Newsletter #136 2D Tags: Breathing Life into Old Media?

Created on Aug 25 2009 12:00AM

Newsletter #136 2D Tags: Breathing Life into Old Media? 

Feature Article

QR (Quick Response) Codes were invented in Japan in 1994 and are used extensively in that country and throughout parts of Asia. They are two dimensional barcodes that can be scanned by a photo-capable mobile device, triggering an automatic response that depends on the coding within tag.

Early in 2009, Microsoft introduced its own version of the 2D tag, called not surprisingly, the Microsoft Tag. The main difference between it and the old QR codes is that the Microsoft version is in colour which can be printed smaller and is more accurate. You can currently create your own tags for free and download the free reader by going here:
http://tag.microsoft.com and sign in with a Windows Live login.

However it’s not just Microsoft moving in this area - there are a number of US companies such as ScanLife and JETTAG creating applications and systems that can be used in a similar fashion. QR Codes are well-entrenched in Japan and Asia and they are also rapidly taking hold in the UK and Europe in areas where mobile use is highly advanced.

So what are the applications for 2D Tags? Some campaigns already completed or in progress are:

•    Punk rock group Green Day has placed a QR code on the front cover of their album which directs fans to an exclusive Website.
•    Microsoft and Wal-Mart used Microsoft Tags to allow gamers to scan from their Xbox screen and get ring tones and pre-order discounts for ‘Halo Wars’.
•    Adidas are using a QR tag on an Adidas Website which takes users to a mobile Website where they can send support messages to Japanese soccer players gearing up for the 2010 Football World Cup.

Other ideas are really only limited by your imagination:

•    Codes could be put on newspaper or magazine advertisements that allow an automatic discount and/or loyalty points at the point of sale.
•    For dating purposes you could put a code onto a T-shirt that when snapped takes the photographer to your personal profile on a social media Website or gives them your phone number!
•    On a real estate listing a 2D code could provide further information about the property or a virtual tour.
•    Automatic downloading of business card information via a 2D tag on the card
•    Create competitions based on the snapping of codes in various media. Which codes are snapped would provide valuable information about the effectiveness of the advertising.

Once 2D code readers are commonplace within the next generation mobile devices, together with better and cheaper 3G phone services, 2D codes will undoubtedly take off.

These codes may provide a shot in the arm for old media such as newspapers and magazines as it will give them the ability to seamlessly ‘hyperlink’ from the physical world to the Web. And that’s the huge advantage of online media, the ability to connect information like never before.

“Hyperlinks subvert hierarchy.” Cluetrain Manifesto.

Hot Tips

Newbies

Google's GMail has such a huge storage capacity (7.3 GB and counting) that you might consider using it as a backup for all the email sent to you. When logged in just go Settings/Accounts & Import and click on the Add POP3 Email Account button. You'll need to know your incoming mail settings. Note you won't get a copy of all the email you send unless you use the GMail interface to send all your email as well.

Power Users

One of the issues with a GMail account for Power Users who wanted to send or reply to email from their own address was that Google always loudly showed "on behalf of" text that annoyed many people. Now Google allow you to send email from your own domain using your own mail servers. See this article to see how to do this: http://tr.im/x2SF

Interesting Sites

The Universal Record Database (URDB) calls itself a 'participatory database for world records". The basic idea is to create a repository for as many crazy world records as possible. The Longest Cupcake Kebab or Most Cherries Pitted in One Minute are two examples. Worth a look for a laugh. http://urdb.org/

InsiteFul Quotes

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." Isaac Asimov

You can see our other Quick Quotes on the front page of www.netinsites.com; just refresh the page to see another one randomly selected from our database. Great for presentations or times when you want to appear to be a techno-dude(ss)!

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Best wishes

Alex Garden

Internet Strategy | Website Design | Website Promotion | Web Text Messaging | Email Newsletters | Online Sports Games | Content Management