QR codes in books?

[Jhaelen]

When was the last time you read a ketchup bottle?

Well, when was the last time you _wanted_ to read a ketchup bottle?
Well, I'm always scanning the list of ingredients and often the nutrition info, but what else of interest could I potentially find by following that QR code?
It'll be nothing but an ad, a stupid sweepstake, recipes (bake a ketchup cake - yummy!), or some other kind of marketing stunt.

It's exactly the kind of thing I try to avoid as much as possible!

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Yep. There are a couple of reasons why Europe is somewhat ahead of the States when it comes to mobile phone technology - largely because our standards bodies got their acts together faster, and partly because we were able to skip some of the dead-ends in installing infrastructure that they hit over there.

(Similarly, we're ahead on things like chip-n-pin and contactless payment. There are, of course, other areas where the US is ahead.)

I think one of the biggest reasons is a significantly higher penetration for PCs in the U.S. vs Europe. I don't see a reason to get a smartphone when my laptop does everything better anyway.

Back on topic, I don't object to having a QR code in the book. I won't use it, but some applications are intriguing. Frex, a character building to help get new players up and running quickly would be pretty useful.

QR codes can be fun. I got my brother in law a tshirt with with a big QR code on the front and back. If you use it it delivers a message, "please stop taking pictures of me" I thought it was pretty funny anyway.

 

[delericho]

I think one of the biggest reasons is a significantly higher penetration for PCs in the U.S. vs Europe. I don't see a reason to get a smartphone when my laptop does everything better anyway.

I doubt that's a major factor. If anything, it's the opposite - people who once had a laptop are finding they no longer have use for it since their phone can do everything they used a laptop for and is much more convenient.

 

[Umbran]

I doubt that's a major factor. If anything, it's the opposite - people who once had a laptop are finding they no longer have use for it since their phone can do everything they used a laptop for and is much more convenient.

For me, the laptop argument (or a variant thereof) probably holds. I spend most of my day within reach of a computer. I simply don't see having the internet on my hip for those few moments when a better machine is not at hand to be a major value, compared to the cost involved. Plus, I don't see how I'd carry one around comfortably.

Overall, though, I expect a few factors are in play. Economics being one of them. As in - smartphones are not cheap, and neither are data plans. I wouldn't be surprised if the US mobile market had more folks at the bottom end, who have a cell phone, but who either just can't afford the higher prices, or who don't see it as well justified in a tight budget.

For Morrus' purposes, those folks probably aren't in the market for his product anyway.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I doubt that's a major factor. If anything, it's the opposite - people who once had a laptop are finding they no longer have use for it since their phone can do everything they used a laptop for and is much more convenient.

I'm working in consumer electronics right now and I have access to some market research. The experts in the field think it's a big factor. There is a lot of other stuff that gets into it as well of course, some of which you cited.

Personally, I'm like Umbran. I have to have a real computer at home and work for the things I do there, and when I'm away from those places, well, if I'm at the park with my kids I want to be doing at the park with the kids stuff, not surfing the internet. Economically, I can't justify the additional cost of a smartphone to myself when my computers already fill those needs.

And I suppose convenient is in the eye of the beholder. Some folks think it's convenient to have the internet wherever. I personally don't care. I find a keyboard, mouse, and large screen very convenient compared to a smartphone's user interface.

 

[Morrus]

I put some in my Kickstarter playtest documents today just too see what people said. They link to YouTube videos

 

[Umbran]

Testing is probably an excellent idea.

 

[delericho]

I'm working in consumer electronics right now and I have access to some market research. The experts in the field think it's a big factor.

Funnily enough, I could have posted almost exactly the same thing - different experts; a different conclusion. Though I might be using out-dated data, or perhaps it's just a different bias here. Or perhaps our mileage varies because the EU uses the Metric system.

And I suppose convenient is in the eye of the beholder. Some folks think it's convenient to have the internet wherever. I personally don't care. I find a keyboard, mouse, and large screen very convenient compared to a smartphone's user interface.

Indeed. My experience from watching people use smartphones here is that they mostly use the internet for Twitter, Facebook and similar low-I/O applications, so don't really need a keyboard. Whereas the precise reason I don't have a smartphone is that the things I do use the internet for are a bit more intensive - the thought of composing this post without a keyboard is not exactly an appealing one.

 

[Jhaelen]

I think one of the biggest reasons is a significantly higher penetration for PCs in the U.S. vs Europe. I don't see a reason to get a smartphone when my laptop does everything better anyway.

So, .... you always have your laptop in your pocket? Probably a bag of holding, huh? ;-)