QR codes are an increasingly-popular way of converting data like website addresses into a form that can be easily scanned. Thus, it’s possible to publish a website address in print, and readers can go to that address without having to type in the address.

For example, users can have the camera on their phones scan a QR code from a print ad, a business card, or a computer screen. Once scanned, the scanner software on the phone will read the data and ask the user what to do — most likely, open the website address embedded in the code.

Technically, QR codes are a specific type of 2D barcode. QR codes are more recent descendants of the UPC codes on your groceries, and the ISBN number codes on your books.

QR codes generally include the same information that a web link does. This web link and the QR code on this page both go to the same URL: http://gigaom.com/collaboration. But the code makes it easy to transfer the link from one machine to another, and even one medium to another, in just a second.

Almost every smartphone has a camera, and there are many QR code reader apps for all of the major platforms. You can generate your own QR codes at Google, at bit.ly, at Jumpscan, and many other sites.

So how can you use QR codes?

To transfer contact information. Darrell has described how QR codes can be used on business cards, and Aliza has noted that QR codes are showing up on name badges at conferences. It’s possible that transferring info this way will become more popular than apps like Bump. (As an experiment, I’ve turned my Facebook profile picture into an QR code, but none of my friends has commented or asked about it yet. I guess they know I’m a techie!)

To drive traffic to special offers. Google is providing cards with QR codes that can be placed in the window or on the counter of a business. The codes on these cards lead to the Google Places page for that business. Google recommends using the codes so that people can find offers from your business, although if they’re already on site, why not display such offers more directly?

To drive traffic to websites from display ads. What’s more likely, I think, is that we’ll begin to see QR codes in print ads, billboards, and possibly on television. New York City has already placed a giant QR code on a display ad in Times Square.

Developers of Android software are using QR codes extensively. Since it’s often easier for phone users to scan a code than to type in a long website address, you’ll often see QR codes on websites for mobile apps. I’m sure that we’ll see new and creative uses for QR codes in the near future.

Do you use QR codes in your work? What’s the most intriguing use you’ve seen for the codes?

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Qipit works by taking the photo on either your camera or camera phone and loading it into their web service.  The image file can be sent to Qipit as either a multimedia message (MMS), mobile email, attached to an email from your PC, or loaded into their service using their website.  When Qipit receives the file, they quickly turn it into either a jpeg or Adobe Acrobat PDF file.

After a few trials, I have been impressed with Qipit’s service overall.  I have a Nokia phone with a high quality 5MP camera and handwritten notes and a printed memo were easily legible when I viewed it on Qipit’s website.  I also tried the Qupit service with a Motorola RAZR, featuring only a 1.3 MP camera.  Printed materials again looked good, however a whiteboard didn’t was not as legible when pictured and sent to QipIt.  In order to frame shot, I had to stand back.  The RAZRs lousy image sensor combined with the lossy compression used on the RAZR camera resulted in a PDF that was barely readable.

If you use Qipit to scan a document or handwritten note, the image will turn out on even an older camera phone.  However if you have a large document or whiteboard to capture, I’d recommend a digital camera that has 3 megapixels or more.  This is the only way to get a quality PDF out of the Qipit service.

Qipit allows you to share the scanned images with others by using their online file storage.  The service is worthy of being called “a poor-mans electronic whiteboard.”  It’s also exceptionally useful for scanning documents on the go, including receipts for those who are on business travel and don’t want to keep all those expense receipts in physical form.

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