In techy on
15 August 2011 with no comments
QR codes are also known as “quick response” codes. They are popping up all over the place lately, due to the influx of smartphones able to capture the code, interpret it, and follow its instructions – either open a URL, send an email, add a contact, or send a text message. Here is some more info from wikipedia on qr codes.
Here’s the QR code for my photography site:
You can change the colors to match your branding, but make sure there’s still enough contrast so mobile devices can easily find and scan it. To make a QR code, you can search google for paid and free services. I used The ZXing Project‘s generator. Fill out the form above, and choose LARGE so you can resize it easily to fit your needs, and download it to your computer.
To embed it on your website, it’s just the same as uploading an image. Think about where you want to put the info (in a sidebar? On every page? footer?), and upload it using your favorite FTP client. The one sized above is 350px/350px – I am going to put it in my sidebar and make it smaller.
To read yours and others’ QR codes: look on your smartphone for a QR app. There are a bunch of free ones out there, and the one I found that works nicely for my iPhone is QR Code City. Install it on your iPhone and when you come across one of these qr codes, launch the application and aim the camera at it until the code registers.
For Android – check out this I just googled just now: Appbrain.com‘s quickmark barcode scanner link.
You can put this code anywhere – your business card, if you have a storefront, print it as a sticker and put it on your door, put it in your email advertisements/mailing lists – just make sure there’s sufficient contrast and that the background is white – the white is part of the code.
Happy scanning. 
In 365 in 2011 on
22 April 2011 with no comments
My summer is pretty much set. I’m taking two research collaborations this summer and just got an assistantship working on a pretty cool project so I’m on an academic high. I’m totally stoked about my own research, which is starting to well and truly take shape. Amazing what a year in a PhD program will do for you – kick you around, beat you up, and leave you feeling a smidge smarter than when you first started.
Just a smidge, though, don’t want my head to get big or anything.
Today, two presentations and a paper. I should really be in bed now but I’m not. Alas. I got a new-to-me camera in the mail, the Canon EOS 3, a pro film body. The battery was dead, so I headed out to Walmart to pick up a new battery for it and ended up getting stuff for the kids’ easter baskets.
Pictures I took today: the bright Staples sign when I ran in to buy some golf pencils for Josh’s class to have something to write their evaluations with, and somehow ended up with new pens. Oops. Also, a portrait of me and Josh.
In 365 in 2011 on
22 April 2011 with no comments
Matthew had a hard time getting out of the car for school today – just burst into tears and melted into a puddle. Poor kiddo.
Lindsey had her follow up doctor visit and it’s confirmed. Hello asthma! She’s now got a spiffy nebulizer and here we go for treatments every 4 hours.
Pictures I took today:
- sunset
- and one I can’t remember!
In 365 in 2011 on
20 April 2011 with no comments
Today my last class for one of my seminars was held at my in-laws’ house. Kathy served up some delicious lime scones and tiny chocolate muffins that were awesome. Good times, good times.
I took two pictures today – one of our group around the table and then one of Matthew tonight in the bathtub.
Now, I am in the neverending journey of grading. Save me.
In 365 in 2011 on
18 April 2011 with no comments
Starting tomorrow and lasting until I’m done with this roll of film (there’s about 12 exposures on it, so a little less than a week, if I do two shots a day), I am going to be using this, well, piece of crap toy camera to document my days. I’ll blog about the picture I took and then once I get them developed, I’ll go back in and add the images.
links of interest:
Holga microsite
Lomography.com
Wiki on Holga
Buy a Holga and get funky.