You could have seen these recently in various places, you might already know people talking about them within the realm of mobile and wondered what the heck they are. Quick response codes (referred to as “QR” codes) are a very convenient way to display a small bit of information that is conveniently scanned and processed typically by phones allowing physical items to almost become interactive, by providing information that’s conveniently scanned like a site URL.

To make a simpler analogy, a lot of people have an understanding of Universal Product codes (called UPC codes). Everything you buy at the food store (and almost any store right now) has one of those that the cashier will scan. The computer then immediately knows precisely what the product is in line with the code which it picked up.

Does anyone remember the days of grocery shopping as well as the cashier had to punch within the prices and codes for every single item you purchased. They had to memorize these types of within their head and whenever they forgot? They had to pick up the loud mobile phone, make an announcement in the store asking for somebody in that department to help them out.

Think of QR codes as UPC codes but alternatively they are used in a lot broader spectrum, not only to ‘identify’ products but to convey ‘information’ of some kind.

The most basic (and popular use) of Quick Response codes is to display website information (a website address). Lets say you are at a trade show and you are walking by my booth. You want to find out further information about my company, so you open up your mobile device and start fumbling away trying to type in certain long URL (that’s on my display) into your browser, and off you go.

The other option will be for me to display a QR code (on my display), you take your phone and scan it the same as cashiers scan items at the supermarket, and your smartphone automatically starts loading my website, how is that for convenience?

What about billboards outside on the street, or bus shelters while waiting for public transit. You can place these little codes anywhere. Those with free scanners on their smart phones (iPhones, BlackBerrys, Androids, Nokia, Our Webpage etc.) can quickly scan the code and find out additional information, like opening up a site.

Whole Foods Market (popular in the US/Canada) uses these in their stores. I was recently sitting down to have a bite to eat at the one in Yorkville Toronto, and on the table where I was sitting was a table tent with two Quick Response codes. It was obvious where they would take me if I scanned them, one would take me to their Twitter account, and the other would take me to their Facebook page.

If I was thinking about checking out their Twitter or Facebook page, rather than opening up each respective app and going to the search function and typing in their name etc. (I likely wouldn’t, too much effort) I could pick up my smart phone, scan the QR code and automatically open each page!