QR codes are popping up everywhere. Although there are plenty of apps available to help you read them, there’s now a service to help you create and manage them, with the release of Paperlinks.com’s app Paperlinks for iPhone and iPod touch.
Paperlinks.com, which is still in private-beta testing, will eventually allow users to create their own multimedia sites accessible through a QR code. Additionally, Paperlinks works in conjunction with sister site Paperspring.com. Through Paperspring, Paperlinks adds a digital twist to tangible paper products. When ordering cards or invitations through the company, users can select to have Paperlinks enabled. This prints a QR code on the back of your invitation (a web site is also provided for those without access to a QR code reader). Upon scanning the code, recipients will be taken to an event-specific Paperlinks landing page that can host additional information, such as extra photos, videos, maps, event details or even an RSVP form.
The service does rely on senders maintaining a Paperlinks account and in recipients bothering to flip over their invitations. I do like that Paperspring is trying to bring back the lost art of paper invitations.
I didn’t see a way to create Paperspring cards from within the app, but even if you don’t plan on using this feature, most people need some sort of QR code reader on their iPhone or iPod touch and Paperlinks handles this task without issue. The app will keep your scanned history for future reference, and, of course, integrates with previously created Paperspring cards.
Once Paperlinks is out of beta, it will be interesting to see its full capabilities, but for now it’s got potential.
