Microsoft has released its answer to QR Codes and Data Matrixes with the appropriately named Microsoft Tag.
Using colours and shape-orientation, the tags are designed to display more information in a smaller place, as well as work when out of focus, which works a lot better with mobile devices where the focal distance is fixed.
Readers for many mobile phones (including the iPhone!) have been released and can be downloaded by browsing to http://gettag.mobi on your mobile device.
You can read more, and make your own tags at http://www.microsoft.com/tag/
I was very impressed with how well it worked on my iPhone. I’ve tried lots of QR/Data Matrix readers out but the poor quality of the camera in the iPhone has always let me down. The Tag worked without a hitch.
They’re still in beta, so no word on if there will eventually be a cost to use these.
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I been using http://www.beqrious.com/ to generate my QR codes, its been great they even have a function where you can upload a logo to the center or the QR code.
Wanted to send you an update that we just launched an API for Microsoft Tag today – http://bit.ly/YDNxV – if you have any suggestions or feedback let us know.