The domain dedicated to all things 2D code. If it is black, white, square and grid-like, it should be here. BAWS features inspirational implementations, innovative use of mobile marketing and artistic license with QR code and 2D barcodes.
Stamping Chinese banknotes with censorship-busting QR codes
An anonymous anti-censorship group is stamping Chinese banknotes with a QR code and the message “Scan and download software to break the Internet firewall.” The stamps encode a URL for Freegate, a firewall-busting service.
A simple method to defy the government regulation of the internet, however many users complained that the stamps were too low res to scan.
A news reporter for Bloomberg, after doing a piece about Bitcoin, gave his co-hosts gift vouchers in the popular cryptocurrency. The mistake was revealing the QR codes which contain enough information for the bitcoins to be taken – comparable to waving your bank account details around.
QR codes, enabling information to be snapped easily, even if it is the contents of your digital wallet.
Harney Sushi prints food information such as ingredients and their sources onto edible rice paper, served as part of their dish. [via PSFK]
Hypnotically-good monochrome visuals in an experimental film about the near-future Bristol, UK, where QR codes and augmented reality surround us. [instance of NSFW language]
Not posted to condone graffiti or the amendment of advertising billboards.
World’s first QR codes coins going into currency circulation in the Netherlands. The pair of coins, a silver (5€) and gold (10€) were made to celebrate 100 year anniversary of the mint go into circulation on June 22nd and the mint promises a surprise if users follow the codes embeded link [www.q5g.nl] which goes live in the 22nd.
I’m not sure how scannable the codes are going to be, its quite a small size, the larger coin is just over and inch wide and the QR code is only part of that.
Still I congratulate the Royal Dutch Mint of being so forward thinking and embracing the technology.
UPDATE: Site is now live with an intro video and a game to play. Take a look at the design tab for some more detail images/video.
Shin-B – Get Up And Go [QR BARCODE] – ‘QRCode-tastic’ music video, like it.
Follow-up ‘how to’ vid about scanning the codes: http://youtu.be/AMnX7KZ6wfM
If you are looking for some advice for designing with QR Codes this resource has come up a few times as the ‘go-to’ source for the design of custom stylised QR Codes.
The page is a summary on a fantastic slideshare presentation from the same author, which gives an overview of all things QR Code and the design of them, well worth a look.
QR Codes, as part of the game environment in the video game Homefront [by THQ] received more than 30,000 scans within the first 48 hours of the games launch. The codes linked to videos which supported the storyline or downloadable content.
I like this extra element of discovery and interactivity which involve you and your mobile device, as if a part of the games plot.
[potential spoiler] List of all the code locations