QR Codes a Cool Way to Share Data

I recently discovered QR Codes. QR Codes (QR is short for Quick Read) were created by Denso-Wave a subsidiary of Toyota. They are a type of barcode that can be read by both barcode readers and smartphones with cameras. This is my blogs url encoded in QR Code:

These codes are being used extensively in advertising and even in games. But the thing I like the most is there are several QR code generator online.

The jewel of the crown is that a QR Code are set down in the ISO-18004 standard so they are the same all over the world.

QR Code Online Generators

There are several online QR Code Generators. The followings are the ones I took a peek at:

1. I found Kaywa QR Code to be very good.


2. QR Code Generator from the ZXing Project: Is based on the Googles Chart API and has more types of contents for example has a WIFI Network format. It also has a geo location format which is great.
   
   This the URL for the Biodiversity Museum in Panama.
   
3. QRStuff : has more data types than XZing Project but my QR reader doesn't work with all of them. I create a QR a code for an email message and even though the reader read it, I got an error when I tried to send the email. I like this QR generator site because it has a lot of information on QR codes.
   

Now if you're sort of a nerd (like me) you are probable thinking how to embed the online creators into your own application. The coolest thing about QR codes it's that they are supported the Google Chart API. For example to create a QR code to encode the phrase Hola Panama (Hello Panama) all you have to do is build an URL like this one:

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=350x350&chl=Hola+Panama

You'll get a QR code like this

QR Code Reader

Since I have Blackberry I just focused on readers for BBs. But you can find readers for iPhone, Android and certain versions of Nokias OSs. I found a list of barcode readers can be found at http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/blackberry/.
I chose i-nigma only because it supported many other phones aside from Blackberry. Once installed it has been working great.