This, my technology minded friends, is called a QR Code. It, along with something called a Data Matrix, is a new form of advertising that is rather big in Japan and is coming to the UK with the DVD release of 28 Weeks Later.

Using a not too old mobile phone equipped with a camera and one of many free decoding applications installed, you can point it at the code and quickly see a hidden message. I've tried it and it works wonderfully. See the small icon here, just zoom it up on your browser, point the phone at it, and the message appears!

I was really taken with it, interactive advertising, so taken with it that I've created a few of my own. There's the one at the top of the story, and there are a few more below. Plus I've got a link to the application for your phone and a few applications to create your own codes online. So what do these say?

Okay, here's a few to try, once you've downloaded the application. i-nigma have a simple application to decode these, I just tried it with all four of these images on my computer screen and they work a treat. You can download it from i-nigma's site.

Okay, enough playing. The real reason is that 28 Weeks Later are launching a campaign with these codes. They have an example on the 28 Weeks Later website, just head there and try it out, you might need to expand the image on your computer first.

Now not only can you read them, but you can create your own. Head over to i-nigma or Kaywa. I-nigma creates both types of code while Kaywa only does QR Codes.

The campaign is going to be launched at London's Oxford Street HMV on Monday September the 10th with perhaps a few for you to try out for yourself.

You know, I could see this working on posters around town, it's certainly a cool way to interact with people. Imagine if there was one on a digital display that kept changing? A different message for every passerby? Maybe a different phone number or website address or even a different code to enter to a site and get random freebies. Oh, I like that idea!

What do you think? Something cool, or a passing gimmick that you're really not interested in?

Update:
It seems that the Kaywa reader reads both QR Codes and Data Matrix codes, and you can make your own Data Matrix codes over at Kaywa too.