You might have seen these recently in several places, you might have often heard people talking about them in the arena of mobile and wondered precisely what the heck they can be. Quick response codes (referred to as “QR” codes) are a very convenient way to display a small bit of information which is quickly scanned and processed typically by mobile devices allowing physical items to almost become interactive, by providing information that’s quickly scanned like a web page URL.

To make a simpler analogy, most people are familiar with Universal Product codes (described as UPC codes). Everything you buy at the super market (and almost any store these days) has one of those that the cashier will scan. The computer then immediately knows exactly what the product is according to 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 each and every item you purchased. They had to memorize these types of in their head and should they forgot? They had to pick up the loud smartphone, make an announcement writes in the official Tagoremch blog 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 much broader spectrum, not just 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 web page address). Lets say you are at a trade show and you are walking by my booth. You want to find out more details about my company, so you open up your mobile phone and start fumbling away trying to type in some long URL (which is on my display) into your browser, and off you go.

Another option would be for me to display a QR code (on my display), you take your mobile phone and scan it the same as cashiers scan items at the super market, as well as your mobile device automatically starts loading my website, how is the fact that for convenience?

What about billboards outside on the street, or bus shelters while waiting for public transit. You may place these little codes anywhere. Those with free scanners on their own mobile phones (iPhones, BlackBerrys, Androids, Nokia, etc.) can quickly scan the code and find out more 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, as well as on the table where I was sitting was a table tent with two Quick Response codes. It was obvious where they can 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 interested in checking out their Twitter or Facebook page, rather than opening up each respective app and going to the search function and typing within their name etc. (I likely would not, too much effort) I could pick up my phone, scan the QR code and automatically open each page!