What is a QR Code? – Grumo Media

QR Codes are weird looking bar codes made of a matrix of tiny square dots instead of bars.

QR codes are becoming very popular because they can be used to store links to webpages or social profiles.

How can you create your own QR Code?

You can easily generate your own QR Codes for free online at places like QR-Stuff and QRcode.kaywa.com.

Look how the URL for Grumo Media looks as a QR Code:

GrumoMedia_QR_Code — QR Code for Grumo Media - So coolio!

How to scan a QR Code

To scan a QR code you need a smartphone with a camera and a QR code reader app installed.
There are many free mobile apps that allow you to scan QR Codes easily.
Here are a few QR Code apps for the iPhone:
http://gigaom.com/apple/5-qr-code-readers-for-iphone/

Here are some QR Code reader apps for Android phones:
http://mashable.com/2011/06/22/qr-code-apps-android/

Do you think QR Codes are ugly?

Well, they are. However you can make them look nicer by giving them color and softening the square dot corners as explained in this Mashable Article.

What are QR Codes useful for?

Originally QR Codes were used at car manufacturing plants to quickly identify car parts.
Recently, they have been used as a practical way to connect the physical world to the online world.

QR Codes are really useful to get faster to webpages with long URLs.
If the URL is very short it usually is faster to simply type it on your phone’s web browser.
But if it is very long, scanning a QR Code can save some time.

One thing I like about QR Codes is the surprise factor. You really don’t know where the QR Code is going to take you until you scan it!

Here is an example, where will the QR Code below take you?

qrcode_inspiration — Who would say some random dots could bring so much inspiration

Here are a couple of articles that explain some other uses for QR Codes:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1720193/13-creative-ways-to-use-qr-codes-for-marketing
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-qr-codes-can-grow-your-business/

Still not sure what to use QR Codes for?
Check this crazy video of a guy getting tattooed a QR Code that plays an animation of the very tatoo animated! what? just watch it..

(Thanks to Lenny Ramirez for the tip)

Be ready, the QR Code revolution is coming!

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7 thoughts on “What is a QR Code?”

CLWarunki October 17, 2011 Reply

thanks for answering some questions I’ve had for a while now! 🙂
- Miguel Hernandez October 17, 2011 Reply
  
  My pleasure! I just found what QR Codes are for and thought I shared my discoveries
Anonymous October 17, 2011 Reply

Check this one out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3qv2dSXQXk
- Miguel Hernandez October 17, 2011 Reply
  
  Thanks Lenny, I added to to the post.
  - Anonymous October 17, 2011 Reply
    
    Yeah! cool stuff. Saw a brand did a live stream event through facebook about it. They have covered other artists and call it the human api
    http://www.facebook.com/ballantines?ref=ts#!/ballantines?sk=app_120468801370317
    - Miguel Hernandez October 17, 2011 Reply
      
      I think many more interesting uses for QR Codes will be emerging over time, very cool!
Tim_123 February 28, 2012 Reply

Thanks for your imformation on QR Code. still i think QR Codes are ugly. but just like you said we can give them color and make them look nicer.