QR codes rule!

QR Cloud Project by Golfstrommen

I for one, am a great fan of QR codes - I think they're a really interesting and interactive way of connecting with your consumers and encouraging more online/digital interaction. In Japan, they're a big thing, featured almost everywhere, from magazines to shop windows to product aisles in supermarkets - it's a quick way for consumers to get more information on a product and to receive exclusive deals/coupons. It's also a way to track who your consumer is - though slightly bordering on privacy issues, I think QR codes should be embraced more in today's marketing world. Using it across different media platforms and channels will be interesting and maybe even using it for branding purposes as this company has started doing: an application that allows you to barcode your online profile and identity as a branding tool!

http://jumpscan.com/

Anyway, you can only imagine my excitement when Golfstrommen came up with the idea of using QR codes as a new way to disseminate art! Genius! I love the idea of making art consumable like products - in today's byte-sized and snappy culture, taking the time out to really enjoy and savor the arts is a luxury. So, having the ability to access art while you're on the go and having stored into a digital database for later viewing is a great way to go about promoting the arts to a wider audience! Imagine having QR codes at museums, where you can download a thumbnail of your favorite artwork with a quick discussion about the work, all on your phone! two thumbs up!

For more information on the project, visit http://golfstromen.nl/work/qr-cloud-project/

One-step closer to a cyborg universe

flicflex concept from chris woebken on Vimeo.

Flicflex by Chris Woebken

Taking the concept of the ipad and Kindle one step further, Chris Woebken came up with a concept for the future of flexible displays and interactions: "...'opening a letter, unfolding it and feeling the texture of the paper is a very tactile experience compared to receiving an e-mail. on top of the content itself, the behavior and micro-interactions adds a level of engagement to the medium.’ using this physical approach, he designed a series of interface gestures that take advantage of motion sensors and flexible displays."

It's one step closer towards a cyborgian future where the digital is so intertwined and co-opted into our everyday 'tangible' experiences. Imagine owning one of these bad boys - you won't ever need to carry around a book/laptop/notebook - just sync it up and you have instant digital access and yet somehow retain a 'virtual' sense of tangibility with the 'real' world... but who are we kidding? Eons from now, kids will be toting these flexible screens around and will never have had the satisfaction of feeling paper between their fingers and enjoying that little moment when you rip off a page from your favorite magazine and feeling the paper grain as you fold it and put it into your 'scrapbook'.

Call me old school, hey, maybe even a little nostalgic...but i worry about the day when books are no longer printed and i won't get the joy of looking at my ever-expanding bookshelves cos it's all stored digitally in these nifty little devices..