QR Code Smartphone Apps And Phone Software

For your phone to be able to read QR Codes you will need to have a QR Code scanning app or QR Code scanning software installed on it.

For those without an iPhone or Andriod, some of the following sites offer the option of downloading via PC and then transferring and installing the software to your phone, or visiting with the website with your smartphone via its browser for direct download and installation. Some also have the option of setting the application up on your phone as a device bookmark.

• Scan For iPhone - All we can say is "sweet"! It just gets on with the job of scanning QR codes in a no-nonsense no-fuss sort of way. User-friendly scan history (with a really cool map) and a feature which really caught our attention is their support for scanning reverse image/inverted colour QR codes. They also have an Android version and have recently released a Windows Mobile version as well.
• Optiscan - A great iPhone app that understands all the trickier encoding types and has definitely kept up with developments in QR code technology.
• QRafter - One of the consistently good scanning apps for iPhone and a great pick - fast, reliable and broad range of user features. It also has a great iPad version and a paid Pro version with even more features.
• ScanLife - Supporting not just QR codes, but Datamatrix and EZcode 2D barcodes as well as regular UPC/EAN product barcodes, Scanlife is a fully featured solution for all of your barcode scanning needs. Scanlife is another one of the tried and tested apps that's been around for a long time and has been regularly upgraded to keep its place in the lead pack. Available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Java and Symbian.
• For Android devices our clear favourite is Scan with QR Droid coming a close second. Scanlife is also a solid performer that is well put together by people that clearly understand QR codes at a technical level.
• I-Nigma - Popular and reliable QR code scanning app that's been around forever and comes in all the popular flavours - iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Mobile.
• Quickmark - Another name that's been synomous with QR code scanning for years. It has the mandatory iPhone, Andriod and Windows Mobile version, but Quickmark is also available for a wide-range of other phones including Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson, Kyocera, Fujitsu-Siemens, LG, Vodafone and Huawei. It's even got a version for the Palm Treo!
• Kaywa Reader - Supports an extensive list of Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Sony-Ericsson Java and Symbian phones, as well as having a Windows Mobile version.
• Nokia Barcode Reader - Most Nokia's now come standard with the Nokia's own scanning software, but this is good for the ones that don't - N78, N80, N82, N93, N93i, N95, N96, E66, E71, E90, 6210 Navigator and 6220 Classic.
• Google Zxing - For Android and iPhone.
• Blackberry Messenger - Comes standard with most Blackberry's these days. Check out Blackberry App World for more QR codes scanning apps for Blackberries.
• Esponce QR Reader - An honourable mention to Yalla for putting together a good Windows Mobile scanning app that does most of the things you need and supports most of the QR code data types that you're likely to come across. Check out theWindows Mobile App Store for more QR codes scanning apps for Windows Mobile devices.

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