QR Code on the telly

So there I was watching a cookery programme when up popped a QR code. Though I have seen them on the telly before, this was the first time I think I have seen one on a “normal” mainstream programme rather than your typical tech news or geek style show.

The programme was a mainstream BBC One early evening choice, so it would have hit a fair few viewers.

You would need to be either watching it recorded or on iPlayer or always have your phone’s QR Code reader ready to capture the code. I checked out how it worked using Optiscan on my iPhone and it (usefully) went to the mobile version of the website for the recipe.

One of the nice features of Optiscan (and other QR Code readers) is that I can then e-mail the link to myself so if necessary I can open the relevant link in my computer’s browser.

So are these QR Codes now mainstream?

Of course QR Codes are quite an old technology and more intelligent smartphone apps can now recognise that you are watching television and bring up the relevant content just by listening to the soundtrack. They compare the sound signature to a library and then connect with relevant content.

Likewise for other uses of QR Codes location awareness and image recognition of real things mean that it is possible to get content just by either taking a photograph or just by your phone knowing where it is.

4 Replies to “QR Code on the telly”

  1. Hi James,

    I’d be interested in know more about the “intelligent smartphone apps can now recognise that you are watching television and bring up the relevant content just by listening to the soundtrack”. Which apps are they and for which phones are they available for (I imagine iPhone & Droid)?

    If you’ve got any links to info. about “uses of QR Codes location awareness and image recognition of real things”, I’d be grateful.

    Something for you, I have my own small QRcode project now up and running, for voting/polling with smartphones. It’s free, quick and easy to use and results can be immediate. You can change the question and choice of answers being offered to those being polled.

    You can find it here:
    http://qwikvotes.com

    Thank you,
    @BobToms

Leave a Reply