Engadget

ShelfX's Vending Fridge nixes the cashier, uses QR codes, RFID to 'know what you took'

Joe Pollicino — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:35:00 EST

QR codes and RFID tags aren't uncommon when it comes to automated payment applications, and now Colorado-based ShelfX has purposed them for its new wireless-equipped Vending Fridges. Eliminating the need for a cashier -- or cash, for that matter -- each unit allows you to purchase any items packed inside by scanning a QR code with your phone (using the company's app) or an RFID badge. Upon presenting either method to the machine, it's able to tell who you are and unlocks its door. From there, you can grab whatever you'd like, while ShelfX automatically pulls funds your account for what's been removed. The system is also smart enough to know when goods are put back, so you won't have to worry about being charged while making up your mind. All of the money goes through ShelfX, allowing it to take "a small percentage" for itself before sending a monthly payment to owners. The Vending Fridge is currently on sale for $600, and a retrofitting kit for your own fridge is also available for half that amount -- no word on whether it has kid-blocking or crab-proofing options, though. You'll find more information in the press release just after the break.

Continue reading ShelfX's Vending Fridge nixes the cashier, uses QR codes, RFID to 'know what you took'

ShelfX's Vending Fridge nixes the cashier, uses QR codes, RFID to 'know what you took' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NewsFlash uses high-frequency light to transmit data from iPad to smartphone, we go hands-on (video)

Zach Honig — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:41:00 EST

MIT's Media Lab is chock-full of cutting-edge tech projects that researchers create, then often license to manufacturers and developers. One such project is called NewsFlash, and uses high-frequency red and green light to transmit data to the built-in camera on a receiving device -- in this case Samsung's Epic 4G. The concept is certainly familiar, and functions in much the same way as a QR code, generating flashing light that's invisible to the human eye instead of a cumbersome 2D square. In the Media Lab's implementation, an iPad is used to display a static news page with flashing colored bands at the top, representing just a few vertical pixels on the LCD.

As the device presents the standard touch experience you're already familiar with, it also broadcasts data that can be read by any camera, but flashes too quickly to be distracting or even noticeable to the naked eye. A NewsFlash app then interprets those flashes and displays a webpage as instructed -- either a mobile version with the same content, or a translation of foreign websites. As with most MediaLab projects, NewsFlash is simply a concept at this point, but it could one day make its way to your devices. Jump past the break to see it in action.

Gallery: MIT Media Lab: NewsFlash hands-on

Continue reading NewsFlash uses high-frequency light to transmit data from iPad to smartphone, we go hands-on (video)

NewsFlash uses high-frequency light to transmit data from iPad to smartphone, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yahoo unveils app search page for Android and iOS, because we need it

Amar Toor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:16:00 EST

Yahoo may be sliding down the search engine totem pole, but the company is doing its best to climb back up, with a new space dedicated to apps. This week, Yahoo added a new "Apps" tab to its search page, giving users a new portal into both the Android Market and iTunes App Store. Results can be filtered by both price and category, with iOS and Android apps aligned in separate tabs. Once you select an app, you can download it by scanning a QR code, sending a download link to your handset, or by simply clicking through to iTunes or the Android Market. There's also a "trending now" interface, as well as a full list of Yahoo user reviews, displayed directly within the page. Check it out for yourself, at the source link below.

Yahoo unveils app search page for Android and iOS, because we need it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:15:00 EST

MasterCard is all over the map when it comes to mobile payments. The credit company will partner with anyone, anywhere, anytime if it means getting new customers and making a buck on the deal. Its latest offering is called QkR, an Australian effort with support from the Hoyts chain of movie theaters and Commonwealth Bank. The initial trial run will be at La Premiere cinemas, where customers will be able to order and pay for food and beverages right from their seat with the QkR app. To initiate the transaction a you scan the QR code or tap the NFC tag attached to the arm rest, and a staff member delivers the trough of popcorn and kiddie pool of coke right to your seat. Now all we need is this sort of high-end treatment in American movie theaters. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia

MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google demos QR code Gmail access, claims something better in store

James Trew — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:26:00 EST

What's the big G up to here, then? It seems the Gmail team has been tinkering with a new secure method of accessing your precious email. Type your credentials into your phone, then scan a QR code in the browser to log in. It's ideal for public machines where typing your password might gift your credentials to any key-logging software. Sadly though, it seems the venture was just an experiment, with Google employee Dirk Balfanz confirming so on his Plus account. So, we might not be accessing our Gmail sans keyboard anytime soon, but with said staffer also teasing that his team are working on something "even better" who knows how we'll be logging on in the near future -- let's just hope it's not this.

Google demos QR code Gmail access, claims something better in store originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Tag adds support for QR codes and NFC, seeks barcode dominance

Amar Toor — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:19:00 EST

Last year, Microsoft Tag shed its beta skin and stepped out into the wild world of multi-colored barcodes. Now, Redmond has decided to revamp and expand its system, with additional support for both QR codes and NFC capabilities. The update effectively allows businesses and individuals to create their own proprietary Tags or QR codes, while enabling consumers to scan said codes with their Microsoft Tag apps, or NFC-enabled smartphones. The new features are now available on Android, iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry handsets, reflecting Microsoft's ambitions to dominate a space that has yet to fully develop.

Microsoft Tag adds support for QR codes and NFC, seeks barcode dominance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Show off your smartphone photog skills with Sony Ericsson's vscreens

Billy Steele — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:55:00 EST

Have you been jonesin' to show off those Epic 4G Touch camera skills on a bit bigger screen? Sony Ericsson has you covered with vscreens, a website / app combo that gets your trip to Everest on your flatscreen to secure bragging rights. Once you install the app from the Android Market, point your internet browsing screen -- PC, Google TV and PS3 included -- to the vscreens website. From there, you simply scan the QR code that appears on your display and presto, you're showing off that trip to the Adirondacks like it's your job, sans cables or Bluetooth. If you're looking to give it a spin, you'll find all you need via the links below. And pretty soon, you'll be able to showcase those Galaxy Nexus panoramas at your next dinner party. Pretty sweet, huh?

Show off your smartphone photog skills with Sony Ericsson's vscreens originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's eShop plans: premium DLC, game demos, smartphone shopping, relevancy

Sean Buckley — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:02:00 EST

Nintendo's latest earnings report may be a litany of woe, but at least the outfit's semi-annual financial results briefing bore good news: the 3DS eShop is about to get a kick in the pants. Today's 3DS store gets the job done, but it's hampered by disorganized categories, limited accessibility, and poor download management. Want something better? It's on the way -- a late November update is slated to bring "sleep mode" background downloading to the fledgling console, and opens the door for publishers to release in-game premium DLC and "limited-play" demos. Nintendo is even taking steps to address the handheld's lousy shopping experience, announcing a companion website where users will be able to browse the eShop from a PC or smartphone. Eventually 3DS owners will be able to buy content directly from the eShop website, but at launch shoppers will need to scan a QR code with the handheld to make a purchase. It's not a perfect plan, but at least it's a start. Baby steps Nintendo, baby steps.

Nintendo's eShop plans: premium DLC, game demos, smartphone shopping, relevancy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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QReo is for cookie, that's good enough to scan (video)

Joseph Volpe — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:18:00 EST

The medium is the message. That's really all you need to know about this junk food marketing. Integrated ad agency RedPepper, which prides itself on communication via "human-centered, highly-spreadable 'things'," assembled a group of stoners employees to answer the age-old question: can cookies convey QR codes? No, never pondered that ultimate mystery before? Well, bust out the smartphone and get to scanning this collection of 441 black and gold Oreos for the answer. We won't ruin the URL-directing surprise for you, but prepare to be minorly underwhelmed -- it's not like the company's heralding the return of glorious trans fat. Curiosity piqued? Then head past the break for the how'd they do that? hyper-speed video and its Daft Punk backing track. (Disclaimer: No cookies were harmed in the filming of this project, only consumed.)

Continue reading QReo is for cookie, that's good enough to scan (video)

QReo is for cookie, that's good enough to scan (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comscore finds 6.2 percent of smartphone users scan QR codes

Donald Melanson — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 07:55:00 EST

QR codes may be turning up in more places than ever these days, but are people actually using them? According to market research firm Comscore, at least some of them are -- 14 million in June in the US alone, to be specific, or about 6.2 percent of all smartphone users. As for who makes up that slice of the smartphone market, Comscore says that just over 60 percent are male, 53 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34, and 36 percent have a household income of $100k or more. Folks are also apparently more likely to scan QR codes at home than at a retail store, and magazines and newspapers edge out websites or product packaging when it comes to the top source of the QR code being scanned. So, not exactly an explosion in use, but still fairly impressive for a weird-looking barcode that was rarely seen outside of Japan until a few years ago.

Comscore finds 6.2 percent of smartphone users scan QR codes originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dutch coins feature QR codes, promise 'surprises'

Brian Heater — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 01:29:00 EST

Governments cram all manner of bizarre imagery onto the back of currency, so really, what's a few little QR codes between treasury departments? And heck, who are we to suggest that these new coins from the Royal Dutch Mint aren't the beginning of a larger barcoded money trend? The mint is celebrating its centennial with two new QR-packing collectable coins. The codes bring their owners to the mint's website, which promises a "surprise," once the coins are officially available later this month. Some sort of cloud-based vending machine, perhaps?

Dutch coins feature QR codes, promise 'surprises' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 01:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT's Junkyard Jumbotron turns your motley collection of devices into one large display (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:56:00 EST

Got a handful of mobile devices layin' 'round when what you actually need is one large display? The kids at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media got you covered! The Junkyard Jumbotron, designed by Rick Borovoy, Ph.D. and Brian Knep, is an ingenious project that makes stretching an image across damn near any collection of displays with web browsers. When you assemble the displays (such as in the picture above), the Junkyard Jumbotron website will ask you to point them all to the same URL. This will cause each device to load the same QR code, which -- once you snap a digital pic and email it to the project -- will allow it to calibrate and stretch a JPEG across your assemblage. It certainly does look like something scrounged up at a junkyard, doesn't it? Well, sometimes that's part of the fun. Hit the source link to try it for yourself. Video after the break.

Continue reading MIT's Junkyard Jumbotron turns your motley collection of devices into one large display (video)

MIT's Junkyard Jumbotron turns your motley collection of devices into one large display (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA's letter grade automobile stickers could bring QR codes to car windows in 2013

Darren Murph — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 02:16:00 EST

Ever wonder how the world would still turn after MPG stickers were updated to take hybrids and EVs into consideration? Wonder no more. Purportedly, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to decide by July's end whether it'll require "emissions grades" on all new vehicles. We're told that said stickers would resemble those shown above, complete with a QR code that could be scanned by any smartphone for more detailed information on how a grade was decided upon. As the story goes, cars would be graded from A through D, with a score of F presumably omitted for political correctness. If implemented, it wouldn't require automakers to slap these onto their rides until the 2013 model year, but as you'd expect, said car companies aren't exactly pumped about the idea. As of now, 40 percent of the vehicles on American roads would receive Cs or Ds, and Ohio's own Rep. Steven LaTourette had this to say about it: "Those who live in Planet Reality might need a minivan or SUV to haul around four kids in child and booster seats, and have room for luggage and a family dog. Thanks to the EPA, they'll be lucky to find a vehicle that gets a C." In truth, he's dead right, but there's always two sides to every story. To counter the obvious, automakers are instead backing "a more modest labeling redesign" that's not quite so jarring to consumers. Ah, the wonders of compromise.

EPA's letter grade automobile stickers could bring QR codes to car windows in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 02:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft 'Tags' 2 billion real-world objects with its phone-friendly barcodes

Paul Miller — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:10:00 EST

Microsoft might be late to the cameraphone-able barcode game, but it appears to be making up for lost time. Its multi-colored (and, frankly, rather attractive) Tag barcodes added a few important innovations on top of the general QR code concept, and apparently to good effect: 2 billion Tags have been printed since the January 2009 launch, and 1 billion of those Tags were printed in the past four months. Sounds like Microsoft has found some momentum, and they claim to have gained a lead in the publishing industry already. Obviously, the analytics, customization, and anti-fragmentation nature appeals to Big Barcode, but we'll have to wait and see if Tag is the ultimate choice of the everyman. Plus, won't ads be able to hack our brains and implant URLs at-will soon enough? We're holding out for that.

Continue reading Microsoft 'Tags' 2 billion real-world objects with its phone-friendly barcodes

Microsoft 'Tags' 2 billion real-world objects with its phone-friendly barcodes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goo.gl URL shortener can also spit out QR codes, if you ask it nicely

Vlad Savov — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:27:00 EST

Once again, Google fails at being ordinary. Although the claim with its Goo.gl URL shortener is that it's more about quality than features, the search giant couldn't help itself and has inserted a QR code easter egg into the mix. Should you be so daring as to append a .qr at the end of your contracted hyperlink -- such as turning http://goo.gl/JCKW into http://goo.gl/JCKW.qr (both point to this post) -- you'll be treated with a QR code, built especially for you by the company's imaging smurfs. So, in case you still don't have Android 2.2 and its awesome Chrome to Phone functionality, here's an alternative method for transitioning the webpage you're reading onto your phone. Heavens forbid we'd ever have to actually type anything out ourselves.

Goo.gl URL shortener can also spit out QR codes, if you ask it nicely originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer shares affordable line of speakers, snobs sob

Ben Bowers — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:24:00 EST

After releasing a bevy of value-packed Elite receivers, iPod Docks, and Blu-ray players in recent months, Pioneer has now announced a new line of entry-level speakers just in time for man cave upgrade season. Consisting of the SP-DS21-LR and smaller SP-BS41-LR bookshelf monitor, the SP-FS51-LR floor standing mini tower, the SP-C21 center channel, and SW-8 sub, the entire line is on sale now at selected retailers for a reasonable $79 to $199 depending on the component. Despite these wallet-friendly price tags though, all of the speakers sport higher-end details like radio frequency bonded, curved cabinets, improved multi-component crossovers, and gold-plated five-way binding posts -- which seems to fall nicely in line with Pioneer's recent recession-appropriate bang for your buck approach. In case that idea alone wasn't enough to make audiophiles roll over in their acoustically-perfect coffins, Pioneer's release also says the speaker packaging will feature QR barcodes that, when scanned, will direct consumers to YouTube videos of lead designer Andrew Jones discussing the new line. Luckily for you, we've embedded the video along with the full PR after the break, so you can skip the unnecessary mobile hassle and get straight to the unintentional laughs.

Continue reading Pioneer shares affordable line of speakers, snobs sob

Pioneer shares affordable line of speakers, snobs sob originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vextini interactive ad campaign: no thanks, we don't need to see what's behind there

Laura June — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:50:00 EST

It's hard to say what the worst aspect of what we're seeing is here: the tired, generic, Sex and the City-style group of girls who love martinis that make up this ad campaign, or the campaign's pitchman who seems to genuinely believe that pre-mixed martinis will sell better because of a cheesy, "interactive" ad. The idea here, of course, is that you see the above shot in a magazine, then hit up Vextini's website, and use the QR code to watch a full video of the hilarious events unfold. Vextini? Sure, it vexes us plenty. Enough to make us want to drink in fact... so what flavors does this come in again? Hit up the source for the pitch video: believe us, it's worthwhile.

Vextini interactive ad campaign: no thanks, we don't need to see what's behind there originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Tag comes out of beta, promises free colorful codes for all

Tim Stevens — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:08:00 EST

It was about a year and a half ago that Microsoft decided it could do QR codes better, that any universal coding system needed a dash of color, and launched Tag. Now, the roughly one billion Tags that users have printed have been made a little less illegitimate, with Microsoft bringing the service out of beta and taking the opportunity to toot Tag's trumpet a bit. The codes have appeared in 20 million magazines so far and have recently been deployed to create a sort of tour for geeks in Amsterdam (no word on whether our own international man of mystery is featured). Meanwhile America's cultural hub, the Mall of America, has been similarly bestickered to "enhance customer engagement," but based on our previous experiences at that bastion of commercialism we're thinking scooters and foot massages might have been more effective.

Microsoft Tag comes out of beta, promises free colorful codes for all originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tag: Microsoft's first Android app is it

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:58:00 EST

Everybody loves a world's first. So we might as well mention that Microsoft just released its very first application written for Google's competitive Android smartphone platform: Microsoft Tag Reader. Tag, as you might recall, is Microsoft's pseudo QR code implementation that uses high capacity color "barcodes" to link back to content. Download the app from the Android Market, scan a Tag with any camera enabled Android phone, and the linked data will automatically load on your device, be it a web page, video, advertisement, coupon, etc. Of course, readers without tags are as useless as tags without a wide swath of people with devices to read them -- so really, Microsoft has no choice but develop its Tag apps (already available for WinMo, Symbian, Blackberry, and iPhone handsets) for as many platforms as possible. First!

Tag: Microsoft's first Android app is it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weather Channel distributes Android app via on-screen QR code

Nilay Patel — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:09:00 EST

Google's been doing some pretty slick stuff with QR codes lately, and now it looks like The Weather Channel's getting in on the fun -- it's running a little on-screen graphic prompting Android owners to download their app by scanning their TV screens. Sure, it's not the craziest thing in the world -- it just takes you to the Android market listing -- but it's certainly fun, and one of the more mainstream uses of QR codes we've seen in a while. Check the video after the break.

Update: We originally said it takes you to the webpage; in actuality, it takes you to the Android market. (Thanks, Caleb!)

Continue reading Weather Channel distributes Android app via on-screen QR code

Weather Channel distributes Android app via on-screen QR code originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Goggles brings visual search to Android; Favorite Places brings QR codes to restaurant reviews

Nilay Patel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:29:00 EST

Looks like Google's been busy on the camera tip lately -- not only is it launching a new QR code-based Favorite Places mobile search product today, it's also demoing Google Goggles, a visual search app that generates local results from analyzing mobile phone images. Favorite Places isn't super-complicated, but it sounds like it'll be pretty useful: Google's sent QR code window decals to the 100,000 most researched local businesses on Google and Google Maps, and scanning the code with your phone will bring up reviews, coupons, and offer the ability to star the location for later. (It's not implemented yet, but you'll be able to leave your own reviews in the future.) Google hasn't built this into the Google Mobile app yet, so you'll need something to read QR codes with -- Android devices can use the free Barcode Scanner, and Google and QuickMark are offering 40,000 free downloads of QuickMark for the iPhone today. We just tried it out using QuickMark and it works pretty well -- although we'll wait to see how many QR codes we see in the wild before we call this one totally useful.

Google Goggles is a little more interesting from a technology standpoint: it's an Android app that takes photos, tries to recognize what in them, and then generates search results about them. Goggles can recognize landmarks, books, contact info, artwork, places, wine, and logos at the moment, and Google says it's working on adding other types of objects, like plants. Pretty neat stuff -- but how about linking these two services together at some point, guys? Check some videos after the break.

Continue reading Google Goggles brings visual search to Android; Favorite Places brings QR codes to restaurant reviews

Google Goggles brings visual search to Android; Favorite Places brings QR codes to restaurant reviews originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blinking LEDs to give QR codes a run for their (ad) money

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:59:00 EST

We're still waiting for this so-called QR code revolution to hit North America, but our contemporaries across the Pacific are already looking to develop the next big thing. Reportedly, a smattering of mega-corps (including the likes of Toshiba and NEC) are joining hands in order to concoct a rivaling technology that requires even less effort to get content from billboards, books and posters to one's mobile. The heretofore unnamed system utilizes blinking LEDs to send data to phones, and so long as an ad has enough room for a minuscule light, consumers can come within five meters of it and receive the associated information by simply pointing their handset in the direction of the light. If all goes well, the technology will be ready for commercialization by 2013, or just after phase one of the Robot Apocalypse.

Blinking LEDs to give QR codes a run for their (ad) money originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Esquire hopes augmented reality will trick people into reading

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:33:00 EST

Remember that time last year when Esquire embedded an E Ink display in its front cover and everyone you know rushed out to buy one, and how the scheme saved the once-doomed print magazine market? Well, it appears that the periodical (and the industry as a whole) are again in need of a dramatic technological sales boost -- this time in the form of augmented reality. When the mag hits the newsstand on November 7, readers (and their webcams) will be have a chance to scan some ~~QR codes~~ fiduciary markers and partake in the technology that's been known to teach children about architecture and help jaded club kids party underwater -- except this time the unsuspecting public can look forward to seeing Robert Downey Jr. emerge from the front cover to spew what the AP calls "half-improvised shtick on Esquire's latest high-tech experiment for keeping print magazines relevant amid the digital onslaught." With that kind of content -- alongside a computer-animated snowstorm and a dirty joke or two from Gillian Jacobs -- can anybody doubt that traditional media will soon be back on its feet?

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Esquire hopes augmented reality will trick people into reading originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton make QR codes fun again

Joshua Topolsky — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:44:00 EST

Bland, black and white QR codes got you down? Well leave it to artist Takashi Murakami to shake things up. Creative agency SET has laced the psychedelic-anime expert's playful, colorful imagery into versions of the machine-readable code for Louis Vuitton that -- amazingly -- still work. The company has also done similar work for Coca-Cola, though nothing quite as luxuriously squeezable as this multi-colored panda. Now, if someone could just dress up those drab bar codes...

[Via DVICE]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton make QR codes fun again originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire

Ross Miller — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:07:00 EST

We haven't heard much from Tikitag since they showed up on the scene last September, sticking RFID tags to everything in sight. The Alcatel-Lucent Venture-backed company's popped up on the radar again, only this time it's taken on a more tactile-focused name, Touchatag, and is now touting 2D barcode support, including do-it-yourself tag creation system for adding some QR ciphers to your business cards or anything else you wish to lay claim. No word on the new pricing -- a Tikitag RFID set was supposed to cost $50 in October -- but if you're interested in testing the service out, there's a sign up to join the developer community on their main site.

Read - Press Release
Read - Touchatag Developer Network

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft co-opts QR codes, Pet Shop Boys 'not stoked'

Joseph L. Flatley — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:36:00 EST

Microsoft has announced that they're jumping onto the mobile tagging thing, having developed a system of High Capacity Color Barcodes that encode information in tags smaller than those allowed by QRCode and Datamatrix formats. Additionally, the specification has been designed to work with out-of-focus and fixed-focus cameras, making the thing more feasible for cellphone use. Although the "humanities" angle is kind of cute -- the company is rightfully stoked over the fact that HCCBs were on exhibit at MoMA in New York -- this is clearly aimed at organizations looking to sell more people even more useless junk. Hooray for conspicuous consumption!

Filed under: Cellphones

Microsoft co-opts QR codes, Pet Shop Boys 'not stoked' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firm proposes "double QR code" -- we say, why stop there?

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:59:00 EST

So a Japanese company by the name of Design QR had a brilliant idea: combine two QR codes to allow twice the information to be stored. Ah, but we had an even more brilliant idea: combine three flippin' QR codes. Design QR says three or more are "possible," but we turned possibility into reality by mocking one up for you. You're welcome.

[Via Slashphone]

Filed under: Misc

Firm proposes "double QR code" -- we say, why stop there? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh unveils bizhub that understands QR Code

Darren Murph — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 03:41:00 EST

Here in the US of A, a do-it-all bizhub that cranks out caffeinated beverages would do us a whole lot more good than one that speaks QR Code, but we can certainly see the relevance when marketed in Japan. Ricoh's uber-snazzy MP C4500it can not only fax, scan, copy, e-mail, and print with the big boys, but it can easily boost the productivity of the average office administrator by understanding a command-laden QR Code. Reportedly, users can scan the QR Code before getting down to business, and the machine will automatically interpret and adjust to match your desired settings -- you know, duplex, 400dpi, compressed PDF with a personalized header on top -- rather than forcing you to use the intern's arrangement. Additionally, you can load up data through the built-in USB port / SD card slot and see where the paper jam is on the 10.4-inch color touchscreen, but first you'll have to hand over a whopping ¥2,280,000 ($18,694).

[Via TokyoMango]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Ricoh unveils bizhub that understands QR Code originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2007 03:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rakuten exploits cameraphone craze for advertising purposes

Darren Murph — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:35:00 EST

Although this certainly won't go down as the first attempt to integrate cellphones into discrete marketing, Japan's largest online shopping mall operator is apparently taking advantage of the country's oh-so-superior handsets and offering up tantalizing "promotional videos" for consumers who snap pictures of ads. Rakuten is reportedly set to hand out thousands of pilot issues of a magazine, Zero90, in hopes that mobile-wielding readers will snap photos of certain articles in exchange for a ~~free commercial~~ intellectually stimulating media clip. While this sounds an awful lot like QR codes, the actual technology used in the pages isn't mentioned, but we do know that Japan-based Clementec is behind it -- and you thought print media had too many plugs as is.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Cellphones

Rakuten exploits cameraphone craze for advertising purposes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rakuten exploits cameraphone craze for advertising purposes

Darren Murph — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:35:00 EST

Filed under: Multimedia, Misc

Rakuten exploits cameraphone craze for advertising purposes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft readies colorful QR code competitor

Donald Melanson — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 22:17:00 EST

While QR codes and their ilk have been big in Japan for years, they haven't exactly been quick to catch on 'round these parts, where we've had to be content with old school bar bodes for our product identification needs. Microsoft looks to be trying to change that situation, however, with the company set to roll out its so-called High Capacity Color Barcode (HCCB) later this year with the assistance of the International Standard Audiovisual Number International Agency (ISAN-IA). While their use will apparently initially be limited to DVD media, Microsoft eventually sees the codes being used on TV, in magazines, and on billboards (among other places), from which you'll be able to scan 'em with your cellphone to get additional information about a product. Of course, good looks are the codes' only selling point, with Microsoft also promising that they'll make anything tagged with them harder to counterfeit.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Microsoft readies colorful QR code competitor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 22:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese apartment sports "world's largest" QR code

Darren Murph — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 22:22:00 EST

If you thought QR codes were much ago about nothing, apparently you were badly mistaken. On the broad side of an under-construction apartment in Hiroshima City resides what appears to be the "world's largest" QR code to date, and considering that most of these 2D codes make their appearances in magazines or on business cards, we'd bet that claim is legitimate. Purportedly, the hangers are hoping to sneak into the Guinness Book of World Records with the feat, as the 15.3- x 14.58-meter banner features a 10.97- x 10.97-meter QR code which can reportedly be snapped (from afar, obviously) with a cameraphone, and utilized just like any other (much smaller) rendition. Now, which one of you can find your way to this monstrosity and tell us where the code leads your handset?

[Via Slashphone]

Filed under: Messaging

Japanese apartment sports "world's largest" QR code originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Dec 2006 22:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elecom's ColorCode reading mouse

Donald Melanson — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 11:58:00 EST

While we're still stuck with 20th-century style bar codes 'round these parts, our friends around the world (mostly Japan) are currently enjoying the abstract art and added info of QR codes and ColorCodes. You can, of course, read 'em with a cellphone camera, but if that's not convenient enough you might want to consider Elecom's latest mouse, the M-CZ1UR, which'll cease its cursor pushing duties and turn into a ColorCode reader at the push of a button. Apart from that, the M-CZ1UR looks to be a fairly standard, if undeniably stylized, optical mouse, with 1,000 DPI resolution and the standard USB interface. No word on what you can expect to shell out or even Japanese availability, so you'll still have to do your ColorCode reading the old fashioned way for the time being.

[Via Akihabara News]

Filed under: Peripherals

Elecom's ColorCode reading mouse originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Oct 2006 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McDonald's Japan provides cellphone-readable "nutrition" information

Donald Melanson — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:49:00 EST

QR codes may be slow to catch on here in North America but they are, like so much other cellphone-based goodness, big in Japan. The latest to get in on the action is none other than McDonald's, which is now printing the newfangled barcode patterns on all its food packaging so you'll know exactly what you're eating (if you want to know, that is). To read the info, you simply scan the QR code with your cellphone camera, which should automagically recognize it and direct you to a mobile website with the lowdown on the contents of your McFood, including any potential allergy warnings. For the two people in Japan that don't have a camera-equipped cellphone, McDonald's is also printing conveniently short URLs for the corresponding mobile website. Of course, all this info only is really more of a curiosity, since you've likely already bought the food by the time you're snapping pics of it with your cameraphone.

Filed under: Misc

McDonald's Japan provides cellphone-readable "nutrition" information originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu FPcodes, like QR without the mess

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 07:51:00 EST

You just forget everything you know about that QR coding qrap 'cause Fujitsu just went next-gen with the introduction of FPcodes. Like QR codes, Fine Picture codes allow you to photograph the code with your trusty cameraphone and then be redirected to a URL for the product. However, instead of looking like a greasy black smudge, the pale yellow FPcode is printed directly onto the image of the product, just snap the product and off you go. FPcode-printed catalogs and magazines are expected to be released as early as October and require the download of a free app to use. Now considering we don't even have QR implemented yet, we'll call you daddy on this one Japan.

[Via lariviereauxcanards]

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets

Fujitsu FPcodes, like QR without the mess originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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