Seen one of these?

It looks like a barcode right? But can a barcode do all of this?

• Send you to a website
• Make a phone call
• Send a text message
• Send an e-mail
• Take you to a Google Map
• Take you to a YouTube video
• Fetch the latest tweet from Twitter
• Check out your Facebook page
• Use Google Analytics to track how many people used your QR code
• View a custom web page designed just for a specific QR code

Link the offline world to the online world and make things come alive!

What is needed to decode a QR-code?

Just about any smart phone and software can decode the QR-code. The decoding software is freely available. More and more publishers are using QR-codes in their advertisements as the perfect solution to quickly and efficiently display data to their audience. For instance, real estate agents are using QR-codes to take the user to a website to show more pictures of their property, to show more details, and it requires no technical knowledge from the user. No typing in long URLs, no launching their phone book to add a new contact. If they can take a picture, they can decode your QR-code!

This sounds great! Where can I get the software to decode them?

• Iphone: Qrafter. It is available on the App Store and it is free. It is the most advanced scanner for QR Codes on iPhone. Download it here.
• Android: Search the Marketplace for Barcode Scanner from ZXing.
• BlackBerry: QR Code Scanner Pro.
• Nokia Maemo/Meego: Mbarcode.

I have my software installed. How can i test it?

Start your software and follow its directions (usually just point and click). Here are a few QR-codes for you to check out.

Add a new contact to your phones directory

Get driving directions to Journal Graphics

Send an email

Our geographical coordinates

Browse to a website