Code is a big part of our lives whether we realize it or not. There’s our genetic code (DNA). There’s the WordPress code that’s helping display this site/post you’re currently reading. There’s the code used to write the software for your browser… the code that your computer’s operating system is made of. We have pin codes for debit cards, access codes, we often speak in code. We live in zip codes. Our contact phone numbers are organized by area code.  Last night, for the first time, I watched The Da Vinci Code.  And in the Matrix, Neo was the code… You get the idea… a lot of code in our lives!  Code everywhere.

Here in the U.S.A. we’re mostly familiar with bar codes. From the back of our driver’s license to the self-checkout at Walmart or Home Depot, bar codes are a part of our daily lives.  If you haven’t noticed, there are other, newer kinds of bar codes out there. Maybe you’ve seen these odd looking images on packages, mail or some other place.

QR codes are matrix codes or a two-dimensional bar code were developed in Japan by Denso-Wave back in 1994. These codes are huge in Japan right now as a fun, easy way to display a lot of information in a small image. Using mobile phone cameras, people can snap pictures of the QR codes and then decode them. This has become a great tool for anything shopping, getting to know people or simply learning more about a person, place or thing. You can even have QR codes containing your information made into clothing and other items like scarves and such.

I have an iPhone app named Barcodes by Christian Brunschen that can snap pics and decode several different kinds of bar codes.

Besides QR codes there are other image/bar codes such as Shot Code, Aztec Code,  the BeeTagg, and much more.

The above image is a QR code containing my contact information.

To learn more about QR codes or generate a few QR codes of your own, check out these handy sites, or just Google QR codes.  Have fun!

Wikipedia | Kaywa QR Code Generator | delivr  | BeeTagg

I love Water Cooler Wednesdays!  It’s a fun time to participate in Randy Elrod‘s carnival and see what’s on everyone’s minds.

If you don’t have an iPhone yet… what’s wrong with you?! Just kidding.  I understand all the reasons you may not have one of the coolest gadgets on the planet yet… you’re stuck in a contract with another carrier… not enough money… I understand.  All I have to say is – Start saving your pocket change because soon you will want an iPhone.

If you already have an iPhone… you’ll want to get the next generation… I promise!

I have 3Good reasons for getting/having an iPhone…

1. The new iPhones are likely to have video capabilities (not just from the camera in the back, but possibly from a camera on the front).  With this you would be able to do video conferencing, record live events as they happen and stream them on the internet.  QIK is already doing this but on a limited scale and only on Nokia phones. This summer’s blockbuster hit The Dark Knight has partnered with Nokia for some of their movie promotions – especially through WhySoSerious.com

2. According to Scott Moritz of Fortune magazine, the new iPhones may be more accessible to the masses with lowered purchase pricing through subsidies from AT&T.  This means that you can pay less for the phone with a 2 year contract.

3. Finally, 3G capabilities will most likely be found in the 2nd generation iPhone. What does that mean for you?  Much faster internet & data access!  Computerworld conducted some tests recently, and despite what that Verizon guy will tell you… their network did not top the list in fastest 3G networks.  Read here to find out who (hint: the same network that the iPhone is currently exclusive to). 

I personally believe the iPhone will bring you much joy! I have never owned a device I have used more than my iPhone.  I shop with it. By taking photos of items I want to buy at a store, then researching the info online, I save a lot of money. I even looked up an item via Google while at the check-out counter and got them to match it which saved me nearly $100.  I’m able to look up addresses and phone numbers with the pseudo gps/google maps feature, I browse the web a lot, get my e-mails, send a steady stream of tweets on twitter and twitpics, keep on schedule with my calendar, listen to music, watch videos + youtube, and of course, make phone calls.  I don’t know what I did B.I. (before iPhone) but it is amazing how productive I am, and how much time & money I actually save because of this handy device.

Like Randy, I do light work and would never be able to do so much and carve out more time for my family without the iPhone.

Now that you have 3Good Reasons, start saving because the new iPhone is only days away!

I had the great fortune to be at a fun, informative think tank yesterday called LifeWork 2.0 . I connected with a lot of interesting people and learned many things. Something that stood out to me was the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). At one point it was said to be as good as almost as good as SEX. While you can pay for sex, SEO is often not that easy to come by. SEO is REALLY important… very critical to get right. And when you get it right, you can rule your world.

There’s a good bit of information on SEO at Wikipedia and of course, you can Google it.

What I took away from our SEO conversation was that Quality is probably better than Quantity regarding the traffic on a web site. Also, having organic search results and good keyword density is a must.

We learned about lots of new web apps and tools. One I’ve been playing with today is saynow.com . I’m thinking of creative ways we could use this for our church. Also, as a designer, one of my favorite color tools is Kuler from Adobe. If you send large files, having a free or paid  YouSendIt account is a must have. There are so many tools and apps, I could never list them all, but hopefully you’ll find a few of these useful.

I love being a part of Water Cooler Wednesdays!