QR Codes - just discovered yet another use for the iPad!

[giradman]

Well, yesterday I was reading the Wine Spectator (yes, one of my favorite 'hobbies' for years - )

A short article on QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) discussed the recent introduction of these small square matrix pictures (like a different bar code) - sample below - on wine bottles which can be scanned and then propel you to a web site w/ information on the wine in the bottle and/or the winery - BOY, there is a lot of potential in that purpose but so many more possibilities.

These were created by Toyota way back in 1994 to track cars during manufacturing - more in a Wiki article HERE!

Well, I checked the Apple App store and put the 'free' app QR scanner by Engage on my iPad - not sure if this is a good one (ratings varied a lot) and others may be better (advice appreciated?) - but was able to scan in a 'code' from the magazine which took me to the Wine Spectator website immediately - kind of neat; well I had a 'free' calendar from Williamsburg, VA w/ a similar code - took about 5X w/ that app to bring up a cool site for the colonial preservation site; finally, this morning, our local paper arrived - has had these codes for a while, so gave it a try and took me to a web site w/ an updated calendar of events happening in my local city!

Tried to do some searching on the forum but could not find much on this technology or iPad applications (may have missed a thread or two - sorry, if so) - but for those that have been using these codes, there seems to be a GREAT future - just a simple camera scan from the back of the iPad - again, would appreciate comments from those using this or other programs, which one(s) is the best - not sure if the apps that work on the iPhone and/or the iPad may be BETTER w/ the iPhone in scanning in these codes? The reason for consideration is the marked resolution differences between the cameras on these two Apple devices - does it make a difference?

Thanks all for any input - although I've know about this technology for years, this is really my first trial w/ these interesting codes - a LOT of potential -

 

[Kaykaykay]

I've been using QRReader on iPhone. I haven't tried another, because it's free and works well.

I also use Amazon's PriceCheck app on iPhone. With it, you scan a bar code and it immediately brings up prices and other product info. I use it at brick-and-mortar stores like Fry's Electronics, where I request price matching, and have saved a good deal of money for products.

 

[Kaykaykay]

By the way, there are sites that let you create your own QR codes.

I interviewed a job candidate who had business cards with a QR code, which linked to a website with her resume, references, etc.

 

[KevinJS]

By the way, there are sites that let you create your own QR codes.

I interviewed a job candidate who had business cards with a QR code, which linked to a website with her resume, references, etc.

Red Laser allows you to read and create QR codes as well as scan barcodes in stores for instant price checks. Free too, from the app store. I recommend it.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Kaykaykay]

Say, are there any wine apps you can recommend? I've been using Hello Vino.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Red Laser allows you to read and create QR codes as well as scan barcodes in stores for instant price checks. Free too, from the app store. I recommend it.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

Thanks for the Red Laser recommendation. I'll keep it as a fallback, for when Amazon PriceCheck doesn't work. I like that one because the product reviews are robust. Also, places like Fry's will price match only certain competitors' prices, like Amazon's. They won't price match off unfamiliar websites.

 

[K1W1]

Be very, very careful with scanning QR codes. Only scan codes from reputable sources never scan any random code that you see on a forum for example or a in a blog.
QR codes can contain viruses and trojans and all sorts of nasty stuff. Do some research on the topic.

They are a great thing but they unfortunately are wide open to being used for malicious purposes.

On another forum I moderate (with others) we have put a blanket ban on their use.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Good to know. I scan products, though, so I think I should be OK. The business card use was a good gimmick, but I don't see myself scanning more of them.

 

[ajricaud]

Red Laser allows you to read and create QR codes as well as scan barcodes in stores for instant price checks. Free too, from the app store. I recommend it.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

I find that Red Laser captures much faster than QR Codes on my iPhone. I have an iPad1 so am unable to scan.

 

[giradman]

Say, are there any wine apps you can recommend? I've been using Hello Vino.

Thanks all for your responses - more uses (and potential dangers) than I realized!

Concerning wine apps, I've not done much on the iPad - the only one that I have is Cor.kz which was well received in the Apple App store, but have not explored its apparent many features?

 

[Kaykaykay]

Thanks. I'll check out Cor.kz. The wine apps I've seen are too basic or otherwise limited. I'm guessing that they'll get better data as more users join and the developers beef up things.

 

[sbrown2012]

I have been using QR codes for sometime now. Matter of fact this past weekend I just showed my mother how to use it from one that was printed on the daily newspaper.

 

[guthrien]

Be very, very careful with scanning QR codes. Only scan codes from reputable sources never scan any random code that you see on a forum for example or a in a blog.
QR codes can contain viruses and trojans and all sorts of nasty stuff. Do some research on the topic.

They are a great thing but they unfortunately are wide open to being used for malicious purposes.

On another forum I moderate (with others) we have put a blanket ban on their use.

There's no way for them to run code from iPads browser and take more than location is there? Even that would require permission.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I've been checking out Amazin's new barcode scanner app, Flow. Looks promising. It's free, with good ratings.

This is what The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) says about it:


The overlay is more than just a Buy It Now link to Amazon.com. The app utilizes Amazon's large digital media collection and allows users to instantly get audio previews of CDs they've scanned or video previews of DVDs, video games, and more. I used the app to successfully scan The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, the Captain America DVD, and the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine with Steve Jobs on the cover. All were found in Amazon's huge virtual catalog instantly.

It's no wonder Amazon released Flow now. They want to get it in the hands of as many iPhone users as possible prior to this holiday shopping season. The app works exceedingly well both in bar code scanning and photo recognition. It's also really nice to be able to get audio and video previews of products and be able to instantly buy them on your phone. However, Flow isn't a huge threat to other bar code scanning apps, like RedLaser, just yet. Flow obviously only shows you products on Amazon's site, where RedLaser gives you the prices of products across multiple sites.

Brick and mortar stores like Best Buy and Target should be extremely worried about Flow and its future iterations. When Flow gets to the point that you can scan larger items like TVs or laptops (items that typically don't have the bar code showing on the store's display) those big box retailers could then become largely nothing more than a glorified showroom to which people go to see products, quickly scan them, and then order them at a significant discount from Amazon.

 

[ajna]

hi,

i recommend u to try BarCode2SQL iphone barcode reader app, it's really cool.

for more see: barcode2sql.com