Windows Phone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

Google is sending out decals to thousands of businesses that have a QR barcode on it. The idea is you can scan the barcode with your phone using special software and get information about the place you are about to enter, reviews and even instant coupons. If this catches on, it will be nice when walking up to a restaurant and immediately getting third party reviews to help you make a decision on whether or not to enter it.

If you go to the FAQ, you can find links to a number of different software packages that read the codes, many of which work on Windows Mobile. After all of the hype about Microsoft Tag, i never really got how it would get into the mainstream. Looks like Google figured out a way, but they used a two dimensional code over fifteen years old.

"I'd like to take a moment to direct your attention back to Microsoft Tags, which I posted about back in January. I know many of you have questioned how a Microsoft Tag differs from a QR Code and why you'd chose one over the other. I'll happily stay out of that debate and leave you to refer to the Microsoft Tag website"

The Windows Mobile blog has post on the recently updated Microsoft Tag software. You can now have dots embedded in pictures instead of the colored triangles in your tags. The software is really cool in how it works, but until we start seeing tags in public to aim our phones at, this has little use.

"Microsoft Tag creates unlimited possibilities for making interactive communications an instant, entertaining part of life. They transform physical media (print advertising, billboards, product packages, information signs, in-store merchandising, or even video images) - into live links for accessing information and entertainment online. "

Well, I have no clue how viable this technology will be - it depends on the adoption rate. I am impressed though with the application. It is small and lightning fast even on an older HTC Wizard. Download the app directly to your device at http://gettag.mobi on your device. It installs just fine to a storage card. Then see where the tag shown above takes you. Don't try to press the button on your camera. Tag will automagically process the tag once it is recognized in the view screen.