Technical Happenings

What is a QR Code?

A QR Code is a two-dimensional bar-code and the name “QR” is derived from “Quick Response”, as its Japanese creator intended the code  to be decoded at high speed. QR Codes have been very common in Japan, this popularity due to the fact that the majority of  Japanese mobiles can read this code with their camera.

QR Codes can be used to store textual information such as addresses, phone numbers and URLs.  Then a user with a phone installed with reading software can scan the image of the QR Code to decrypt its stored information. This act of linking from physical world objects is known as hard-linking.

Users can also generate and print their own QR Code for others to scan. Such as the image on the right.

• 5 Unique Uses for QR Codes
• Generate your own QR Codes
• Google Pushes QR Codes
• QR Code Reader for you mobile

BlackBerry QuickKeys and Shortcuts

Every Day Quick Tips

• Alt+O = Outbox (sent items)
• Alt+I = Inbox (received items)
• Alt+U = Marks messages as read/unread
• Alt+P = Phone call log
• Alt+S = SMS messages
• Alt+V = Voicemail messages
• Alt+M = MMS messages.
• U – to cycle through unread messages

Once inside the message and you need to:

• Reply, r.
• Forward, f.
• Reply to All, L
• Go to the next message based on receive date, n
• Go to previous message based on receive date, p.
• Go to top of message (or the Inbox), t (or b for bottom).
• File a message, I.
• See a sender’s email address, highlight the name, q.
• Go to the nearest unread message, u.
• Select text by holding down the NUM (or Shift) key and
  scroll (this works with email, calendar, contacts, tasks).
• Insert the current date, type l (an L) d, SPACE key.
• Insert the current time, type l (an L) t, SPACE key.
• Type accented letter, type the letter, scroll trackball left or right
• Type numbers in a paragraph, hold down ALT and type.
  Or to turn on NUM LOCK: ALT, NUM, type. To turn off, NUM.
• Add an apostrophe in a word such as didn’t, type didnt and AutoText corrects it.
• Cut, Copy, Paste: select text by holding down NUM and using the trackball to scroll across the text. To cut, ALT+DEL. To copy, ALT+click trackball. To paste, NUM+click trackball.

Google Android

Withe the announcement of the Open Handset Alliance Google entered the mobile phone market. not with a phone as many had expected, but with an open source mobile operating system called Android. Android was purchased by Google back in 2005 and has been augmented to form a complete software stack for mobile devices such as cell phones, PDAs and high end MP3 players. The software stack is split into four layers:

• The application layer
• The application framework
• The libraries and runtime
• The kernel

Cell phone users work within the applications in the application layer. Android developers write those applications using the application framework. Android applications differing to standard mobile application deployment in that the applications that come with the phone are no different than those written by a developer. If successful the move to drive an operating systems would provide Google with a platform to deploy its tools, applications and advertising models to a much greater degree of the worlds population. The list of partners, while impressive is missing a few big names, most notably Nokia. We will have to wait until next year to get hold of a device and see how it functions. At present you can watch some videos at youtube