QR Codes, the funny looking 2D barcodes, are a fast way that someone with a web-enabled mobile device can access a long URL via their device.

How cool is that? These have been around for years, so why aren't they ubiquitous yet? We've all got cell phones with cameras. Most of us have mobile access to the web either with a terrible WAP browser on an older cell or a sweet fully-functional browser like what you'd find on a Blackberry or iPhone. Nobody likes typing OR remembering things. It only makes sense that every outdoor, bus shelter, subway, transit or billboard ad would start to feature these QR Codes that you can even make yourself.

I think the problem (at least in Canada) is getting the software on the devices themselves. It's too much of a hassle for people to do it themselves, so the carriers need to make the QR code reader a native app.

Picture a situation where you're in a movie store, and all the movies have codes, you scan it, and then you can watch the trailer for that movie. Or you're at a bus stop, looking at an ad for a restaurant, you shoot the QR code and then you can immediately read the menu from their website. The possibilities are limitless. My suggestions have limits.

Ok, so how can the average person use a QR code? Put one on a resume to look cool (nerds only). Put one on a t-shirt with your phone numbers (nerds only)-- ok wait-- these are possibly only cool for nerds at this point...