「P8t.ch」靠卖QR-Code实体商品，想变成下一个TinyURL

转载http://column.iresearch.cn/u/mr6/archives/2008/32204.shtml

「QR-Code」就是二维条码，长得像一个黑黑的点点的方框框，通常你会在路旁海报的一角、广告的一隅，还是杂志的某页看到它，只要手机有支援它，只要 拍下，就会自动下载资讯到手机，或直接用手机上某个网站观赏。由于下午我有一场和「QR-Code」相关的活动，今早先了解一下QR-Code最新状况， 意外看到了这个两星期前才开幕的美国新网站「p8t.ch」。为网路创业家，带来一些新的灵感！

　　「P8t.ch」的怪名字是取 「patch」的意思，它其实就是一个卖商品的网站，它所卖的唯一商品是一种贴布(patch)，上面印着QR-Code，大约是5公分x 10公分，小书签的大小，可绣缝在衣服、帽子上，一个定价21美元左右含运费，若要从亚洲买就得付31美元(650元台币)，还不算太贵吧，它也顺便送你 一组1650宽1650高的QR-Code图档，也可以自己印成T恤。表面看起来，p8t.ch是在帮所有民众「印制QR-Code」，那你会说，这还用 劳驾P8t.ch吗？用Kaywa的QR-Code产生器，自己为自己网址做一个QR-Code，印出来不就好了？

　　先来介绍 「QR-Code」的历史与最新状况。从维基百科资料，QR-Code早在1994年就由日本公司所发明，并于2000年成为ISO标准。在日本，QR- Code已经很普遍，如这里一个留言者说的，84%的日本杂志广告都有QR-Code，还有一本杂志真的整本都是QR-Code和相关产品，照进手机就可 以直接购买；路过某音乐季的海报，拍下QR-Code就马上下载短片在手机直接观看。 QR-Code本身可以「装」的资料量之大，汉字也可装1000多个字，整篇部落格文章都放进没问题。不过，这种商机大家都想抢，QR-Code也有竞争 者，其中包括Semacode它是一家公司，自身也制作了一个Facebook外挂插件，2005年「Semapedia」创立，由升阳电脑赞助一台主机 转作转址到维基百科，今早才刚被作成Semacode准备印在某地方的还包括美国纽约的Chinatown。另外还有一家叫ScanBuy的也直接对好几 家美国通讯业者整合推出「EZCode」(不确定是否为QR-Code的分支)，动作很快，上了TechCrunch。其他还包括英国剑桥大学发明的 ShotCode等等，但，由于QR-Code原日本公司虽拥有专利权但并未执行(exercise)，目前只对「QR-Code」这个商标拥有权力，它 技术底下所有东西皆可自由使用，转码规则也完全公开，所以QR-Code被视为比较公开且大众的选择，就算Semacode、EZCode猛打，纽约则还 是做了一个QR-Code的街头艺术，而且Google也在它Charts API独钟QR-Code，此外Google Print Ads在美国也广泛采用QR-Code。今年三月，知名城市网站CitySearch也刚于对旧金山所有餐馆全面支援QR-Code，每家餐馆付帐的地方 贴个QR-Code，手机一照，就直接到它的网站，你要写评语、要干嘛都很方便。

　　那，在QR-Code有机会飘到美国去的2008年，这个「p8t.ch」打中的是什么？我认为，是它的「转址」。

　 　这家「p8t.ch」可一点也不笨，它的眼光很远。其实它大可提供一个服务，让我将我的网址直接做成QR-Code就好了，但它不要，它只帮你做成一个 「转址」，也就是说，有人照下你从个「p8t.ch」买来的QR-Code，他会先被送到个「p8t.ch」的网站，由「p8t.ch」来帮他再转到你原 本设定的最后的网址。有趣的是，「p8t.ch」并不是第一个做转址的，有一家QR-Code阅读器叫I-nigma，就是一手做判读器，一手也做转址， 结果？被骂得要死！大家认为，I-nigma是在「踩线」，想独占QR-Code，但「p8t.ch」呢？它没有这样的问题，因为，它有一个很棒的理由 ──

　　东西印出来了，都缝到衣服上了，你要换网址怎么办？

　　所以，「p8t.ch」是为你着想啊！只要到「p8t.ch」上面改设定，就可以轻松换网址，这样一来，缝在衣服上的那个花钱买的小patch还是可以　　用！

　　就这样，「p8t.ch」可能轻松的搭着QR-Code之风，先占了「转址」的「房地产」。

　 　「转址」的房地产有多重要？举知名网站「TinyURL」为例，TinyURL从2002年创立，期间一大堆竞争者，但只要大家认为TinyURL是短 址专家，它就屹立不摇；虽然这两年来TinyURL陆续被各大网站如Yahoo ! Answers、MySpace、Facebook给禁止掉，但数字会说话，CNET部落客曾在2006年底看到当时TinyURL已经拥有2800万个 网址、一个月被看了6.75亿次，因而喊出「TinyURL是下一个被高价卖掉的YouTube！」，今天，TinyURL已拥有9000万个网址、一个 月被看了15亿次，是一年半前的3倍以上，当然，TinyURL也要感谢Twitter对它的加持，让一群最会产生新URL的人使用更多TinyURL， 这样比喻下来，「p8t.ch」就是「TinyURL的QR-Code版」，今天大家穿着「p8t.ch」衣服四处走走逛逛，被人看到，「p8t.ch」 便忠实的帮那个人转址到你所设定的网站。

　　目前像这样的，利用印制出来的东西，行转址的服务，然后先占下一大块市场，案例仍然很 少。唯一的案例似乎得回顾到网路正热的西元2000年，曾有一间公司叫「Skim.com」，卖T恤，上面印自己的email住址，不同的是，它不是直接 印email住址，而是只印一个数字，譬如0123456，然后，对方只要寄到[e-mail]，就可以自动被转寄给此衣服主人的 email信箱里，这样的衣服还蛮适合在派对上使用。

　　「p8t.ch」会不会成功？可能还要看它还提供哪些商品，也要看看QR- Code会不会真正起飞。 QR-Code目前瓶颈，除了和照相手机会不会整个起来有关系，也和大家「怎么使用照相手机」有关系。今天照相手机已经普遍，但除了少数手机如Nokia N95目前已直接置入外，QR-Code要判读还需要另外下载软体譬如在美国就用Kaywa、Quickmark、刚刚提的i-nigma以及 Google开发中的ZXing，另外美国的iPhone目前也只有几种QR-Code判读软体如2D Sense、NeoReader等。从网路的经验显示，任何一个网路服务若要下载软体才能使用，它的会员数会大幅降低，到现在除了MSN、 Firefox、Skype和某些p2p软体外还没看到哪个下载软体有超过1000万会员的，QR-Code若要求客户得下载软体到「手机」那它就还有一 段路要走。

　　但，无论QR-Code如何，网路创业家却从「p8t.ch」学了一招。除了QR-Code，还有哪些其他的点子，可 以利用商品的「转址」先铺出一条路？在节能减碳大家省钱的年代，「买了就不能改」、「印上去就不能换」这件事，可是很正当的提供转址的理由，令人期待看到 下一个Skim.com、 P8t.ch的网路创意的出现。

COMMANDO NERD PATCHES FOR IPHONE AND ANDROID SCANNING

Think of it as a TinyURL you can wear. Each two-by-four-inch, velcro-backed p8tch has a Mysterious Commando Design on the top, and a QRCode on the bottom:

The QRCode on the p8tch is a URL. If you scan the code with your iPhone, Mobile Safari will take you directly to that URL. If it's a Google Maps link, your iPhone will take you directly to the map. If it's a YouTube link, you'll see the movie fullscreen. Cool, right?

WHERE DOES THE QRCODE GO?

It goes anywhere you want! Here's how it works:

• Each p8tch has a unique QRCode on it that links to a URL on the Swiss domain "p8t.ch".
• For instance, the p8tch pictured above encodes the URL
  http://p8t.ch/lahbg.
  (careful, there's no telling where that URL redirects to right now.)
• Each p8tch comes with a secret passkey that lets you set the redirect target of the URL as often as you like. So it really is like a TinyURL, except one that you can control.

SO WHAT IS THIS GOOD FOR?

Why, alpha-nerd bonding, of course! You sew the "loop" side of the velcro to your jacket, or to your backpack, or to your motorcycle tank bag, or glue it to your Pelican case. Then slap the p8tch on there and have any (or all!) of these interactions:

— LIKE THIS —

THEM: "Excuse me! Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter."
YOU: "Wonderful! Simply scan the p8tch on my shoulder."
THEM: [scans the p8tch: BEEP!] "Thank you, I have just subscribed to your RSS feed in Google Reader."

— OR —

THEM: "Hey, what happened to your leg?"
YOU: "Oh, I broke it in a highly harebrained, yet thoroughly entertaining way. Here, scan my p8tch and you can watch the YouTube video!"
THEM: [scans the p8tch: BEEP!] "OH DEAR GOD YOU IDIOT wow ha ha, let me buy you a beer."
YOU: [enjoys beer]

— OR FINALLY: —

THEM: "Y-e-e-ah, thanks for helping me punch down all 3,000 of those CAT6 cables over the weekend! Is there anything I can--"
YOU: "YES THERE IS you can buy me the top thing on my Amazon Wishlist RIGHT HERE AND NOW just scan my p8tch and complete the transaction while I am standing here between you and the door to the NOC."

See? Frankly, you can't afford to be WITHOUT a QRCode Commando Nerd p8tch!

CAN I TRY IT RIGHT NOW?

Yes you can! A word of caution: I'm about to give out the passkey that goes with the sample p8tch, so there's no telling if some joker has linked it to goatse. Proceed with careful eyeballs!

Try scanning a p8tch

First, you'll need a QRcode reader. I recommend Stefan Hafeneger's Barcode. You can see a comparison of iPhone QRCode-scanning applications, along with instructions and tips, over on the Scan page. Once you've chosen an app, install it, and you'll be ready to go.

You can practice on the barcode below. Please let me know your experience!

If you have a latest-generation smartphone that's not an iPhone, head over to Semapedia to grab a reader. The reader pre-installed on the Nokia N95 is particularly fast.

The image at left is the same QRcode that appears on the p8tch at the top of the page. Hold your scanner steady, and fill as much of the screen as possible. Snap the picture.

In a few seconds (iPhone), or a few moments (Nokia n95), the scanner will emit a "beep!" and show you the URL
"http://p8t.ch/lahbg". Most QRCode readers will then give you the option to visit that URL (or will take you there directly.) An iPhone will additionally pass off Google Maps, YouTube, and other special-purpose URLs to the appropriate application.

Try setting a p8tch

You can set the URL target that the p8tch redirects to like this:

1. Visit p8t.ch/setup
2. Enter the p8tch's URL: lahbg, and the secret passkey: miguel89maryanna.
   Click "Set up this p8tch".
3. Enter the URL you'd like the p8tch to redirect to. Some ideas:
   • Your blog URL
   • Your blog RSS feed
   • Your Flickr photostream
   • Google Map directions to your secret headquarters
   • iPhone Rick Roll
4. ...and you're done!

Scan the code again, and you'll be taken to the new URL target.

WHAT DESIGNS ARE THERE?

I asked my friend, Danish designer Kenn Munk, to come up with some symbols that would be flexible, evocative of warning placards, and nerdy as hell. Here they are: (I've included three of each design so you can see that each p8tch's QRcode is unique):

CAN I BUY ONE?

Yes you can! Each p8tch sells for $19.95. You can buy 'em on the "buy" page.

Here's what you get: One 2"x4" polyester-twill p8tch with your unique QRcode on it. The design is permanently (waterproof-ly, washing-machine-proof-ly) bonded to the fabric using dye sublimation. Velcro "hook" side fabric is stitched to the back. Two 2"x4"rectangles of Velcro "loop" fabric, one black and one white. You sew these on your jacket, your backpack, or your laptop sleeve. The secret passphrase unique to your p8tch, allowing you to control where the QRcode goes. The control site is iPhone-friendly, so you can do your setup on the go. Two .png files of your QRcode, one at 330px square, and one at 1650px square (links go to the images for the sample p8tch). You can make your own craft projects using those images and the magical p8tch redirect mojo. Buy patches on the "buy" page

Hey, doesn't than mean I'm dependent on YOUR server?
Yes, it does. If the p8t.ch server is hacked, or if I get hit by a beer truck and stop paying the ISP bills, your p8tch's redirect function will stop working. But I'm committed to keeping it up. For what it's worth, I've been blogging since 2000, and I'm still here.

Isn't twenty bucks a lot of money for this?
Compared to a generic Goth Kid Backpack Patch, absolutely it's a lot of money. However, each patch is unique (I had a lot of patch manufacturers laugh at me.) Also, figure in the fine velcro backing, the careful data management, and the ongoing care and feeding of the server. I've also done QRcode projects in needlepoint, but that's REALLY time-consuming! It's possible these will be available at a different price point if demand goes up, but right now it's a cottage-industry thing.

Can't I make my own QRcodes, going wherever I want?
Yes, you sure can! Please do! QRCodes are a lot of fun. For linking real things to Wikipedia entries, you can't beat the fine folks at semapedia. And for all other links, Kaywa provides a good generator. You can print out the code on vinyl stickers, or put it on flyers and go trolling for nerds, like I did! But if you want a cool, velcro-backed COMMANDO NERD PATCH that you can configure day by day as the mood strikes you, then look no further, friend, and click on one of the "buy now" buttons below! Thanks for coming and reading this far! If you have any questions, put 'em here, and I'll endeavor to answer them. Thanks very much!
— John Young

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