With the advent of the smartphones, tools used before in the most random areas end up coming to a phone near you. QR codes are one of these examples. The QR (or Quick response) codes are a matrix, a barcode in 2D, initially created for tracking packages and car parts. However they rapidly infiltrated various other areas, like our phones.
Celular phones with cameras and the right software (N95 has this native, iPhone has some apps coming along) can scan these codes and decode the text in it. This has been more and more used to send links to phones, avoiding the whole hassle of typing, which is great for installing new softwares or loading bookmarks.
Other uses involve for example personal cards, where you can print a code on your card that holds all the info of the actual card, like, name, mail and phone, just scan the code and you are ready to go. Nokia has a solution similar to this called Nokia Mobile Codes.
This QR Generator here, is a simples mac dashboard widget, you just paste the text or URL you want to convert in the field, you can then generate the code and scan it to your phone.
To install it follow this link (Only for Mac OS X)
Future versions
This version of the widget uses a web connection to access a remote generator, in future I want this all to be done locally. Further along i will try to implement a “save as” routine so you can save this image and use it elsewhere, as well as generating bigger codes with more info.
Great stuff, can't wait for the standalone…
Useless!
Very nice Idea.. but didn’t worked on my mac…
It would be a quick way to send msg and link to my N95.
When the local version will came??
Thanks
Sparcs and Rodrigo,
I will work on a standalone version for this, as well as a locally processed widget also, since this is just a piggy-back ride on Nokia’s service, and was done as a test to get acquainted with xcode and such. Can’t promess a delivery date yet, but soon.
Hi, is a very nice program. I realy hope you will make de local version with save as.
Thanks!
This is something I have been looking for. It really needs to be standalone. There are lots of websites that can convert things to QR codes, but I have yet to find a standalone app. I’m looking forward to trying your finished widget.
Josh
Someone should make a nice QR Code creator/reader for Macs. It could open files directly, use screen capture, or use the built-in camera.
The only Mac program I have been able to find is in Japanese, but not too tough to figure out.
Hi ! Well done, I 'll wait for your new update, i hope can be change size and save as eps, tiff or bmp format….thanks~
Hi,
leider funzt das Widget nicht so richtig, weil der QR-Code einen weissen Rand haben muss, von mindestens dem weissen Abstand der in einem der 3 Quadrate zu sehen ist.
Hier gibt es ein nützliches Firefox-Addon, was so etwas ähnliches wie das Widget kann. Nur einfacher, weil es einfach die Browser-URL bei Klick in den Code dekodiert.
http://www.tagmotion.de/?s=firefox
Zudem gibt es in dem Blog ziemlich viele Infos über die Verwendung von QR-Codes, Mobile Tagging im allgemeinen und speziell in Deutschland. Ebenso gibt es Tips und Links zu den wichtigsten Readern und zur aktuellen Entwicklung. Einfach mal vorbeischauen und z.B. im Blog nach Japan, Auto, ZKM oder Sparkasse suchen.
Grüße, Stefan
http://www.tagmotion.de.
Seconding Tonykenobi’s post – How about a version that’ll let you save the results (including SVGs)? I have an idea that would work a treat with QRs…
It doesn't work, and I even made a screen capture of the resulting QR code to scan with my iPhone. Nice idea, though.
This works perfectly for me.
To save the image simply use the Shift Command 4 screen grab and grab around the image generated.
I use i-Nigma to read the image and it works perfectly.
Downloaded the widget gave it some info to "QR" and it's still going some 15 mins later how long is it supposed to take?
And what soft do you use to read back QR on the mac?
Very nice widget. I’m looking forward the complete application. I think it will be the only descent QR code creator app on Mac. I hope that you will also add a ‘save as vector’ (eps, ai, pdf…) option. It is very useful when you want to place your code in a layout on illustrator or inDesign.
Cheers.
Luc
it's sluggish but works , any idea on when a stand alone app will be available?
Positively hate the hot words popups.
Could you make an offline version?
but this generator does not give me the density i need
i build and service computers and i use QR codes to store computer hardwear information so it is easy to accsess right inside the computer
Thank you! this is a very helpful widget! It's easy to use and I love it!
Super-Duper site! I’m loving it!! Will arrive back again again – taking you feeds also, Thanks.
Hello. Good job. I didn’t expect this on the Wednesday. This is a excellent story. Thanks!