Quickmark adds geo-mapping to QR codes

The idea of putting geographic coordinates in a QR code is nothing new (Google ZXing has been doing it for ages), but until now the problem was that the QR translated to plain text, usually saying something like:

GEO:-77.036564;38.897661

As the "GEO" http prefix isn't supported by anyone, you then had to copy the text, reformat it, and paste it into something which displays maps, often in two halves. Most of the time you just couldn't be bothered.

Quickmark has just updated their own free mobile barcode reader to understand the "GEO:" tag inside a VCARD entry, and to automatically open the location in Google Maps Mobile. As it can be as accurate as you want (just add more digits) it has masses of uses both in casual wayfinding and in commercial GIS, and hopefully the other QR reader programs will incorporate the same functionality in their updates. Geocachers of the world will be drooling at the options, but also banging their heads against Groundspeak's usage agreement which forbids "forcing users to download software". I detect a breakaway faction in the making.

Here, for example, is the geographic QR code for the White House, Washington DC:

The raw text of the code actually says:

BEGIN:VCARD
N:;White House
GEO:-77.036564;38.897661
END:VCARD

and you can make your own codes at Quickmark DIY.