Most people have seen QR codes (Quick Response Codes), although they have only been common in North America since 2006. They were invented in Japan in 1998 in order to make the inventory of automobiles easier during manufacture. They quickly became popular in other industries due to the easy of readability and the capacity for storing large amounts of data. It's interesting to note that Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, holds the patent rights to the QR code but has chosen not to exercise them. There are other patent rights on both the code and the name, QR code, so it is important for all companies using them to make sure that they are using both a standard type and one that is licensed.

The Scoop on QR Codes

As for the data that QR codes contain, please look at this very good diagram from Wikipedia. There are also different versions of QR codes. For example, Version 4, the most common today holds up to 55 characters, but soon there will be much higher versions. Already there is a Version 10 containing 174 characters and additional tracking boxes (not just the 3 that appear on the version above). Here is the new Version 40 that can contain 142 characters. How to read and use QR codes is very simple. First, download an app program for QR codes to your mobile phone equipped with a camera. There are lots of them, but RedLaser is a good one for both Apple or Android types. Blackberry users can choose QR Scanner Pro. After you follow the directions, you simply take a picture of the QR code you wish to scan, making sure you are as close as possible and without glare. Once the app has recognized the code, it will take you to the designated website on your mobile device. Here are some cautions. I'm going to quote directly from the Wikipedia article. There are now safeguards being developed to protect against these atagging (attack tagging) problems, but it's a good idea to check before you download an app.The sources for this information has all be carefully checked by Wikipedia contributors. Please refer to the original article.

Malicious QR Codes combined with a permissive reader can put a computer's contents and user's privacy at risk. This practice is known as "atagging", a portmanteau of "attack tagging." They are easily created and may be affixed over legitimate QR Codes. On a smartphone, the reader's many permissions may allow use of the camera, full internet access, read/write contact data, GPS, read browser history, read/write local storage, and global system changes. Risks include linking to dangerous websites with browser exploits, enabling the microphone/camera/GPS and then streaming those feeds to a remote server, analysis of sensitive data (passwords, files, contacts, transactions), and sending email/SMS/IM messages or DDOS packets as part of a botnet, corrupting privacy settings, stealing identity, and even containing malicious logic themselves such as JavaScript or a virus. These actions may occur in the background while the user only sees the reader opening a seemingly harmless webpage. In Russia, a malicious QR Code caused phones that scanned it to send premium texts at a fee of USD$6 each.

Unfortunately the use of QR codes has become a huge security risk for mobile phones, according to e-Cycle.

Mobile phones and tablets contain an overwhelming amount of confidential data. Sensitive emails, business contacts and passwords are all available on cell phones and pads. Making this information susceptible to hackers can be disastrous and while most people have learned to think twice before clicking on a suspicious link that was emailed to them, they do not exercise the same level of caution when it comes to QR codes. This lack of protection makes QR codes a growing risk in mobile security. Users should be aware of the mobile security risk that QR codes pose and view the website they are directed to before scanning. Various QR code applications allow the option to preview the link prior to scanning the barcode. This precaution prevents the user from scanning a code when the URL appears suspicious. Often times when a QR code is fraudulent, it will lead the user directly to a login screen. Cybercriminals use this form as a trap to retrieve personal information. In most instances, personal information should not be required when scanning a QR code. Legitimate codes will automatically complete a request or will only require contact information for subscriptions.   To view the rest of this article, click here.

Another way is to use a QR Code app that checks the codes before they are opened such as Norton Snap. If there is a "bad" code the reader program or app will notify you and advise not to open it. Businesses should also clearly state what you will see after opening a QR code. Just as with e-mail and phone calls no one should give out private information after opening up a code. Now there are programs that can change what you see when you open up a code. It is not always just the home page of a website. It can be a video, a sales page - any number of things and the site can be changed as often as every minute by the program or plugin. Google Chrome has a setting that allows you to create a QR code just by right clicking on a website. 

So that's the scoop on QR codes. It seems that QR codes as well as Bar codes are here to stay and both are very useful. Restaurants and real estate offices especially have adopted them wholeheartedly. They are easy to make and easily converted to data or directed to websites. After having lived in Japan for 15 years myself I hand it to the Japanese to have invented something so useful and small, like one of their small computers or semiconductors. By the way, QR Codes can also be used with Kanji, the lettering used by the Chinese and Japanese, so they have been completely adopted in China, even being used on subway passes and soon on passports. What's your experience with QR codes? Please leave a comment below.

The New Gold Rush Fueled by Cell Phones and TVs

Did you know that the color pictures for cell phones and TVs are produced by rare earth elements  such as praseodymium, cerium and lanthanum? They also make magnets lighter, balance the colors of fluorescent lights and add to wind turbines and the regenerative brakes of hybrid cars. Here’s the reason they have not been mined in the US, where they are prevalent, especially at former gold and silver mine sites.

"The reason they haven't been explored for in the U.S. was because as long as China was prepared to export enough rare earths to fill the demand, everything was fine — like with the oil cartels. When China began to use them as a political tool, people began to see the vulnerability to the U.S. economy to having one source of rare earth elements," said Ian Ridley, director of the USGS Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center in Colorado.     Two years ago, China raised prices — in the case of Neodymium, used to make Prius electric motors stronger and lighter, from $15 a kilogram in 2009 to $500 in 2011, while Dysprosium oxide used in lasers and halide lamps went from $114 a kilogram in 2010 to $2,830 in 2011. It's also about the time China cut off supplies to Japan, maker of the Prius, in a dispute over international fishing territory.     To read the original of this article click here.

With these elements so valuable and necessary, the good news is that they are available in the US and perhaps other places as well. This will provide new jobs and stop the monopoly China has enjoyed. It seems ironic that the new miners will be going through the tailings of old mines for rocks the original miners discarded. As the saying goes, one person's waste is another person’s treasure. I would also like to see some of these electronic machines recycled as well in a safe, environmentally way. Perhaps some of these rare elements could also be recycled. This is a picture of rare earth oxides.

How Does Cloud Computing Effect Mobile Phones?

What is cloud computing? It's a way to organize and utilize all your technical devices. According to Wikipedia, "End users access cloud-based applications through a web browser or a light-weight desktop or mobile app while the business software and user's data are stored on servers at a remote location." Click here for the original quote
 Here is a short video that further explains it.

 How does this relate to mobile phones? They are part of the link, especially when it comes to giving remote directions to other devices. It's sort of like having your own world wide web for you and your associates. Storing data from a cell phone or iPad by using cloud storage has several advantages. First it saves space by not taking up valuable data space on the phone. If the phone is lost or stolen the data has been saved. It's a more secure storage rather than sending data by e-mail or text through the airwaves where it could be intercepted. Lastly as with the other devices in your platform infrastructure (see diagram above), the data will be easy to access from any other source. According to a recent article by Lindsey LaManna published in Business Innovation from SAP  "Thousands of businesses are making the switch from on-premise to the cloud. According to recent research, almost 60% of companies are already in the cloud and an additional 20% are planning to do so within the next 12 months."  One last comment - how secure are the cloud storage locations? So far I've not seen anything written about preventing cloud hacking. Where exactly are these clouds? It seems to me that if multiple companies are storing data in one place it could be disaster as well as a good thing.

How to Save When Buying Cell Phones Online

It's easy to buy a cell phone these days. Just walk into the store, pick out your phone plus your setup  and payment plan and walk out with your new phone. But wait - there's a way to save a lot of money if you already know what phone you want by buying online.

Let's run this scenario again: walk into the store and look at phones, asking the sales rep questions and comparing what they have. Next, decide which phone you'd like. Walk out of the store without a phone, go to your computer and order it online. You'll probably save as much as $200. Here's an article by Josh Kirschner  that was written in 2010, but still very much applicable to today's situation.

Who are these fly-by-night online retailers? How about AmazonWireless and Walmart. And also, Wirefly, the largest online cell phone retailer (which operates Radio Shack's online store, as well).

As you can see from the price comparison, the amount you save will vary by carrier and model, but it's often considerable. And, you even get free shipping (2-day with AmazonWireless) and phone activation promotions not available through the carriers.

To read the original article click here.

Please check this out, but it seems the online cell phone purchases also come with other perks such as rebates and special services not available at the stores. In addition, you can trade in your old phone online as well. Here are a few sites: BuyMyTronics.com, Gazelle.com and CExchange.com.

Mr. Kirschner mentions that you won't have the service from the sales person to change over your contact list. However, in the comment section, several people have pointed out that the sales people at the carrier's office (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc) will be more than happy to set up your contacts for you and anything else your online purchase is lacking. It pays to shop around online as well. The present prices vary from $66 to $638. My advice is to check out these phones in the store, handle them, try the features and then buy online from a reputable dealer who will guarantee the purchase.

What’s so Great About Responsive Websites?

As we head into the changes coming to mobile websites and accessories in 2014, the big buzzwords this year are “responsive websites”. With the number of different sized mobile screens now – everything from flip-top phones to iPads – the need for a website that can adjust in size to all of them is becoming more important. While mobile websites have been around for some years now they were often plugins added to the main website or even separate websites. This created a headache when it came to maintaining data as it meant changing both sites. In addition, these mobile site were not adapting to the various mobile screen sizes.

Enter responsive websites. While adapting these new templates or custom designs means redesigning the entire current website, it should be able to last for years without further renovations to the basic design. Amber Alvi has recently very succinctly  outlined the reasons for switching to a responsive website. Here is part of her article, “Top 5 Reasons to Adopt Responsive Web design in 2014”.

1. Google strongly recommends it as it is easier for the search engines to crawl over one site, not 2 put together. “Responsive websites have one URL and the same HTML. This lets Google easily crawl and index your website content. This reason alone should make you sign up for responsive design now!”

2. There will be less bounce rate. It is estimated that right now 28% of searches are done from mobile devices. When someone goes to a site and can’t see it well (the printing is too small from a regular website), that person is going to go elsewhere and leave your site.

3. One website needs only one SEO campaign, not one for the main site and one for the mobile site. “No need to promote individual websites for your desktop and mobile at the same time. This will definitely give you an edge over your non-responsive competitors.”

4. The responsive design will mean low maintenance and a longer life before another design needs to be adopted.

5. Better ROI (Return on Investment). “To expand your business, it is necessary to reach more people than your rivals. A responsive design will make sure you have a larger audience increasing your chances of conversions.”

To read the original of this article, click here.

So where can one find these responsive websites? Of course contacting an established web designer and viewing the finished websites is one way. For the “do-it-yourselfer”, Google has lots of help offered from responsive website free templates to responsive website tutorials and examples.

I’ve chosen two examples here that are well-known but very different companies. Unfortunately they will not resize on this page, but please try them on your mobiles: http://disney.com  and http://theglobeandmail.com

 It seems that the benefits of using an established template with this new technology makes sense. Perhaps starting with a template that the web designer could supplement is another alternative. This is the wave of the future, not a passing fad, and the sooner your company or group adopts one the better it will be to increase traffic to your website.