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Comment by colmvp | Hacker News Reader

http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/

I've found them horribly useful for passing authentication tokens from desktop to mobile devices. It means that you can move tokens without having to type enormous screens or go through a normal login form.

They're even pretty if you embed them with a bitmap using QArt — http://research.swtch.com/qart

QR codes on billboards and in marketing are kind of rubbish, but in terms of moving a URL or a phone number from your PC to your phone quickly, they're actually pretty useful.

nope, i run http://miniqr.com for that exact reason, and lets just say, it never took off (and nobody uses is that way)

What determined the outcome of your service was the convenience factor. To use it, the user needs to select the information, go to your webpage, and then submit it. It's too much work for the user.

OP's program removes 1/3rd of the steps, making it much easier for the user.

That site also looks pretty unfriendly.

Unless you can share your clipboard between them, which works even better.

QR codes on billboards and in marketing are kind of rubbish

On a big billboard beside the freeway, sure. In a home for sale sign, or in a bus shelter, or anywhere else where people are either a) very interested or b) captive, they are fantastic.

The best place I've seen QR codes is on the tube.

Because hey, I'mma scan this QR code, and then remember about it when I'm topside.

My favourite QR code use was from the tube: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/AneZAsiCAAATy1Q.jpg:large

Keep your phone hidden (but check out this QR code!)

> check out this QR code!

Instead of trying to scan that QR code (in a corner of a billboard), here's the URL: http://www.btp.police.uk/pickpockets/

I find it useful, it just needs to be easier on phones to get to the qr code scanner. I use an iphone, and if it was as easy as just opening up the camera app, pointing at the code which it recognized and put a box around (similar to the focus box perhaps) that I could click on, it would go a long way to getting more people to use them.

This gets posted in every qr code topic. You can't deny QR Codes are popular in Japan and Korea...

You can store WiFi access point credentials in a QR code: http://www.qrzilla.com (click WiFi)

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