Italian George Clooney explains QR Codes.

QR Codes are pretty damn cool. What are QR Codes? Well, they're kind of like barcodes, but better. They can store a lot more data than barcodes and create a very effortless and easy way to transmit small amounts of data. QR Codes are able to be read by simply taking a picture with your mobile phone, assuming your phone has a barcode reader. Many of the phones in Japan and Europe do and this technology is soon coming to the US. Another great benefit of QR Codes is that even when damaged they can still be read through error correction procedures

The application for these codes is immense. You are walking down the street and see a bus sign. You wonder what bus line that particular stop is for. Snap a pic and you'll know. You see a flyer for a band. You stop and snap a pic of the band's QR Code. You now have their webpage, a blurb about them, the title of their latest album and maybe even info on another show that they'll be playing soon. Go into a bar and you wonder what's on draft. Snap the QR Code and you'll know. The great thing is that these simple codes can provide small amounts of pertinent information in an incredibly efficient manner.


Over at CenterNetworks Allen Stern writes,

I could also see QR codes as a potential business card replacement. You are at a business meeting, you whip out your mobile and the other party does as well. You "scan" her barcode displayed on the mobile and now you have all of her contact information and not only is it stored in your mobile, but it's now on your desktop in your contact manager.

[...]

I am very much looking forward to seeing the codes invade the U.S. as they are overseas. As a marketer, I see endless possibilities for connecting brands with consumers. On the business side, there are clear ways that the codes could become time savers. Mobile technology is changing the way we interact, QR codes will take interactions to another level.
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And over at David Harper's Blog he jots down a few quick things that QR Codes can and are used for.

• linking print articles to RSS feeds and blogs
• delivering product or tourist information
• linking “lost pet” flyers to contact forms
• dating - use your imagination on that one
• “find me” maps
• promoting an event or concert on flyers/postcards
• connecting geocachers to mobile logbooks
• creating museum exhibits and street tours
• building scavenger hunts or “collect-them-all” games
• downloading ringtones, music, wallpapers or video (think indie artists)
• ticket sales for clubs
• directing people to your mobile site and/or storefront
• enabling mobile sales from catalogs or flyers
• distributing coupons
• conference badges connected to profiles
• business cards connected to company sites
• signing up to text alert services
• running competitions
• connecting mix tapes to podcasts or vidcasts
• connecting posters to podcasts or vidcasts
• enabling community interaction at public locations

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Italian George Clooney on QR Codes.




Another example of how QR Codes work.




So, if you're turned onto the idea of QR Codes, you yourself can go ahead and get started. Since most mobiles in the US don't have QR Code readers installed on them, you will most likely have to install it yourself. Robert Peloschek has a great blog entry all bout installing QR Code readers onto your mobile. He also provides links where you can generate your own QR Code.