QR codes used to Tag monuments in Dutch city of Utrecht

The Utrecht Monuments Fund is celebrating 65 years. The foundation is responsible maintainence of historical buildings in the city of Utrecht. The foundation, working in partnership with One Shoe has placed QR codes on the buildings to allow people to get more information on the buildings. 

Visitors can use their mobile phone to scan the barcode and visit a mobile website that contains the historical facts of the particular building , including photographs of the interior and exterior. This allows the visitors to have a interactive experience while they tour the old heritage buildings.This is believed to be the first time QR codes are being used for tagging monuments.

I am amazed with the traction that the QR codes are getting in Europe. I would have imagined that the 2 D symbology of choice in the european market would have been Datamatrix. 

I was trying to find a mention of the scanner that the foundation is recommending but couldnt find any. I guess any QR code scanner would do since the codes are all direct codes and have the url of the mobile site encoded in them. 

More Information:

http://www.utrechtsmonumentenfonds.nl/nieuws/qr-code-op-monument

http://www.oneshoe.mobi/node/21

Website Magazine uses Scanlife 2D Barcodes

The Website Magazine has added Scanlife Ezcodes in its February issue to allow readers to get more information about specific articles on their mobile phones. This is one of the first uses of the 2 D barcode technology by a publication in the United States. I could see about 4 different codes published in the magazine. 

From the Magazine:

"Website magazine has aligned with Scanbuy and its ScanLife application to provide you quick access to websites via 2D barcodes. In this and future issues of Website magazine, readers will see images on specific pages. All it takes is a free download of the free application at www.scanlife.com and you can use your internet connected phone to scan barcodes in the magazine and gain access to exclusive content on the web."

This is a great start, I do think that physical print media is the best place to place barcodes.

Perform VooDoo on your phone

Meet a person you dont like, just snap a picture and start casting Voodoo spells on them. 

The VooDude app (new app from Aspyr) for the Iphone platform allows you to do just that. The app is conveniently priced at 0.99 $ for all your Voodoo needs. 

Some of the key features include:

• Use the accelerometer to shake and scramble Voodude
  
• Ragdoll physics ( I wonder what this is)
  
• Touch screen interactivity puts Voodude at the mercy of your fingers
  
• Email your creations to other Voodude users (Share the Voodoo spells within the office perhaps)
  

More info on Aspyr:

http://www.aspyr.com/product/info/99

http://www.aspyr.com/software/news/99/262

Trackback to textually.org

http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/02/022843.htm

Telecom Italia launches "Flash Me"

From Scanbuy Press Release: Telecom Italia launches the service ‘Flash Me’, a mobile application based on 2D code technology that utilizes the mobile phone’s camera to read a sort of ‘virtual stamp’ printed on magazines, newspapers and other advertising devices, to directly connect the user to the mobile Internet. 

The technology that TIM has chosen is provided by its partner Scanbuy and it can be used in any country around the world. It allows the user to access different types of mobile content; websites, photos, videos, music, news and product information. ‘Flash Me’ can be currently used on 28 TIM mobile phone models to make Internet access easier for clients. Furthermore, ‘Flash Me’ is considered to be an innovative service that will have a deep impact in the mobile advertising market. The service has been recently launched in Mexico and in the USA and it’s also supported by mobile operators and mobile manufacturers in Latin America, Spain, France, and Denmark.

More information: http://www.tim.it/consumer/o74181/servizio.do

Shabbir on the Blogosphere

Shabbir gets onto the blogosphere. You can track his blog at: http://shabbirahmad.blogspot.com