At the consumer electronics show this year (CES is held every January in LasVegas), a new mobile app called "Clickable Paper" was introduced to the American public. This technology has been available in Japan for a couple years and now it's making its debut in the United States. In reading more about how it works, I'm boggling at the magic of it all. As companies get on board with the technology, this app (free on the consumer side) is poised to make the QR code obsolete.
For those who don't know, QR stands for "Quick Response". The code is a white square full of little black squares arranged in a seemingly random pattern. The pattern of those squares is read by an app on your smartphone and is typically used to direct you to a webpage. I have set up QR codes for my small business and have different ones based on the type of interaction I'm seeking from my potential customers. It might be a link to my Facebook page or my web store or an info page on my products.
One exciting thing about the Clickable Paper application is that you aren't limited to a single link. I don't have to give my potential customers the option of going to my Facebook page, or my webstore or my info page. I can give them ALL of those options at the same time with a single snapshot. What I find more exciting is it can be used with ANY printed material, no matter WHEN it was printed. If you have old brochures in circulation and you still have one on hand, you can scan it in and make it clickable. Another related upside is you don't have to make space on your new printed materials for an unsightly code box or create a new QR code every time you have a new page you want to feature. The user can share the information on Facebook or Twitter from within the app - another feature not available with a static QR code.
This new imaging technology is offered by Ricoh, presumably with a cost to the companies who participate since Ricoh embeds the hotspots and hosts the images. If the cost for the service is reasonable (thereby enabling small businesses to compete along side the big boys) we could see widespread use of this technology over the next few years, ultimately replacing the ubiquitous and somewhat limited QR code.
~Louise
Hi Louise.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the "primer" on clickable paper, as well as the refresher on QR. It's amazing how there always seems to be a way to "build a better mousetrap" when it comes to technology - especially when someone comes out with a v 1.0 of something. (QR was great, but it sounds like Ricoh has figured out how to enhance and remove limitations.)
I personally never used the "scan here with your smartphone" that I see in magazines and even resumes, but as more folks get on board with clickable paper, I can see myself eventually using it. :)
-w
Louise,
ReplyDeleteThis is great information. I have not used the QR either even though I have seen it multiple times. I used to work for Verizon Wireless and I know we used it for our customers, but I never had the need to use it. This is interesting though and I will make sure to check it out.
Theresa
This is certainly new information I was not aware of, but am going to learn more about. Thank you for the post.
ReplyDeleteSounds pretty cool. I felt like this was way over my head but really fascinating. Looks like this company has made the cream of the crop for this QR.
ReplyDeleteAlso it is very neat you have used this for a small business and you have a good understanding of how it all works.
Thanks for sharing,
Cari
Hi, Louise:
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you went to the trade show. We you able to see demonstrations and ask questions?
I had heard about the clickable paper, but had not had the time to research it. I think I'll try to find some time to do a little research now -- sounds like a wonderful business application that I could start using in my office soon. I'm usually apprehensive about trying new technology apps and software without an endorsement from a trusted source. I now have one on Clickable Paper.
Thanks for the information Louise.
Carolyn
Oops - Louise: Were you able to see demonstrations and ask questions? Sorry for the typo.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn
No, I didn't go to the show. I read about it in an article about new technology and did some digging to find out more. There is a video online that shows how the app works.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so interesting. Do you have the link for the online video of how the app works? Would love to check it out.
ReplyDelete-Christine
This is the info page: http://www.infoprint.com/internet/ipww.nsf/vwWebPublished/solss_clickable-paper_en#h2/
ReplyDeleteVideo links are to the right.
Or, you can go to youtube and search for "clickable paper".