on using this frequently, I put the App Icon on my phones desktop by holding down the icon and moving it to an open space on my phone. Done.

I then tested it with a flyer I made for my new listing where I had placed a QR Code (used in this post) for the custom web site I created – by clicking on the I-gnma icon on my phone – holding my phone up to the QR Code on the flyer –it scanned the code without having to press anything. Immediately opening up the custom web site I created.

I highly recommend downloading a QR Code reader for your particular Smart Phone and the next time you are out an about and see a code like the one above, just press your icon, hold up your phone to the code and Sha-zam you’re there.

My Smart Phone just got smarter!  Oh, after you download your QR CODE Reader, come back to my post and try it out on my QR Code above! 

If you really adventurous – you can create your own QR Codes – for just about anything… the website I refer to above can tell you all about it.