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Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

mashable.com

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Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#11

Post by grimen »

illicium wrote: post #10
grimen wrote: post #6

The real thing will be image scanning and nothing else. I'll post a video soon here on HN to prove that images are way better "barcodes" than both 1D and 2D/QR barcodes. What I can say now is: 1. QR codes don't work on distances - state of the art image algoritms do. 2. QR codes mess with the brand appearance - basically H&M don't want a QR code all over an ad. 3. QR codes fail when there's reflection, dark dirt, and…

Wait, what? Can't all of these magical "state of the art image algorithms" be applied to scanning QR codes?

These algoritms can look for features in the image in a matter of milliseconds and match those against known ones (which is not a problem, the set can be huge withour performance impact if handle correctly). If you want to detect QR codes that works per definition of image detection, but you are not bound to such - a red shirt with a tiny tiny logotype is good enough characteristic.

Not sure if I answered your question though. Did I? :)

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#12

Post by artursapek »

ethank wrote: post #9

Mashable is kind of shameless with the "advertorials" lately aren't they? I said about QR codes on Twitter a while ago: "QR codes: like using a megaphone to seduce someone. The ugliest, stupidest, most useless (and used less) tech in a while." Background: I worked in the music business for a while, and we always tried to be at the forefront of trends. Because of the position we were in, where we were able to market t…

You think they're ugly? They've always reminded me of abstract expressionism, I enjoy seeing them.

But I agree with you that they haven't seemed catch on, I think they're about as enticing as a TV ad flashing a Facebook Page URL for its product or marketing campaign during its last 3 seconds.

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#13

Post by artursapek »

Ever since I started seeing QR codes I, admittedly with a lack of interest anyway, just assumed that the iPhone/Android/Blackberry cameras all automatically detect the code and act on it in the built-in camera app, since it seemed like such a standard. It was disappointing to learn that wasn't really the case, and there's a bunch of competing third-party apps for doing it. It's amazing that it's gotten as far as it has without any large companies pushing it (that I'm aware of).

edit-

I should also add, I've never seen a person scanning one.

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#14

Post by [deleted] »

artursapek wrote: post #13

Ever since I started seeing QR codes I, admittedly with a lack of interest anyway, just assumed that the iPhone/Android/Blackberry cameras all automatically detect the code and act on it in the built-in camera app, since it seemed like such a standard. It was disappointing to learn that wasn't really the case, and there's a bunch of competing third-party apps for doing it. It's amazing that it's gotten as far as it h…

[deleted]

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#16

Post by franze »

Disclaimer: I'm a guy who wrote a QR-URL-shortener during a sabbatical on a beach in mexico, it was awesome

i run the QR-URL-shortener http://miniqr.com/ (which we had way before goo.gl and bit.ly implemented this as a feature) - and also offer a webcam based QR code reader http://miniqr.com/reader.php - and after 2 years of watching the data and talking with QR code creators and users

- QR-codes fullfil a need of the publishers: making the conversions from print (magazines, poster, ...) campaigns trackable

- QR-codes in print do not fullfil a need of the user

- a kind of QR codes which get repeated onine views are links to the android app store and some v-cards (addresses + phone numbers)

so, desktop to mobile, yes kinda, print to mobile, i have my doubts.

so yeah, anyways: http://miniqr.com is for sale (and cheap) i will focus my energies elsewhere

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#17

Post by andymism »

callmeed wrote: post #2

... says the CEO of a QR code startup. I've been anti-QR code for a while—partly just because I like playing devil's advocate—but mainly because I see little benefit and a lot of friction to use "in the real world" Now, please, someone on HN who isn't a QR-preneur tell me a story of how a QR code in the wild made your life better ...

This was a timely article as I recently had a fun time playing devil's advocate regarding QR codes in a friend's start up idea. She insists that they are a useful, convenient, and a big trend. I countered that they require too much effort and precision to be mainstream in their current incarnation. While the promised convenience sounds great (which was basically her argument), the current implementation does not live up to that promise.

While in Las Vegas, recently, she mentioned that she went to an art gallery that had QR codes on the placards for paintings that were for sale. One could scan the code and be taken to the gallery's website where you could then purchase a print. Prints cost in the range of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Who goes to an art gallery in Las Vegas to walk out with a few bookmarks so they can spend a thousand dollars at home? It's a use case with lots of cool factor and wouldn't-it-be-awesome-if's, but that does not pan out with real, normal humans.

I was at Google IO this past May with 5,000 other nerds. I spent much of the time walking around, talking to people, and figuring out whose brain I wanted to pick further. On our admission badge was a QR code that attendees could opt-in to having all your contact information on using a checkbox on the Google IO registration page. I had opted in for this. What do you think the primary method of exchanging contact info was that weekend?

You guessed it.

Business cards. Only one person asked to scan my QR code, but this was after he asked for my business card first (I ran out). The rest of time, I logged email addresses and names in my phone or wrote my name and email on a piece of paper.

QR codes are a flop. I know this because I was in a room with 5,000 fellow nerds for a weekend, in 2011, and almost none of us cared to use it.

How can you be the hot new tech if the nerds don't care to use you?

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#18

Post by [deleted] »

callahad wrote: post #5
callmeed wrote: post #2

... says the CEO of a QR code startup. I've been anti-QR code for a while—partly just because I like playing devil's advocate—but mainly because I see little benefit and a lot of friction to use "in the real world" Now, please, someone on HN who isn't a QR-preneur tell me a story of how a QR code in the wild made your life better ...

I've used QR codes to exchange contact information with people at conferences, and found it to be the most efficient means to go from meeting someone to having their email address in my phone.

[deleted]

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#19

Post by ethank »

artursapek wrote: post #12
ethank wrote: post #9

Mashable is kind of shameless with the "advertorials" lately aren't they? I said about QR codes on Twitter a while ago: "QR codes: like using a megaphone to seduce someone. The ugliest, stupidest, most useless (and used less) tech in a while." Background: I worked in the music business for a while, and we always tried to be at the forefront of trends. Because of the position we were in, where we were able to market t…

You think they're ugly? They've always reminded me of abstract expressionism, I enjoy seeing them. But I agree with you that they haven't seemed catch on, I think they're about as enticing as a TV ad flashing a Facebook Page URL for its product or marketing campaign during its last 3 seconds.

Would you rather compromise your design aesthetic with a URL (typeset even) or a massive graphic? http://whatever.com or http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=300x300&#3...

Your conversion will be crap regardless. You'll get more through organic search.

Re: Why QR Codes Are Here To Stay

#20

Post by [deleted] »

andymism wrote: post #17
callmeed wrote: post #2

... says the CEO of a QR code startup. I've been anti-QR code for a while—partly just because I like playing devil's advocate—but mainly because I see little benefit and a lot of friction to use "in the real world" Now, please, someone on HN who isn't a QR-preneur tell me a story of how a QR code in the wild made your life better ...

This was a timely article as I recently had a fun time playing devil's advocate regarding QR codes in a friend's start up idea. She insists that they are a useful, convenient, and a big trend. I countered that they require too much effort and precision to be mainstream in their current incarnation. While the promised convenience sounds great (which was basically her argument), the current implementation does not live…

[deleted]
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