Technology | Glenn Ward

What I learn’t about QR Codes, their success in Japan and their business application

Back in July 2008 a friend of mine, Joel returned from Japan. Knowing me he thought I’d be very interested in a breaking technology in Japan. Everywhere he went he said he saw little square barcodes and more importantly people pointing their phones at them. I quickly hit the Internet and discovered they were QR codes or Quick Response Codes, the codes were originally produced to monitor stock control on automotive production lines but given the recent technological breakthroughs of mobile phone hardware and the ability to manipulate this hardware with customisable software the code readers found their way onto your devices. In Japan QR readers are one of the most widely used applications on a mobile phones (here’s some stats) and have been embraced by businesses. So, what Are their uses and how are they being used? Well, following the success on tiny URL’s we see a need to fit into limited fields large amounts of information and QR Codes provide this without the need for a database of stored information or a connection to the Internet to decider a code, it’s all there stored in the code. Fortunately, unlike many software revelations the concept has been governed from the start to avoid deviation from the theory, read more on Wikipedia. This means that (in theory) although their a couple of different types of code, the reader you decide to install on your phone should read any code and their are plenty of tools to create your codes both on the Internet and on your phone / mobile device.

The function of the QR Code is to store large amounts of information in a small space. Much like tiny URL’s didn’t make much sense to us until the popular acceptance of micro blogging QR will probably not make much sense until industry shows us the application for real. Where this concept excels is the ability to automatically call a function on the phone, in times where we are continually trying to streamline our lives this really does pay dividends.

Functionality
The QR Code can automatically open your browser at a web page, open a pre filled text message with respondent ready for your to hit send, it can pass contact information including phone numbers, email addresses etc to your phone and place them directly in the address book. Like many innovations we are in a catch 22 situation without big companies swing the benefit to there use and investing in it users will not install the software and with limited downloads of the software business fails to see the ROI. So, outside of the box, what possible applications do we see. Again, like I always say, the greatest power comes from a combination of technologies. On a basic level, imagine you are at a bus stop and you see a poster for a movie you want to see. You scan the barcode which automatically launches your browser on your phone, a simple HTML page loads and you are asked if it can access you current location using the phones built in GPS, you are forwarded to another page and within a matter of seconds you know where the local cinema is, the showings and price, you could even request directions to see google maps launch and take you there. Of course this has advertising implications and data collection. You are reading the local paper and see an advert in the classifieds, rather than be restricted by the 60 words that will fit onto the given space, you scan a QR Code and navigate directly to more information and possible images of the goods, or even better directly to the sellers eBay advert where you can follow the transaction through to the point of sale. Again offering marketing opportunities and the monitoring of consumer habits. Final example as I don’t give away all of my ideas, your retail packaging is cluttered with nutritional information, health and safety advise and you are missing you marketing message through lack of space, a simple barcode might solve this problem, allow consumer to record what the look at, compare prices and much more. This requires far more than outside the box thinking to reach it’s full potential but hopefully I am getting that across.

QR + Existing technologies = A very powerful tool

So how does it work? the squares within the image allow the device to read it in 3D space meaning it is not required to be flat, software calculates the trim and tilt and works out what the square image should look like. The code must conform so that it can be read across readers, this also means that developers have the opportunity to exploit the concept, creating their own codes and not relying on a few software suppliers.

Devices
I first tested the software on a HTC Touch Diamond with great results, no need to take a photo and then analyse it, it automatically handled the code when it saw the image. The iPhone App store has recently seen the arrival of QR Code readers although many require you to take a picture first then ask it to be read.

Software Application
NeoReader
Kaywa Reader
QuickMark Mobile Barcode
zxing
…and more popping up on the iTunes store

Create your codes
Kaywa

Keeping up to date with technology and software

No matter how much time you manage to save through innovative thinking, technology improvements etc you always manage to fill the saved time with something new. So, how do keep up with technology and still do your day job. The short answer is with great difficultly but I shall share a few things I do to make life easier and a few things to think about for the future.

Firstly, I have a few magazines that I really identify with, I currently read .net magazine, stuff, wired digital video (when I find somewhere that sells it) video editor and the online Layers Magazine. Granted I don’t often manage the time to read them cover to cover but Reading the articles that really interest you watching a few tutorials and trying out the trials softwares usually keep my brain ticking over. The trick is to use the time that you would otherwise be waiting around, I sometimes put video tutorials on my desktop and delete them as and when I have watched them, this provides me opportunity to make use of passenger time in the car, on the train etc. Also if you keep up to date with softwares make the first thing you do when you get hold of a new version, watch the video tutorials and have a play with the additions. Often they cover all the major improvements to that version and keeps you up to speed.

If I’m honest, I am not a newspaper reader but recent shifts in social media has enabled me to absorb news type information that I choose to on the train at a glance. I use my Twitter account in conjunction with my blog, which I’ll get onto in a minute but by following some carefully chosen twitterers I can quickly browse and read the things I want to read about very efficiently. I also sign up to groups on website such as chinwag, this way I get continuous emails from the conversations going on from people like me talking about subjects that are relevant to what I do, there is no need to feel you need to take part but it’s a great way to keep up to date and possibly make new connections. At University I was not a massive fan of blogging, I thought blogging about my weekly progression about my digital media course was completely pointless and never received any viewers. I now have my own blog, as you know! Mainly to share the things I have researched in the past in order to hopefully save time learning, but also I regularly visit choice sites that I know write in a succinct manor and are up to date with the latest software, technology and goings on in Market Research world. I currently read TechCrunch, The Tech Sage among others and continually check back to the Apple site, Adobe, Revostock, and my favourite tech brands.

Although the aforementioned social media platforms provide an alternative networking platform I still think face to face networking is invaluable. Attending trade shows, going on training courses and showing your face at events is a great way to keep in touch and up to date.

One of my biggest time savers is not where and how to find the data but automating your daily routines that eat up your time. For example, getting to grips with RSS feeds and establishing an RSS reader that you are comfortable with (a post on RSS feeds to come soon) this means that information is delivered to you and you do not have to go out and fetch it, it also means that you can read it at your leisure when you do not have an Internet connection. Another prime example is the amount of time I spend on eBay, to speed things up I save my regular searches, motorbike, favourite windsurfing brands etc and set the interval for eBay to email me a summary and an end date for the emails to stop. Similarly write routines on your operating system, I use automator on the mac to get the computer to work for you, open programs, perform backups etc if you regularly do it, automate it!

Finally! A 3D Sat Nav application for the iPhone – Sygic Mobile Maps Europe

iPhone App Sat Nav Blog Series
Finally! A 3D Sat Nav application for the iPhone – Sygic Mobile Maps Europe
More 3D Sat Nav software apps for the iphone including Copilot Live and Navigon MobileNavigator
And then there was Tom Tom – iPhone App, 3D Navigation

For a while I thought I was taking crazy pills! All this hardware on an iPhone yet I was still getting from A to B following a little dot across a google map. I payed a visit to the app store this weekend to investigate remote desktop software and came across the first 3D Sat Nav software, Sygic Mobile Maps Europe, visit the website here. Well it looks good as you can see below. I cannot provide a user review as it carries a price tag of £59.99, justifyable if you were going to spend on another device topping the £100 mark. More infof below

The app has most of the features of regular hardware but potential seamless phone function integration for the car because, yes! It’s on your phone!

Professional guidance
Intuitive design, easy to read as you drive, crystal-clear spoken voice instructions and route guidance.
Safety on the road
Everything you need to drive with confidence from advanced warnings on railway crossings and fixed speed cameras to alerts on speed limits on the roads you drive.
Make phone calls
Millions of Places of interest (POIs)* loaded with the app to help you find anything from restaurants to airports.
Speak the lingo
Set the software to your preferred language for spoken and text.
Premium map coverage
Minimise the risk of driving a route where the road layout has changed. Sygic uses the very latest maps from Tele Atlas and WhereIs.

Here’s the current (1.08.09) app store rating 3.5 from 40 ratings and here’s what some users have to say about the app

My issues identifying and fixing headphone mic not working on my iPhone

Just a quick one again in the hope that I can save someone the time it took me finding out how to fix my in line mic that was not working on my iPhone and possibly save some expense too.

Firstly, my mic stopped working but I’m not sure when so could not pin point the problem. I performed the usual google and began reading forums and blogs. Here’s what I found. Firstly some said that the issue had occurred during a software update on the phone, my iPhone was relatively new and I had performed no update so I rulled that out. Secondly and it would seem the most common problem is a small piece of lint or hair in the socket, I advise shining a touch in before you go prodding around and then attempting to get whatever it is out. One person even demonstrates how to clean the socket with a cotton wool bud and a squirt of Windex but I’m not promoting this one, although I did try it. I was then going to send the phone off to be refurbished as recommended by many, but before I did, I thought rather than be without my phone for ages, for the sake of a fiver I’ll buy some new headphones. Bingo, that was my issue. I am writing this post as not many places on the net suggested a fault with the headphones, so hopefully this might save you a bit of time, money and effort.

Setting up yahoo pop mail account in Apple Macs Mail program

If I ever figure something out that took me a while to google, I’ll write a short blog and hopefully save someone some time.

I recently bought an iPhone and for convenience, as the phone is set up to function better with A Yahoo mail account, I decided to move away from my old hotmail account. Probably best as over time the amount of junk it built up was getting annoying.

So I still wanted to pick up my mail on my MacBook pro but am not a fan setting up multiple mail programs on one machine so I went about setting up the yahoo account. Even using the automatic settings I was still recieving an error during connection. I wasted a few hours googling and changng settings but still no luck. Before I go through my working settings, go to your Yahoo mail online choose options then … Check the box that reads enable pop mail and bingo! Half the battle is won.

My working settings are -

mail_pop_settings

And outgoing settings -

mail_smtp_settings

Mobile Phones and Mobile Phone Contracts

I am often asked at the moment about whichare the best mobile phones to buy. most importantly though, which contract to get, as I don’t know whether you have noticed you have slipped into an 18 month or even 24 month contract. The reason being is that the cost of the technology going into phones these days far exceeds that which can be subsidized on a 12 month contract. Without a doubt if you can afford to buy your phone outright you are making a saving over the contract term. This means you can reduce your initial contract and line rental. O2′s Simplicity contracts are perfect! If you do not wish to upgrade your phone they offer a roling 1 month contract as low as a tenner a month, you are still entitled to your free texts (or should I say tex’s) and free minutes but at a fraction of the price. These contracts offer the flexibility of Pay as you go and the perks of a contract without signing your money away. On top of this remember to shop around, suppliers will price match and offer more than the last for your money, whichever suits you. Also sometimes merely updating your contract online entitles you to double the amount of texts and minutes.

OK, now for phones. I have always been very brand loyal. Firstly, from 1998 I was a big fan of the panasonics and at some point had most of the GD range, then as they died out I swore by Sony Ericsson, Z600 first then most of the K range. As I needed more functionality I switched to O2 XDA II and then the O2 XDA Ignito and now I have an iPhone. I resisted the iPhone for a long time giving myself the reasoning that the camera was poor, there was no polyphonic ringtones and the hard drive was far off that of my ipods capacity. While the XDA’s served the phone, sat nav and PDA functions with the addition of expanding its capabilities by installing software. I finally gave up to the iPhone when my XDA started playing up and I got annoyed after I ebayed my ipod and had no tunes. You will probably know what I am about to say but I’ll say it anyway. From someone who keeps up to date with mobile technology, aspiring to role all my mobile devices into one and from someone who also gets to see future concept phones as part of my job. I believe the iPhone is untouchable at the moment. Thank you to the blackberry for introducing free emailing from your mobile and thank you to O2 for the introduction of free internet. For a simple device that needs no instructions (it just works how you think it should work) the internet and open sourcing of code allowing for the creation of millions of apps to expand and personalise your phone makes this phone complete. The hardware is standard, camera, gps, bluetooth, wireless etc but its how you use the hardware with the apps that is genius… to be honest! I can’t think of much hardware improvements you could want, possibly a higher pixel camera, possibly a larger hard drive but its enough! I don’t use my phone for professional photography and I have spells of listening to certain albums so I haven’t filled the HD anyway.

Just so you are aware as my brother has just asked a few questions before changing his companies phones to iPhones, you can put your regular sim card in the iPhone, this is what I did! it just meant that the internet wasn’t free and was charged the same as any other phone. The web bolt on is reasonable though and well worth it.

Feel free to add your 2 penneth to this one in the blog comments.