What is a QR Code?

We’ve all seen these square pattern of pixels popping up all over the place in recent years – giant ones on the the side of buildings in Oxford Street, on TV shows like Channel 4’s Big Brother’s Little Brother, and in recent months in magazines and newspapers. Well now the QR code is adorning the Dancemania carrier bag at the Dancemania Shop.
What is a QR Code?
A QR code is like a bar code in that it contains data that can be scanned and interpreted by an enabled device, but unlike a bar code that is 1 deminsional the QR code is 2 dimensional meaning it can be read far more rapidly – in fact QR stands for Quick Response.
What are QR codes used for?
QR codes were developed in 1995 by Toyota in Japan to keep track of their components within their factory, but now that everyone else has got their hands on the technology QR codes are used for many things, including being used as an electronic business card, storing contact information and for storing the web address of a web site. It is the latter that is most popular and in our case we have used a QR code to encode a URL (a web site address).
How can I read a QR code?
Nowadays most people have the means of reading QR codes in their hands, usually pressed up against their ear – a Smart phone.
Some phones have QR code scanners already installed but if not then there are many Free QR code scanner apps available to download. Once you have a QR scanner app all you need do is point your phone’s camera at the QR code and the app will read the web address from the code and open the web site in your phone’s browser – so simple – so fun!
Huh? What does all that mean?
It means that instead of typing a web site address in to your computer by yourself your phone will open it for you without you having to type.
So next time you see a bag with a QR code on it point your phone at it and see where it takes you – you may be rewarded.
Incoming search terms:
- How to measure for a Twirling Baton
- How to keep the spark when teaching Dance!
I liked your article is an interesting technology
thanks to google I found you