For the PLAY activity this week we were asked to create our own QR code and post it to our blog. A QR code is something like a barcode which allows mobile users to scan it and then receive information on their smart phone. The activity this week was my first experience with QR codes and I found it quite enjoyable!
Participating in this activity and previous activities (Instagram comes to mind) has made me come to realise how important smart phones have become in our world. I am a new smart phone user, it was actually starting my Masters that prompted me to update from my Nokia "brick" to Samsung Galaxy. One of the reasons I opted for Samsung over the iPhone was that it had a bigger screen which I find perfect for reading material on the go. I can check my emails, message my friends internationally, take a photo if I see something interesting, and call my family... all from one device. It's like having my own personal computer in my pocket.
I think the point of going mobile is to create more opportunities for yourself with a small gadget. When I found out that many librarians use Twitter as a form of keeping up with industry knowledge I was pleasantly surprised. I can keep up now too from my phone! I can't say enough about the benefits of my smart phone both in my personal and professional life. The only downside to having a phone constantly by my side is that... it is constantly by my side. I find myself checking my email or Facebook or Twitter absently when I am waiting for the train to Brisbane.
Hi Annette,
ReplyDeleteI had my first experience using a QR code for another class this week, it was great! I didn't realise how they worked or how libraries could utilise them in their library catalogue.
I spent over a year deliberating on getting a smart phone and it mostly came down to how it would best support me at university. I've realised though how disturbing it can be always being "online/accessible" to the world through the smart phone. I've had to change it so I check for emails instead of it being automatic otherwise I feel as though I'm constantly in "uni mode". I wonder whether there will be a form of stress/mental breakdown related to the smart phone!
Personally, I'm not really sold on these QR things. I'm wondering how long it'll be before someone figures out a way to encode a virus into one that can then be passed on to your smartphone. I suppose they certainly have their applications - especially in the commercial sense - but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some serious issues arise as the technology becomes more widespread
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