QR Codes: Creating the Link Between Physical and Digital

A week or so ago I went on a spur and created QR codes for every webpage remotely connected to me; LinkedIn, AboutMe, Twitter, Facebook, and my other blog Everyday Dude Food on which I took a short post to explain in a very simple, quick, and ultimately inefficient way my limited understanding of what QR codes are. With this post however I am back to explain in a little greater detail, and hopefully more accuracy, what these little increasingly popular black and white boxes are and what function they serve.

Wiki defines QR codes as…

“a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that is readable by dedicated QRbarcode readers and camera telephones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background.”

… this of course without further research meant nothing to me so I began to dive deeper and finally landed with the following definition…

“A QR code is a two dimensional barcode that holds the function of being a visual representation for specified information that can only be deciphered using specialized scanners or with special downloadable apps for smartphones, connecting the physical world with the digital world.”

…this definition can be broken down further into several parts; two dimensional barcodes, specified information, and connecting physical and digital worlds. In the following I break down these three pieces just a little further.

Two dimensional barcodes. Basically a QR code is the same thing as the barcodes that you encounter in the grocery store on that can of soup you love to buy, but there is one major, and quite obvious, difference. While regular barcodes look like this

QR codes have the trait of holding information not only across their horizontal axis, but also vertically. This second dimension added to the code allows for greater amounts of information to be held within those tiny black and white squares, making the QR code a better choice for those trying to maximize the bang for their buck or scan because they can hold not only more, but more varied amounts of information and actions. Which brings me to the next piece of the above definition, “specified information”

Specified Information. From what I have read, it seems that QR codes can do nearly anything. You can create a QR code that simply displays listed information when scanned, or generate one that causes an action to be taken. This action can be to navigate to a certain webpage or even to dial a phone number contained in QR’s sequence.

This is astonishing to me, but I wonder if it should be? With the current programming capabilities that allow us to create factories that can totally run themselves, raw material to finished product, it seems that the only limit to the two dimensional code is its 4,300 alphanumeric character max which I have no clue if that is a small or large amount when it comes to programing, but it is obviously enough to link the world around us into the world behind our computer screens.

Linking the Physical and Digital Worlds. This to me is an amazing accomplishment. Taking an actual physical objects and creating pathways into the digital information about them. I am unsure why, but it reminds me of A Wrinkle In Time, and being able to “tesseract” between different dimensions, and is almost as amazing…almost. I guess however a more accurate comparison would be how in The Matrix humans are able to transport between the physical world and “the matrix” or a digital representation of the real world... but I digress.

This ability to link the physical world with the digital world has untold applications and serves as a great opportunity for marketing and operations experts alike creating an easy path for customers to find information, contact producers, give feedback, and much more. If you are interested in some good marketing applications I found this good post on FastCompany and am sure there are many, many more available if you look.

Needless to say, QR codes are pretty cool and I would advise you all to expect to see more and more of them being that they are so damn useful and efficient. However, and this may just be me being optimistic and excited, but I want to know what the next step is. If QR codes connect products into the digital world, how long will it be until we are rolling around on light cycles down the streets of Tron? Again, maybe just me, but a guy can dream.

Ways Social Media Is Like Nature: Unpredictability

This is the first post in a series of posts that I have been thinking about writing connecting the natural world around us to the technological world of social media in our computers. To kick things off I am going to start with the unpredictability of social media and nature.

Social media is unpredictable. Now, I know many of you may say that this is not true and that meteorologists and data analysts/social media experts can both tell the future. I say you, and anyone agreeing with you is full of… it. The weatherman is right say about 4% of the time and I am almost positive I could guess without looking outside and get it right as much as they do. I mean you only have (generally speaking) a few choices; Hot or cold, dry or wet, sunny or cloudy and half of these can be identified by knowing the time of year and geographic location… and even then there has been hail in Texas during June. Social media is just as, if not more, irregular. The numbers of factors that play into social media interaction are numerous; I am just going to ramble off the first few in my head right…… now

1.) All of your followers

2.) Changes in your industry

3.) Technology updates

With those three I think there is a great point made. Actually, I believe that 2 and 3 are not even necessary. Your followers, their interaction with you and your brand, the very thing that makes social networking social is also the very thing that makes it unpredictable. You can never prepare for an ill-timed negative post about your company or person just like you cannot prepare for being struck by lightning. You can however prepare by staying engaged and watching for the signs of poor weather and be ready to handle the situation when it arises by having a strong and consistent message to communicate that can be transmitted again and again by your loyal followers. Just like an umbrella, this web of friends will help keep you dry when the social weather takes an unexpected turn for the worst.

Pic via (www.innovationcanada.ca)

1st Post: Google Plus

Another Stepping Stone To World Domination!

I find it only fitting that the first post that I throw up here for you all (you all probably being limited to my parents and friends who have nothing else to do for the time being) to read be the new “it girl” in social media, Google+. Google + although still in its infancy seems to be taking on the internet by storm! I came across a post on ReadWriteWeb that put the number of Google+ being over 10 million users already! This is an outrageous number and if this kind of growth holds steady, Google + will certainly be another roundhouse that Google can add to its repertoire of killer products.

It is no surprise that so many people have jumped on the Google+ band wagon. Google has dominated the web to the point that it is almost literally everywhere you browse. Not only do they have a product for everything, but it is as though they strategically waited for social media to develop and mature before breaking into the social media scene. Over the past few years rapid developments in social media such as the rise of location based services, mobile apps, photo sharing, link shortening, and much more have taken place. Google+ without failure serves to combine many if not all of these features that it took many different social networks since the dawn of time, or at least the dawn of social media to develop. Not only did Google bring all of those dishes to the table, but they brought the ability to segregate your streams and followers into different circles of followers, and allowing you to quickly access the rest of your favorite Google products quickly and efficiently.

It seems from my point of view that Google has knocked the social media ball out of the park so far that it makes what it was trying to accomplish with Google Buzz look like a toddler striking out at bat during a tee ball game. My only problem with this big accomplishment by Google is that it takes it one step closer to complete world domination.

Please, share your thoughts and impressions on Google +. I want to know whether people believe this is THE next big thing to take over our lives or just another bat in Google’s already stellar lineup or quite possibly both.

Have a good day!