[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

comfortable with both, just KISS,
but where is your QRC answer hosted?

and will they eventually charge a fee?

I haven't looked into this in quite a while. A QR code can store more than a URL so it might be able to store the entire vCard and not use any service at all.

[ltcdfancher]

Coach, the text of the card is embedded in the QR Code. There’s nothing to be hosted. Here’s the text that gets encoded:
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:LName;FName
FN:FName LName
ORG:US Army (Retired)
ADR:;;The Villages;FL;34762;USA
TEL;TYPE=Cell:
EMAIL;INTERNET:username@domain.com
END:VCARD

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

It's been too long since I've received a text from someone who is not already in my contacts. Do names come across with caller-id and not just numbers? In any case, that only saves one step.

I don't know because my phone is always on "do not disturb", except for contacts, unless I deliberately turn it off. You may need to add a name after adding the number to contacts, but I think some calls come with a caller ID name, and some with just the state.

[HappyTraveler]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Sure, because typing in a name, phone number, email address, and house address is so much less complex than scanning a QR code.

Reading comprehension is always fundamental.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

I didn't even know "cards" were still a thing here. When I first moved here 11 years ago I was told that I "needed" these. Ordered some, never used them. Early on, I had a couple of people give them to me, but I have no idea where they ended up, lol.
In this day and time, it's so much easier just to put someone's phone number in your phone.

We never got cards just exchanged numbers the old fashioned way.

[shut the front door]

I also find it funny that shortly after moving here, I would meet new people in a variety of social situations and some would ask if I have a "card". Saying no got me out of some situations because they never pushed for my number after I said no about the card.
Sometimes you wake up the next day and think "that was fun, but I wouldn't hang with them on a regular basis".

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by ltcdfancher

Coach, the text of the card is embedded in the QR Code. There’s nothing to be hosted. Here’s the text that gets encoded:
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:LName;FName
FN:FName LName
ORG:US Army (Retired)
ADR:;;The Villages;FL;34762;USA
TEL;TYPE=Cell:
EMAIL;INTERNET:username@domain.com
END:VCARD

well, i learned something new on here quite often,

Thank you

Sportsguy

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I print my own cards, no need to pay someone else to do it. When someone gives me theirs, I use google lens to scan it into my contacts list.

[CarlR33]

Use Word to retype your contact info into repeated sections the size of a business card, print and cut out as needed, done.

[bmcgowan13]

Originally Posted by ltcdfancher

What hurdles might I find as I distribute my contact information this way?

VistaPrint lets you generate your QR code for free--but--it only lists a business phone number/address.

Not a big deal if you don't mind having the number labelled as a business. Most people don't care--they just call the number.

[tophcfa]

A card with a QR code would go quickly into the trash receptacle. A regular card would get filed with the others.

[jimkerr]

Why not just go to your contact in your phone and share it with the person?

Come on, it’s 2025. No need for cards!

[SoCalGal]

Originally Posted by ltcdfancher

My wife and I close on our new home in The Villages in less than 48-hours. We plan to have some calling cards made to share our details with new-found friends. Being ever-so-slightly geekish, I am considering a QR Code along with the traditional numbers and letters.

I went to one of those Generate Your Free QR Code Here websites. Wham-Bam. In less than five minutes, I had my VCard embedded (I thought) in a QR Code. A few days later and after I had some cards printed, the email came through saying that my free-trial had expired; my QR Code was now inactive.

Some more research revealed that QR Codes can encode simple text. A VCard is just a bunch of text strings in a particular format. I found the correct format. Entered my info into the correct places in the format. Then I copied that information into a different QR Code generator as plain text. Screenshot the result and everything seems to work.

What hurdles might I find as I distribute my contact information this way?

Yours is a question for Grok3. It's free now. You'll love it.

[nhkim]

I bought cards from Vista Print when we first moved here. Both of our names, our address (including Village) here, as well as our up north address at the bottom, both our email addresses and cell phone numbers are on the same card. Inexpensive, easy to design, and nice looking. 1,000 cards for something like $25. A lifetime supply. I certainly used them a lot more than I do now. I carry some in my purse and my sports bag. I organize a couple social groups so when someone approaches me with a question that I can't answer right then or requires me sending them some information, I hand them my card and tell them to send me a text or email. That puts the onus on them to follow up. The problem with exchanging contact info with someone on the spot is (a) sometimes folks don't have their cell phone with them and (b) it can be very hard to read screens in the bright sun.

I think your QR code will help you to filter out the folks who are like-minded in the techie arena from those who aren't.

[bowlingal]

I never have used QR codes, and hopefully never will. A friend of mine who worked for the gov"t, said to NEVER scan those QR codes that you see advertised. Scammers can get into those too, and take all your info from your phone. Just sayin.....do what you want.