[Open Source Broadcasting] QR Codes and Geolocation on the Cheap

[John Tynan]

Okay, so my last post was inaccurate... well, wrong.  And, while I don't want to dismiss the value of what the Public Radio Roadtrip does and can do for stations, everything I described could be pretty much done without the Public Radio Roadtrip app.

I don't want there to be any smoke and mirrors here.  I don't want to expend people's time and attention on a faulty assumption... and it doesn't get me any closer to selling the experience (although I will say that the idea of getting qrcodes of public radio stories out into the world is exciting to me).

So, with that in mind, let me describe how simple of a process it can be to associate QRCodes with radio stories and then to get these stories out into the real world.

Let's say you're a grocer.  Let's say you want to entice people to pay a little extra to buy some of your great hydroponic tomatoes from Canada.

Let's say you want to appeal to their qualities as enlightened NPR listeners.  So, you go to NPR.org



Next, search for Tomoato.



You find this great article about why tomatoes don't taste like anything and you find that it mentions hydroponic tomatoes from Canada. Great! Now, you right-click on the download link for the story and select "Copy Link Address".



Next, in another tab or browser window, go to createqrcode.appspot.com.



Then, paste the link to the audio story that you just copied into the textarea at createqrcode.appspot.com. Then, click "Create QR Code".



Vola! You got it. Now, print this page.

While you're at it, print the page from NPR.



Then, using some scissors, cut around the QR Code on the printed page.



Then, using some tape, paste the QR Code to the printed article.

Finally, take your poster out into the world and tape it to a pole or tack it to a community bulletin board (or in this example, by a tomato display at your business).



Now, people can use their smartphones to scan the QR Code and listen to the story, right there where they find it, wherever they find it, out in the world!


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Posted By John Tynan to Open Source Broadcasting at 7/14/2011 11:41:00 PM