vcf.me is a free service for producing address book compatible files and QR codes to download to your computer or your phone.

Formats

vcf.me converts several types of information into QR Codes:

vCard

A vCard is a kind of file used for exchanging address book data. It’s the file format used by the iPhone and most email address books.

URL

Enter a url to a website, your facebook profile or your twitter profile.

Map

Drag the map pointer or use the in-map search to find your location. The location label in the form will be attached to the pointer on the map. Also, the Google Maps link is shortened with bit.ly so the QR Code isn’t too dense.

Free text

Enter up to 200 characters in the form. The more characters you have, the denser the QR Code will be. Dense QR Codes are more difficult to scan.

Morse Code

You can encode/decode not-so-secret Morse Code versions of your messages.

 

QR Codes

QR stands for ‘Quick Response’. Traditional bar codes are 1 dimensional. This means the data is stored horizontally, so if you want more data you just have to make it really long. A QR Code stores data in 2 dimensions. This means it can store much more data than a traditional bar code. The denser the bar code (ie. the more squares it has) the more data it can hold. However, denser codes are harder to scan.

Reading Codes

QR code readers have been integrated into Japanese cell phones for many years. However, QR Code Readers are generally available as installable apps for smart phones such as iPhone and Android.

There is a wide range in quality – both in the ability of the reader to scan the code and in what the scanner does with the information.

The best we’ve found on iPhone is Herold QR which accurately scans the codes and if it’s a vCard, allows you to save the info directly to your address book.

Designer QR Codes

QR Codes offer many design opportunities. Because it has both a visual appearance and a hidden message – only decipherable with a mobile phone, it provides mixed realities and a chance for the audience to interact with the designer QR code.

Artists and musicians who have used QR codes include the Pet Shop Boys, DJ Spooky and Kylie Minogue.

in collaboration with Greg Lane

Tags: ajax, api, application, coding, convert, free, map, morse, php, qr, qr code, scan, service, telephone, text, url, vcf, web application