URL Redirect and Testings Keys to Successful QR Codes

by Holly Shoemaker

With the increase in smartphone use, quick response (QR) codes are becoming a way to get the latest deals and promotions out to consumers. They were an integral part of holiday shopping, and the U.S. Postal Service and others will continue to place emphasis on them as part of their marketing campaigns in 2013.

What is a QR Code?

A QR code is simply a readable bar code that stores up to 4,296 characters of information in its data. Bar codes may come in different patterns, multiple shapes and colors. However, the pattern in the corners should always remain clear.

Designing an Effective Code

While the color, pattern and shape of the code may vary, there are some basic guidelines developers should adhere to when developing a QR code:

• Keep the code simple – A more complex code will lead to a larger code pattern, meaning the image projected on the smartphone will become larger for the consumer to read. Therefore, developers should simplify the code to keep the image easy to read.
• Use a shorter URL – Keep the URL small. When the URL becomes larger, so does the pattern of code. When the code stores more information, the image becomes harder to read.
• Create a URL Redirect – The URL itself is often the biggest long-term challenge for developers because QR codes cannot be edited. If the code needs altering, companies will need new marketing materials because the old code becomes void. To avoid the costs associated with printing new materials to accommodate a new code, create a URL redirect or URL forwarding. This allows developers to have the code land where it needs, without changing the URL itself. A URL redirect also keeps the URL shorter, easier to manage and allows the developer to change the end location without the need for editing.

Always Test and Test Again

As with all apps, developers need to test the code. First, print the code to make sure it fits the needed specs. Then use a few different scanners to ensure the bar code works. Make sure the phone works across platforms and devices so test on iPhones and various Android devices. Developers should also test with different lighting as the end user will not always scan the code under the same lighting conditions.

Concluding Thoughts

Keep the URL short and the pattern easy to read. If the URL goes astray from where the end user needs to land, the code itself becomes useless. Therefore, test the code to ensure it works under multiple conditions to take into consideration multiple scanning scenarios.

Verizon Tops Again for Consumer Reports: Latest Tips and Rankings

by Holly Shoemaker

Last week I provided the tablet trends from the December 2012 Consumer Reports Electronics Issue. Now, I gave gathered the latest smartphone trends and rankings by carrier.

Smartphone Trends

• Screen Size and Edges – Customers will see larger screens and rounder edges for easier viewing and holding. Most of the top-rated phones have 4.3 inch screens, measuring diagonally.
• Beyond Apple and Samsung – Despite the Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III making Consumer Reports top ten electronics list, the non-profit agency says to look beyond Apple and Samsung. The other standout devices were Verizon’s Motorola Razr phone, which Consumer Reports says has, “nifty apps," and the HTC One for its intuitive interface.
• 4G – This is now considered the standard, with the exception of the iPhone 4S on Verizon and Sprint. More speed may translate into using more data so keep track of monthly payments.

Smartphone Rankings by Carrier

As Verizon did in the Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012, the carrier still ranks first in satisfaction, followed by Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T.

For Verizon subscribers, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx topped the list with a score of 78, followed by the Galaxy S III (32 GB) with a score of 76 and the iPhone 5 (16 GB) with a score of 75. The Motorola Droid Razr M and Razr also scored in the top five.

For Sprint users, the Galaxy S III (16 GB) ranked first with a score of 76, followed by the iPhone 5 (16 GB) with a score of 75 and the HTC EVO 4G LTE with a score of 73.

For T-Mobile subscribers, the Galaxy S III (16 GB) scores first with 78 points, followed by the HTC One S with a score of 77 and the Galaxy S II with a score of 75.

AT&T subscribers show a similar trend with manufactures for T-Mobile. The Galaxy 3 III (16 GB) ranks first with a score of 78, followed by the iPhone 5 with a score of 77 and the HTC One X with a score of 76.

Texting Among Physicians Grows; Prefer Non-Hospital Issued Phones

by Holly Shoemaker

Previous research indicates that physicians have become more reliant on tablets and smartphones, and a recent survey shows that pediatricians want to ditch the pager too.

Researchers from the University of Kansas School of Medicine surveyed 106 physicians at pediatric hospitals and found the following regarding communication methods:

While verbal face-to-face and telephone communications remained the most used form of communication at 92 percent, the reliance on non-verbal methods continues to grow, and respondents do not necessarily favor verbal communication.

• More than half of the respondents, 57 percent, said they send or receive work-related text messages.
• Twenty-seven percent of respondents favored texting for communication.
• Twenty-three percent of respondents favored hospital-issued pagers.
• Twenty-one percent favored face-to-face communication.
• Nine of out of 10 respondents reported using a smartphone for communication purposes.

Respondents Prefer Non-Hospital Issued Phones

The study showed that doctors preferred using their own cell phone for work-related communications. Forty-one percent of respondents said they received text messages on their own devices, while 18 percent used hospital-issued phones.

Concluding Thoughts

The larger reliance on personal smartphones seems to come from the lack of clear-cut policies related to texting. The physicians reported that their hospitals did not have a policy in place for texting to ensure they complied with Health Insurance Portability and Protection Act (HIPAA) measures that require properly encrypted methods to protect patient information. Furthermore, patient preference regarding the type of device used may also account for the trend.

Texting and the growing reliance on other technologies may cause medical professionals to overlook the importance of face-to-face communication. As doctors, nurses and other medical professionals rely more on tablets, smartphones and electronic communication methods, they will need to take the time to explain the importance of other methods to their patients.

Facebook Gains Mobile App Ground and Improves Developer Experience

by Holly Shoemaker

Facebook has started to generate revenue from mobile apps. Yesterday, Facebook announced that its mobile revenue grew faster than expected in Q2 2012. 

Facebook reported the following:  

• The company now generates 14 percent of its revenue from mobile ads. 

• Mobile usage rose 61 percent from year to year with a monthly average of 604 million users. The company also reported an average revenue per user rate of $1.29, up one percent from last quarter earnings, but still down 9 cents from Q4 2011.

• Revenue from payments increased 13 percent to $176 million.

• In total, advertising revenue increased 36 percent to $1.09 billion, up from 28 percent in Q2.

News for Developers

Facebook also announced an SDK update for Android last week, designed to make it easier for developers to distribute and promote apps. The company noted the release is the largest overhaul to date for SDK Android. Developers may download the release in the Android Dev Center.

Earlier in the month, Facebook announced that it has almost completed its redesigned Google Android app. It is supposedly in the testing phase, but the company has not released specifics or a date.

Concluding Thoughts

Facebook has made steps to improve mobile apps for its users and developers, and Google left an opening. While Google remains the number one provider of smartphone software, it missed targets because if its increased reliance on lower-priced ads. 

While all of these details bring some good news to Facebook, the company will have to maintain a balance with its mobile ad stream without damaging a user's experience with too many ads, and it will need to drive the price of its mobile ads up. At the same time, the company needs to retain its focus on improving the Android experience.

Postal Service Targets Mobile Holiday Shopping: Continues Barcode Promotion Program

by Holly Shoemaker

The U.S. Postal Service continues to target the smartphone and tablet markets as part of its 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion, a program designed to enhance direct mailing efforts. The agency is now offering the USPS Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion geared to spur online holiday shopping.

Promotion Overview

The Post Office created the promotion to complement Black-Friday and Cyber-Monday shopping deals. The agency hopes that by using mobile promotion offers, coupons and catalogs customers will have needed discounts to maximize online holiday shopping efforts.

The promotion will run from November 7, 2012 to November 21, 2012. Registration opened in the middle of September and continues until November 21, 2012. Businesses that register will receive the following:

• A two-percent postage discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail pieces that include a barcode or other image users may scan on a smartphone or other mobile device like a tablet. The barcode must lead a user to the advertised product on a mobile device or the sale will not qualify. 
• The agency will offer an additional one-percent rebate on qualified mailings fulfilled by Priority Mail between November 9, 2012 and December 31, 2012.

Concluding Thoughts

In July and August 2012, the U.S. Postal Service offered a postage discount for direct mailers that included QR codes. The latest promotion shows a continued effort to ensure that direct mail remains a relevant marketing tool. By combining mobile technology with a more traditional marketing approach, consumers have another way to accomplish their holiday shopping.

Purple Haze All Around: Apple Blames iPhone 5 Users

by Holly Shoemaker

Apple is not doing itself any favors. After an insincere map app apology, the company now says that the purple flare seen on the edges of some photographs taken with the iPhone 5 is related to user error.

Apple’s Stance

Pictures may show a purple flare if users aim the smartphone near a light source, which causes a reflection typically on the edge of a photograph. Apple suggests users take photos away from bright light and change the angle of the shoot. These are not suggestions that users could not figure out on their own.

My Investigation

I consulted a professional photographer, Alan Rosenberg, to get an expert opinion on the iPhone 5 camera issue. While he confirmed light sources may cause the issue, he said it also depends on what covers the lens. When light hits the lens, the covering may cause the flare.

So what does Apple use to cover the lens? The iPhone 5 has a sapphire cover that protects the camera’s lens. That crystal material could cause the purple haze seen in photographs.

Concluding Thoughts

While Consumer Reports gave the iPhone 5 high ratings, better than the iPhone 4S, and noted the eight-megapixel camera was one of the best cameras tested, Apple’s response is ridiculous and intuitive. The company basically says do not look directly into the sun. It makes me think as a child being told not to look directly at a solar eclipse. To me, the response is also like saying do not use flash with a lot of light or the picture will look like an x-ray.

Apple never likes to admit fault, but it ignores a basic rule of business – the customer is always right. In this case, as well as the map app one, Apple just shows poor customer service and insults its loyal users.