Today, QR codes can become quite trite if not part of a well thought out campaign. The standard QR code printed on an ad has been done all too many times. However, I recently came across this interesting use of QR codes in which Scandinavian Airlines sent an e-mail to subscribers that contained two QR codes. From there, the recipient and their partner would scan the QR codes and watch a diptych style move from their smartphones. At the end of the video, a promotional code was revealed. Watch the video below to see this innovative campaign in action:

Couple Up to Buckle Up from T&J on Vimeo.

Share your thoughts on this campaign, or any other interesting ones you’ve seen, by commenting below, or on our Facebook or twitter pages.

With 2012 in full force, London is preparing for the Olympics, but without proper preparation, the city could face debt.

Even manufacturers need to prepare for the event. While 40 percent of manufacturers have not made any preparations for the Olympics, demands for products and services are projected to increase. In fact, only 10 percent of manufacturers have actually introduced new systems or technologies that will allow them to flexibly manage their supply chain.

The games start at the end of June, so there’s still time to make the necessary adjustments, but manufacturers need to act fast. Because of increased traffic, routes will be greatly affected, so manufacturers, especially those in the food and beverage industry, need the right tools to create the most cost effective routes while keeping track of accounts. Manufacturers should make sure their field workers have the right tools to get the job done in the most efficient way possible, despite any impact the Olympics may have on business.

Weather you’re preparing for the Olympics or not, make sure your mobile field computer can handle a marathon. Learn more about solutions for the manufacturing industry and start preparing.

Intermec recently announced two new features to their 70 Series mobile computers.

Now, a new 1 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3715 processor is available, providing customers with a fast, responsive platform…even for those applications that require a lot of data.

The 70 series also includes a Wide Area Flexible Network radio that provides Wide Area Network selection capabilities on-the-go. Based on Qualcomm Incorporated’s Gobi 3G connectivity technology, the Flexible Network radio allows for extremely fast data communications on both CDMA and UMTS ireless networks.

The new features are available as options on the CN70, CN70e and CK70 mobile computers.

Learn more about Intermec and their products.

Did you know that approximately 1 in 5,000 patients who have had surgery have had surgical instruments left inside their body? Such medical malpractice can cause serious problems, but now, RFID technology is looking to change that statistic.

While RFID technology is already being used to track items in retail and warehousing, metal RFID tags are being used to track surgical instruments and other tools. More specifically, the tags will prevent surgical instruments being left behind in a patient’s body after an operation.

Until recently, medical staff would have to count small items to ensure nothing was left behind. But now, small, metal RFID tags can be inserted into surgical instruments and sponges during the manufacturing process and can be read from approximately 6.5 ft. away.

While the risk of electromagnetic interference between the metal RFID tags and other equipment is low, hospitals should double check that everything is okay.

Learn more about solutions for hospitals.

Is the food you’re eating your safe? Check the barcode to see where it’s from, as food regulations vary by country.

Perhaps the 90’s band, Barenaked Ladies, was onto something with their famed lyrics, “Chickity China the Chinese chicken. You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin’.” While your brain may not literally stop ticking, since there are no food inspections for foods grown or processed in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam or Thailand, who knows what that chicken could do to you.

Photos were released depicting how chickens in China are slaughtered for consumption. Most of the time, food products will not say, “Made in China,” so how can you tell where your chicken, and other food is coming from?

The barcode! Even if the product doesn’t verbally specify where it originated, each country is assigned a country of origin code, which is always the first three digits of a barcode. For example, products made in the USA have barcodes beginning with 000-019, but beware of barcodes that start with 690-695, meaning they products are made in China.

For a full list of product codes, visit the GS1. And next time you’re in the grocery store, beware of “Chickity China, the Chinese chicken.”