QR codes as hyperlinks to info

QR codes enable simple access to rich information - they have been around for a long time but may now be gaining traction with the rise of smartphones...

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Written by Tom Hulme

09:30, Mar 23, 2011

QR codes as hyperlinks to info

The rise of smartphones might drive the widespread use of QR codes - which when scanned link straight through to rich information.

Last year Google launched its own campaign using QR codes. Google sent 100,000 window stickers to businesses for display in the business window as part of its Favorite Places campaign. These stickers, printed with QR codes, are intended to drive users to the Google Maps page for a business (restaurant, cafe, barber shop, etc). This helps explain why Google has put a QR code scanner on their Android phones.

Google created the ZXing project (pronounced "zebra crossing") as an open-source, multi-format 1D/2D barcode image processing library. Along with that they have created a free QR code generator. The generator allows you to choose from types of data to store (URL, contact information, geo location, etc.) and lets you fill out a form with the information you want. Upon generating the QR code you can either download the image or you can embed it right from Google.

Written by

Tom Hulme

Design Director