2D barcodes pointing directly to application downloads
We got an interesting comment to the Share Online 3.0 feedback form:
It would be great if you could include a qr-code so we can quickly get the sis file’s url into the phone, instead of having to transfer it to the PC first.
You mean like this?
Instructions: if you have a barcode reader application installed, point it at the barcodes above. With some monitor types, reading the code from the screen is a bit difficult. For me, having a cheap LCD display, it worked like a charm.
Interesting idea, and a nice way to promote 2D barcode usage! What do you think, would this be useful or just annoying clutter?
Amazing. Very 2007!
Comment by Horia Stanescu — October 10, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
1 Wow! That’s the first time I ever used the barcode scanner on my N95, and in like 2 seconds it decoded the url. On a kathode. Amazing.
2 This technology can be very useful in many situations. But to be honest, it wouldn’t help here. Rather than scanning the monitor, the user could just as well navigate (on the phone) to the link you provide and download. The only way it could be a lifesaver is if the URL was extremely long.
All in all, a very interesting way to get info.
Comment by Bogdan Galiceanu — October 10, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
This is a great idea - I constantly make lists of URLs (.txt) and send them to my phone via bluetooth.
So much easier to just scan them…
Also, maybe this would be a way (in a small way) to promote 2D barcode usage on phones - the first-time experience is pretty cool, as is evident from the previous comment.
Comment by Christopher — October 10, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
Wow, that worked just great!
Ok, so I’m the one that suggested it, but still.
In response to Bogdan Galiceanu’s claim that it wouldn’t help here, I have to disagree. Did you try it? It’s so much simpler :
I’m browsing on my desktop so I’m already looking at the QR code :
1) click the app menu button
2) click ‘#’ to get to ‘office
3) click ‘9′ to run ‘barcode’
4) click ’select’ to ’scan code’
5) open camera lens cover and hold up camera to screen
6) click ’select’ to open browser at URL (need to select access point)
7) click ‘ok’ to download
and there, it’s installing. Without nagivating anything.
Actually, most of the steps above would be required to navigate to the URL anyway. It seems like he chose short URLs for the QR codes, but most of them are a fair bit longer.
I guess it could depend on how you arrived at the QR code to start with. I got there from an RSS feed, so I would actually have to find out how to get there some other method, or have to type in the link I followed by hand - ug.
Anyway, *I* like it
Max.
Comment by Max Waterman — October 10, 2007 @ 4:49 pm
What a great idea - why hasn’t anybody thought of this before.. So much quicker to get it installed..
I think you should start using it, or at least give the user the option to use it if they wanted.
Comment by Neil Bird — October 10, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
I love this idea and it is perfect, typing urls into a mobile stinks and 2d barcodes are a known solution! please please continue this.
Comment by dpitkin — October 10, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Brilliant idea!
I’ve been wondering what to use the 2D barcodes for. So far they’ve mainly seemed like a funny gimmick without much realworld use.
But this is actually a good way to use them (and at the same time promote them as you mention).
Actually the 7 points Max lists could be cut down to 5 by having a shortcut to the barcode app.
Comment by Peter — October 10, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
Just amazing!
Will move barcode reader as top level app, if Tommi and Beta labs start using them more. So nice and easy.
Comment by Pasi — October 10, 2007 @ 9:39 pm
Cool idea, I wish I had thought that up when I was still involved with Barcode application
The only practical problem with this technology is that only a handful of devices come with the reader installed. Of course that could be changed by having it as downloadable app also.
So let’s have the Barcode reader available in Beta Labs for download to test this concept? You know the contacts Tommi
Note to self: let’s start using this also in our Mymobilesite.net system.
Comment by Jukka Eklund — October 10, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
Great idea!!!
I think you already have the winner for the october most contributor as this guy just had a fantastic idea for all that it envolves.
Comment by Alexandr3 — October 10, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
Great idea. Many time when i feel lazy to transfer the file from my laptop to my phone, i usually download the file on my phone itself.
Previously i would have to navigate to the site to download, now i can directly download it! Cool
Comment by alsiladka — October 11, 2007 @ 1:51 am
It would be useful if it’s easy to snap a good enough picture for the reader SW. I’ll have to loan a camera phone to try it out.
Comment by Tommi — October 11, 2007 @ 11:05 am
Why generating one barcode per device model ? (ie. Share online per N95, Share online per N73,… ) the whole logic should be hidden to the user and put on the server side. The correct version of the software to be downloaded should be determined on the server (thanks to User-agent detection), if it exists.
See: http://www.smoothplanet.com/2d-barcodes-for-applications-download/504/
Comment by Jérôme — October 11, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Killer idea, I’m a huge fan. The barcode reader is such a rarely used application. What about using these barcodes in some of Nokia’s marketing ventures, as well?
Comment by Ricky Cadden — October 12, 2007 @ 3:52 am
I’d be very happy if you continued to use barcodes for URLs.
Comment by Si Brindley — October 13, 2007 @ 4:06 pm
I noticed that Nokia is using QCodes on their headset remote control. There’s a tiny (too small to read with phone) QCode printed on mine. May well be the future of product tagging, as it stores a lot more data/area than code39.
Just my 2c
Comment by Andi — October 24, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Andi, I think it’s Datamatrix and Nokia has had those in all products for some time now.
Comment by Jukka Eklund — October 24, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
I’ve been wanting this for ages. My internal blog has them for a few apps, I should really publish them on my public blog too.
Glad to see some more people realising that barcodes are good when used in the right context :o)
Comment by Duncan Sample — October 25, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
@Andi, This isn’t new technology for commercial tracking. UPS has had a similar barcode system for years and as Jukka says, Nokia have been using them for product tracking for years.
What hasn’t taken off in Europe are the consumer services, although slowly things seem to be changing for the better.
I consider it the step before full RFID use… A kind of trial to show that these kind of more detailed information exchanges between machines is a good thing.
Comment by Duncan Sample — October 25, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
@Tommi, a quick note about the barcodes you’ve included… It’s useful to also link the barcode image to the same URL. That way people can see (from their desktop) where it’s going to take their mobile, and also it serves as a way to download it if they haven’t got a barcode reader. Just my opinion :o)
Comment by Duncan Sample — October 25, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
I notice Microsoft are getting in on this too :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Live_Barcode
Comment by Max Waterman — November 7, 2007 @ 5:10 am
Max, Windows Live site seems to be down (again) so it’s not clear how serious they are. Also the promised Windows Mobile client never surfaced.
Comment by Jukka Eklund — November 7, 2007 @ 7:23 pm
This is awesome on my N95. It’d be nice to make a shortcut to the barcode reader on the main screen, or even link to it from the applications menu rather than the office one…
Comment by David J — November 15, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
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Comment by chutima — December 10, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
I went to the Beijing Olympic National Stadium yesterday to watch the ‘2008 BMG IIAF Race Walking Challenge’. I couldn’t help notice that the tickets have QR-Codes on them. When I scanned one in, it came up with rubbish - I am assuming this is because I am using a non-Chinese phone (a UK E90 with the pre-installed ‘Barcode reader’). However, when I try to use Kaywa on my wife’s Chinese N73, it also comes up with rubbish - I would guess that this is because Kawya haven’t included support for Chinese in Kaywa reader.
Can anyone point me to a download for Nokia’s ‘Barcode reader’ that I can install on my wife’s Chinese N73?
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