QR or not QR?
Do you use QR codes?
Popular in Japan, and getting some traction in the US (but not so much in Europe, yet), QR codes are those two-dimensional barcodes readable by mobile phones and smartphones. These black dots arranged in a square pattern contain text information such as a URL, and if you scan the one at the top of this post for example, it will return: http://➪.ws
One use of such code is found in print media, where URLs can easily be scanned, allowing readers to access a web address without having to type it manually in their phone. Another use can be desktop websites offering easy direct access to their mobile version, or to a mobile application (iPhone, Android…) download.
A few days ago, Google announced that their shortcut service goo.gl is now available to the general public, for use with any non-Google URL. At the same time, they also made a small — geeky — announcement that if you simply add “.qr” to the end of any goo.gl URL, it will create a QR code that can be scanned to get the URL.
TechCrunch says it is “very useful”, and I am wondering if users really want such a feature, or if it is more a fun gimmick than anything. Of course, it’s “cool”, but is it really “useful”?
The thing is, unlike in Japan, QR readers are still not installed by default on US and European mobile phones. Yes, it is only a clic away for those who want to install one, but “one clic” is still infinitely more than “zero clic”, and for most people it is a hassle to go to the app store and browse through options, when in fact they wanted to be able to save time with a quick scan.
However, once installed it really is fast and easy to use, and if a big retail company started using QR in their marketing campaigns (e.g., “scan the label of your cola and get your next one free”), smartphones owners would start using QR scanners more readily. Chicken and egg.
What’s puzzling is that on principle, a QR code is already a shortcut, and therefore doesn’t need a shortcut (although, the shorter the URL contained, the simpler the code), but it might be useful for some who want the best of both worlds?
Goo.gl didn’t put this feature forward much, they present it as a cool gadget, and they rather insist on how reliable and fast they are. Which is why I am wondering if it is something worth studying, to see what could be done with it, and perhaps incorporate it into qoiob.
What do you think?
Do you have a QR code reader installed on your phone? Do you use it often? Would you use this feature for your own shortcuts?
