Posts tagged as: Technology
QR Codes: Trends, Competition and Relevancy
QR codes (or quick response codes) are two-dimensional barcodes that can contain numeric text, alphanumeric text, binary or kanji and that often feature URLs that direct users to a website. To use a QR code, you have to scan the code using a device equipped with a QR scanning application. QR codes were first designed for use in the automotive industry to track parts in vehicle manufacturing. Even though they’ve been around since the mid-90′s they’ve recently gained popularity in other industries such as entertainment and transport ticketing, product marketing and in-store product labeling.
The size and complexity of the QR code is directly proportional to how much data the code needs to store. There are many code generators available online to make basic QR codes. You can also make custom designed QR codes since they can be heavily manipulated and still maintain their scan-ability. Thanks to built-in error correction, up to 30% of the code can be missing or obstructed and still be scanned. This means codes don’t have to have the checkerbox appearance that we’re used to seeing. You can round the corners, add in your own logo, use multiple colors, textures and subtle gradients to enrich the design of your QR code. The downside to a heavily designed code is that, just like with a website, you need to test the code on several different QR scanners to ensure that it is scannable.
There are some other services that have come about that are in direct competition with QR codes such as Google Goggles, Microsoft Tag, and Near Field Communication. Google Goggles is an image recognition app that conducts searches based on images that you capture with your phone or other device. Microsoft Tags are similar to QR codes but you need Microsoft’s Tag Reader (which can read QR codes, Microsoft Tags and works with Near Field Communication touchpoints). Microsoft also offers free reporting for their tags which allow you to track the performance of the tag. Near Field Communication allows phones and other devices to establish radio communication with each other by being in close proximity to one another. In advertising it is usually paired with a QR code for phones that don’t have NFC capabilities.
With competing 2D codes, image recognition and near field communication will QR codes continue to be relevant? For now, I think so. There are advantages to using QR codes versus other 2D codes or image recognition apps:
1. With QR codes you are in control over where the code takes your user. Google Goggles shows a list of related results based on the content it can grab from the image you take. So the user has the option of selecting from this list which result they’d like to view.
2. Microsoft Tags are nice but you need their special reader to scan them.
3. Near Field Communication is the future but not all phones are capable, including the iPhone (although macrumors.com says Apple may have a NFC-enabled iPhone in 2012).
So for now, I think QR codes are probably the best 2D barcode option but I predict we’ll quickly be leaving all 2D barcodes behind once more phones are equipped with Near Field Communication technology.
Check out these really great, creative uses of QR codes for inspiration:
The Basics of CSS3
The new features of CSS 3 uncover a lot of new possibilities and are beginning to be more widely used. Don’t get too excited though because it is not fully supported by all browsers. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it at all…
Because these new features are not supported by some browsers (*cough* IE *cough*) you shouldn’t rely on CSS 3 for layout purposes. Instead you should use these new techniques to enhance your design for those viewers using the compatible browsers.<
Below are descriptions of some of the most basic new features:
Text Shadow
Text shadow does exactly what it sounds like. It adds a shadow to your text.
Border Radius
Border Radius allows you to add rounded corners to an object. You can also specify a different size for each corner.
Box Shadow
Box shadow is similar to Text shadow except it’s added to an object and not text.
Again, those are just the most basic of features. There are a lot of other techniques and tutorials out there but I would use all of these sparingly, since Internet Explorer doesn’t support any CSS 3 at the moment. That being said there are people out there who are able to achieve some awesome effects using CSS 3. For information on more advanced techniques check out some of the following tutorials and examples:
CSS 3 Resources
- 50 Brilliant CSS 3 & Javascript Coding Techniques
- Start Using CSS 3 Today: Techniques and Tutorials
- CSS 2.1 & CSS 3 Cheat Sheet (PDF)
Examples:
Augmented Reality. What?
If you haven’t heard of Augmented Reality, here’s the scoop. AR is a live view of the physical world merged with virtual digital information and/or imagery. The concept has been around in the military and industrial applications for years.
You’ve probably seen the technology in use without realizing it. Those first down lines on field during the television broadcast of football games? Yep, that’s AR!
Recently, this technology has gained popularity in many consumer settings.
Advertisers are using it to promote new products via cool interactive experiences. Service providers are using it to present relevant location aware information. Many cities, museums and theme parks are using it to add virtual objects to their existing physical environment.
Like any technology of the brink of popularity, we have to question if it is fad or future. Fast Company recent addressed this exact question. Myjive believes this one is here to stay. All you have to do is look at the many potential applications already being explored.
Yelp’s iPhone App Monocle feature
Augmented Reality Contact Lenses
Canon’s MR Aquarium
Jack’s Links Living Sasquatch
As we like to say here at the office, “The future is going to be so cool.” And with AR, the future is here.
Workplace Technology Generation Gap
Baby Boomers and Generation Y are now cohabitants in the workforce. As Sarah Perez notes in her recent article, the technology gap between the generations at work is “Oh So Wide.” The results of a study released by business information solutions provider LexisNexis are quite illuminating.
Gen Y spends 10.6 hours per day browsing social networks, news sites, blogs, forums, and multimedia sharing sites while Boomers clock in at only 5.6 hours.
A majority (62%) of Gen Y employees interact with a social network while at work, but only a fraction of Boomers do (14%).
A majority of Boomer feel PDAs and mobile phones negatively affect workplace etiquette and don’t believe laptops should be used by participants of in-person meetings. Less than half of Gen Y agrees.
As the complexion of the workplace evolves, will the Boomers change their views or will the younger generations continue to frustrate their bosses? Time will tell.
