Comments on: Matrix Codes

By: Ladner Sensei

Ladner Sensei — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:55:15 +0000

Matrix codes (commonly called QR Codes) have been used in Japan for years. I see them on Japanese business cards a lot.

Here is an excerpt from a 2007 article:
http://www.japanmarketingnews.com/2007/01/in_previous_art.html

“Movie studios make it easy to view coming attractions by printing QR codes on posters that are hung all over Japan. Scan the code and voilà—you’re watching previews of films right on your phone. Fast food brands are now printing these codes on sandwich wrappers (nutritional and/or ingredient information). Retailers print them on receipts. Event producers employ them to provide exhibit information. Doctor’s offices and beauty salons use them to let people make appointments over their mobile phones. Companies print them on business cards so clients and suppliers can suck contact info right into their cell phones and PDAs.”

By: John Blake

John Blake — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:38:53 +0000

I follow your blog using RSS feed in my Apple Mail application. While reading this article, I used my BlackBerry Tour to scan your QR Code and the browser launched linking to your web site on my phone. Does it get any better than this?

By: Tom Welch

Tom Welch — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:05:15 +0000

I think this could lead to a revolution in the world languages community. Why wouldn’t a restaurant include a QR code that would show the menu in a different language? Same could be done with almost anything in print. Combine that with apps like Jibbigo which will give automatic (and almost instantaneous) voice translation from one spoken language to another and the stage is set. May not be ready for primetime today, but . . .
I can see down the road when you could put on a pair of glasses that will do just about the same thing — look and you will see your language of choice displayed on top of the original language. Have seen prototypes of that using AR.
I think a whole new world language teaching opportunity emerges.

By: Bryn Spence

Bryn Spence — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:07:56 +0000

Dave, this is VERY interesting. Have you looked at the i-nigma software for SmartPhones? It looks like a pretty cool way to share information.

By: David Warlick

David Warlick — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:26:50 +0000

It’s tech, and it’s free, and that’s good. But what’s the pedagogical application. It’s interesting to have a way to send students to specific web resources and to send content to their phones or computers via the codes. But isn’t that what Moodle’s for?

It seems to me that the punch of this stuff is geospacial. That you can stick a matrix code stamp someplace in town, or on the campus of the school, and embed content — or a clue, within it. There you go. An ARG, where the student body participates in a campus- (or town-) wide plot, that with curriculum embedded.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:54:08 +0000

You can access the QR generator for free at http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
Free = Great for school application!