Well, not exclusively, anyway. I know everyone's social networking sphere is beginning to be overrun with posts and tweets about Austin and SXSW, but I came across something interesting today: SXSW registrant badges will all have Quick Response (QR) codes.
These personalized barcodes have a certain Sci-Fi element to them; the idea of being able to scan an image to know intimate personal details is a little hair-raising. However, it's not a huge stretch from what we currently do with regular business cards and email signatures. As this technology progresses, we may see everything from email addresses to family photos to blood type accessed through a single scanned image. Get ready for a completely new meaning to the term "personal branding."
Personal barcodes are only one part of a greater trend in digitally enhancing real-world objects. From Augmented Reality browsers that overlay user generated content to social barcode tagging with companies like Stickybits, the offline world is being thickened with personal and social digital media. What this means for consumers is an even bigger voice in shaping the world, and even more ways to connect. Brands and advertisers win another medium for both listening and communicating with their markets.
I tend to think the more information, the better, and the more social information, better still. What do you think? Is digital content tagging bordering on too much, or is it yet another way technology is making our lives richer?
