Shortening your URL....again...with QR Codes

This will be a short post, but I was reminded about another way to make links for accessible and more likely that people will get to them.  This is especially helpful for mobile use.  It is with the use of QR codes.  A QR code is a "quick-response" code that is a type of barcode.  You can use readers to take a picture of the code and it will then take you to the correct spot.  Many smartphones have the ability to do this, or you can use other mobile devices with cameras like iPods or iPads.  Computers can do it as well if they have a webcam, but it is pretty inconvenient to hold up a picture of a code in front of a desktop webcam.

This is what a QR code looks like.

If you scanned this you would find yourself being directed to the same article that I posted in my last blog post.

You can also create these for email addresses, phone numbers, etc.

How to Make a QR Code
There are many ways to do this.  You can:

1. Go to http://goo.gl (Google URL Shortener I shared before), put in the URL you want to shorten, copy the URL to the link bar and type .qr at the end of the link so it turns into http://goo.gl/M8tzD.qr
You'll see if you click on that link that it will bring up a QR code.  Just right click and save so you can post it online to a website, print it off onto a document, etc.

2. Go to http://bitly.com and make a site using bitly.  Put in the URL and create one.  Then click on the Info Page link next to the shortened link and you will be taken to a page that shows you a QR code.  You can copy or save that to use as well.

3.  There are also other sites like Kaywa Code Generator http://qrcode.kaywa.com/. When you go there it gives you options of URL, Text, Phone Number or SMS.  Choose the option, but in the right link, number, etc. and hit generate.  It will give you a QR code.

4.  If you look up "QR code generator" in Google you'll see all sorts of websites that use the same thing.

How to Read Them
As I mentioned this is easier for mobile devices.  They must have a camera.  If you have a smartphone you can look for an app that may already be installed called a "Barcode Scanner" or something like that.  Otherwise look up an app that might do that as well.

Android devices, Apple devices, BlackBerry devices, etc offer many different apps.  Try searches for "Barcode Scanner" or "QR Barcode Scanner" to find available apps.

This is not the most ideal method if not everyone has mobile devices, but if you want to send something to colleagues or students to use from anywhere a QR code can be nice to scan.

Plus they can't screw up typing it in.