If you’ve ever wanted to create your own barcodes then you’re either the owner of the local Tesco Express or you need to get a real hobby.

However, dull as it is, I couldn’t help be fascinated to find you can now generate QR codes (like barcodes, but far more exciting) online and for free, just by installing something on your phone to read them.

Now, I suppose you are asking yourself what a QR code is, and if you’re not, then you clearly have better things to do – but QR codes are all the rage in Japan (apparently).

In basic terms, this small square of black and white, that looks like an exploding Space Invader, can carry a load of information such as a text-based message, a url, a phone number or whatever.

A real world example; Japanese McDonalds are printing them on their fries packets to display fat content, and you’ve probably seen them elsewhere but not noticed it. Some clever people put them on their business cards.

If you are wondering why this is relevant to you, then you need look no further than your mobile phone. It is the scanning device.

Download this little Java application from here , and within five minutes you too can be using the phone camera to snap QRs from webpages or printed material. You can even experiment by creating you own here .

The real benefit is that the app will decode the message and store it for later. Names, addresses, messages, codes, urls etc etc. It will even try to transfer you to appropriate application to deal with the specific code type (e.g. open a web browser and follow the URL).

OK, so if you’re not writhing with excitement by now, I’ll put you out of your misery and tell you, that was as good as it gets. But at least you’ve (maybe) learnt something new and be happy that you can spend the rest of the evening writing rude messages that only you can read in little black and white squares.