Van Heusen

If Google's recent actions are any indicator, then QR codes -- those "Quick Read" matrix barcodes you see on websites, products, and posters -- might be going the way of the dinosaur. Last week, all QR codes mysteriously vanished from the Google Places Dashboard. Must be a mistake, right? Nope. Apparently, removing the QR codes was all part of Google's plan.

“Users will no longer find unique QR codes in their Places accounts. We're exploring new ways to enable customers to quickly and easily find information about local businesses from their mobile phones,” Google told Blumenthals.

So, if they aren't using QR, what will Google use instead? It seems that the company wants to test out Near Field Communications or NFC. Not only can NFC do what QR can, but the technology can also be used as a contactless card and transfer information from peer to peer. Instead of having to use your smartphone camera to read the QR barcode, persons with NFC-enabled devices just tap their phone against the target, and the information is transferred.