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filmfann's avatar

What are these called, and how do I view whatever they are?

Asked by filmfann (52487points) August 3rd, 2013

One the right side of this picture is a little box, with pixels inside. I have seen people take pictures or something of these, and it brings up a website. What are these called, and what app is used to do this?

And stay off my lawn, ya darn kids

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9 Answers

CWOTUS's avatar

I forget the name of them (someone will come along and tell us soon enough), but those are optical scan codes that can be read by smart phones to impart information via the coded pattern. In essence, they are the newest generation of bar codes.

If you know the way that bar code scanners can read the bar codes imprinted on products, then you understand the basics of how this works. However, these “bar codes” interact with the web, which normal (old-fashioned) bar codes do not.

SavoirFaire's avatar

They are called QR codes. “QR” stands for “quick response.” Like @CWOTUS said, you need an optical scanner to read them.

johnpowell's avatar

If you have a smartphone you can read them too with the camera. We would need to know iOS, Android, WP8 to tell you what app.

There are hundred of apps that do it. The QR code posted leads to this.

my eyes

ETpro's avatar

@filmfann Thanks for educating me. I’d wondered what those were as well, but never thought to ask.

filmfann's avatar

My wife has an Apple iPhone 5. What app should I use/get?

Tropical_Willie's avatar

Go to iTunes on the phone and look for a QR Reader, should be free. I use Android so . . . I can’t be more specific.

janbb's avatar

Bee Tag is a free one I downloaded from iTunes. Not quite sure yet how to use it though.

johnpowell's avatar

I used this to scan the picture above.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/qr-reader-for-iphone/id368494609?mt=8

Should be free but it is a bit of a mess. It is the only one I have tried but it did work.

Buttonstc's avatar

Red Laser has most likely been around the longest. It is very highly regarded. It used to be just for barcodes but has now incorporated qr codes as well.

I have it on my phone and used it but only for barcodes so far. I like it.
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According to Lifehacker website Scan is the best one.

http://lifehacker.com/5812632/scan-is-the-best-qr-code-scanner-for-iphone
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Or you can pick from this list of the top 10.
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http://www.free-qr-code.net/top-10-qr-code-readers.html

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