QR...it's too cool and administrators are not

Now if only the wireless data provider can support all these creative possibilities, I just got a bill from Rogers for a about $200 for the data overage. I went over the 1.4 mb limit playing around with my brand spanking new Blackberry Curve. This made me wonder how much can we really do to utilize the mobile technology. Just exploring a few mobile sites, downloading and installing apps like messenger in 1 month cost me $200 and I ended up using 14mb of data.

Aside from getting penalized for exploring the new technology, I just sat in on a lecture given by James Eberhardt on QR Code. I was very disappointed to learn that the reader is not supported by Blackberry. Poop!! I tried to install the reader from Kaywa, but BlackBerry is not listed. For a smartphone that was not very bright. I was so excited to see what I can do with it when I tried to snap a QR code from qrcode.kaywa.com, but my phone did nothing. In his demonstration on his very nice Nokia phone, the school url showed up. The phone came pre-installed with a reader, and as the user uses the web cam feature or the camera feature, the camera is constantly scanning for the QR code. The potential use is almost limitless!!

I have seen the QR code used in HK when I walked by a subway poster, I was curious about it. And it can track where the usage is coming from, the advertising marketing metric potential is incredible. Who wouldn't want to track which ad is drawing the most attention. I think it's in the best interest of the mobile industry to cooperate with the advertising/marketing industry to set up a standard for this. All phones, including smartphones aught to be able to read QR codes. But damn those policy makers and money grubbing board room fat cats are holding up on this potential. As James noted, when it comes to platform development it's about where the money goes, as there are liscensing issues to deal with. So this is this the case where the administration and politics is holding up innovation.

Honestly!! How convinient is it to just walk by something, scan it on a phone video cam or still cam and get the url or other text-base info that you need? Like a bill board trying to talk to you via your cell phone but it's not commonly used here in Toronto. Hopefully it will be a standard soon and damn you fat cats, make data cost more affordable!! Afterall, what's the point of owning a smartphone when it costs an arm and a leg to use the basic features and functions?!! Wake up and smell the Java!!

Whoa Change!!!

I have always been a sucker for interesting/innovative applications of technology and how it effects the users. It's almost like a chicken and egg question that a professor of mine once asked, does the tool effect change on the user or does the user effect that change in creating the tool? It was an interesting take on how design process starts a uniquely self-conscious set of influences to the way we see a situation. Enabling a ripple effect of change through seemingly insignificant influences/factors that starts by the simplest decision we make. What do I buy? How do I solve this problem? Etc.

Individuals like James Burke, Marshall McLuhan and Steven D Levitt have spent their career explaining human nature and the pattern of change we've created for ourselves. I haven't even started on the application of Semiotics in the culture of change.

Thank you, Maurice Barnwell for the best Design Process course I ever took at design school!! My favourite part was Vernacular Design Process versus Self-Conscious Design Process.