How to use bar code download for android phones

I recently got an email from someone asking, “What do I do with the barcode squares?” This is a common question asked on this site, so I figured that I might as well make a post explaining why those black and white lines in a box appear on the website so often.

The “barcode squares” are QR codes, a two-dimensional bar code that can store information like URLs. We use QR codes as an easier way to share links to apps in the Android Market. We do this because the Android Market has a surprisingly terrible search mechanism and it’s not easy to find some apps. To combat that problem, Androinica.com – like many Android websites – incorporates QR codes as a shortcut to finding those apps.

Here’s how to use the QR codes to make finding apps easier. Below is a QR code for one of my favorite Android apps, Key Ring Rewards Card.

Barcode Scanner is required to read the QR code. To get the app, open the Android Market and start a search for “Barcode.” You’ll see several options, but ignore all of them and scroll down to an app labeled“Barcode Scanner” and download the application.