As this is Waterloo, odds are a lot of people can identify the image below. But for those that don't know, it is called a QR code. Basically it is a method of linking to a website without having to type out the URL. They are typically scanned in using smart phones which is why the QR code below links to the mobile version of the UW weather station site.
By the way, this was sent in by David Carr and I think it is a cool use of new technology.
So is this a useful addition to the UW weather station page? Is it big enough on the homepage? Is it too distracting?
Please leave any comments you have about it.
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6 comments:
Thumbs up for the QR code! I think they're quite cool and useful, given how widespread mobile phones are these days.
Sorry I can't get the point of including it on the home page!! As I understand it, the QR code is supposed to be scanned by a scanner/camera and decode it quickly. The Wikipedia article shows a giant billboard with the QR as a way of advertising a website on a busy street. If I am already at the home page in my browser, then what is the point of the QR? To bring my phone to scan the screen of my laptop to open the weather station website on the phone? Why? If I am already at the homepage on the phone itself, how can I get the phone camera to scan the code off the screen?
It probably makes more sense to print/embed it at the UW Campus entrance or building signs for example, to provide passers a quick way to check the weather station.
Am I missing something?
I think having the QR Code on the homepage helps because you can then use the reader to link your smartphone to the mobile version while at the your computer and then bookmark it on your smartphone - that way you can always check it easily where ever you are
Bookmarked it on my Blackberry. Thanks, I can access it anytime I am away from a computer.
I think the QR code is a nice addition, but I agree with "Passer By" in that having it displayed prominently on campus would be of great use to passers-by. Hard to implement though, I'm sure.
I agree that having a QR code that linked to the main homepage on the main homepage would be very redundant. That is the reason that the QR code is for the mobile version of the UW weather station homepage.
Yes the idea is that people could scan in the code from their computer monitor using their smartphone and then be able to navigate to and bookmark the mobile version.
If we did advertising for the station then it would be included in that, at the moment the only place it can be seen in the real world is the bulletin board outside of my office.
It is obviously too late for this year's student handbook, but I will try and get it into next year's in the little write up they do about the station. You have to admit that would be very useful.
By the way this whole thing also got some publicity for the mobile version of the homepage that I don't know if a lot of people knew about.
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