WingNews

prof18|5 years ago

QR Reader are load of everything. I went mad to find one a decent one for my parents’ android phone and apparently it doesn’t exists. So in a weekend I’ve created one without any kind of tracking, ads, permission, whatever. Here it is if you guys need one -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prof18.sec...

slezyr|5 years ago

Or anything from FDroid. I use Barcode Scanner (https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.google.zxing.client.andr...) as it scans even damaged codes.

georgyo|5 years ago

I've been using this one since the Android 1.0: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi...

What's interesting, is that despite the app not being updated since 2018, open source, and containing no ads or tracking the reviews are saying it recently became adware.

Searching for barcode scanner in the app store brings you to a horrible sea of ad supported crap ware, and it seems like that crap ware wants to ensure you don't download something that might be decent.

dbrgn|5 years ago

Just wondering: Since you're using zxing library, why not go for the zxing barcode scanner directly? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi...

Another option would be to use Google's MLKit. I think they've added support for scanning QR codes in there. It requires Google Play Services though, which is not ideal.

thatguy0900|5 years ago

Google makes one themselves, Google lens. It's quite a bit more than just a qr code reader, though, kind of a generic computer vision app https://lens.google.com/

emerongi|5 years ago

I went mad trying to find a decent voice recorder for my mom. Eventually settled on some ad-littered app, but at least it didn't request any extraneous permissions. Every other app asked for every single permission under the sun... to record voice.

The one thing I've noticed about the iOS store is that apps are more up-front. Many have a price tag attached to them, which I prefer. Android apps are all about giving you something for free and then in the back doing god knows what to make pennies off of you.

The whole ads-in-apps situation is from some sci-fi novel. Let's make screens bigger, so we can fill more of it with ads.

shscs911|5 years ago

I use the built-in QR-code scanner available in Opera Mini beta. Also, its the only browser I know that has a built-in RSS Feed reader. I use an old APK, as the newer version of Opera Mini removed the RSS functionality.

dlazar|5 years ago

I've been very happy with Binary Eye: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.markusfisch.android.binar...

StavrosK|5 years ago

This looks great, can you add it to F-Droid? I tend to trust stuff that's on F-Droid more, even if I do end up installing them from the Play Store.

FullMetalBitch|5 years ago

it's great sinve you have de ability but I setup all my family phones with f. droid and some good apps there including qr readers

swiley|5 years ago

What happened to the zebra crossing demo app? That's what I always used when I had android.

msravi|5 years ago

Thanks very much! Just installed and does a great job!

deadbunny|5 years ago

Thanks for this.

notretarded|5 years ago

[deleted]

oakwhiz|5 years ago

I was going to recommend the open source "Barcode Scanner" app also known as "zxing" on GitHub. However when looking at the app's page, I noticed that someone seems to be engaging in some kind of review-bombing with that app. There are tons of reviews claiming that it was recently updated and has highly intrusive full page popup ads. But looking at the version info, the app hasn't seen an update for over 2 years and the repository is in maintenance mode, and I nor anybody else that I know has seen a single ad when using it.

I wonder if this is a concerted effort to steer impressionable people away from a "real" FOSS QR code reader app and direct them to a malicious one instead, using scare tactics.

rozab|5 years ago

If you say "OK Google, scan a QR code", it opens up Google Lens which does the job but only seems to be accessible through voice on my device

Sander_Marechal|5 years ago

I have a Pixel 2. It scans QR codes with the default camera app just fine. When it detects a QR code you get a little popup you can click. It even works with regular 1D barcodes.

MrDresden|5 years ago

Long time Pixel user here (and an Android dev for that matter) and I had no idea the camera had qr support!

po1nter|5 years ago

Same here with my Samsung Galaxy S8+. There's a QR code scanner in the camera app.

ciceryadam|5 years ago

Same here with a semi-recent Motorola One Zoom

dariosalvi78|5 years ago

same here with One plus

matsemann|5 years ago

It wasn't a QR code reader that was the problem, it was a malware posing as a QR code reader. It didn't sound like the author downloaded a QR code reader and happened to get malware. He got malware from some source which installed itself that way.

I had a QR reader in my camera app on some old Androids, around 2011 or so, but maybe it was because I then often was running custom ROMs? Or because back then QR codes were hyped and used for everything? Anyways, in 2019 or so it was included again in the native camera app on all Samsungs.

While I get the allure of "it just works", having a niche feature that's basically never used and easily installed anyway seems like a weird hill to die on.

izacus|5 years ago

Pretty much most of Android phones have QR code reader embedded in the camera app as well.

TheChaplain|5 years ago

For CalDav/CardDav there's DAVx⁵. It's on Play if you want to support the developer, or F-Droid if you don't.

There is also ICSx⁵ from the same developer, works against outlook.com.

I paid for both, they work great.

dotancohen|5 years ago

I'll vouch for DAVx⁵. Terrific app, I've been using it for years through the name change. I use it to sync contacts and calendar with NextCloud.

samoa42|5 years ago

so there are a ton of different apps for which you can pay to get a feature that ios has builtin. great

rbg246|5 years ago

I recently discovered Firefox on Android has one if you focus on the address bar there is an option to scan, you just need to give Firefox permission to access the your camera

romanows|5 years ago

On my Pixel 4a: Camera / Modes / Lens. That will open Google Lens which should scan QR codes.

chaos_a|5 years ago

You can do the same on any android phone by opening the google app and tap the lens icon in the search bar.

muro|5 years ago

It does - just checked.

oefrha|5 years ago

> on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used

Apple added a builtin QR code scanner to the camera app in iOS 11 due to the ridiculously widespread use of QR codes in China.[1] I guess (Google's version of) Android doesn't have that because Google doesn't derive much value from that market, and QR codes don't have as much mindshare in other major markets.

[1] They specifically called out the Chinese market when introducing the feature in WWDC 2017 keynote:

> Of course, there's much more than we have time to talk about today, but I want to highlight some features of special interest to our customers in China, like QR codes that are integrated right into the main camera, accessible from the lock screen, super use Yes, super useful for customers in China.

https://asciiwwdc.com/2017/sessions/101

Daho0n|5 years ago

Android has had a buil-in QR scanner for years. Looking in this thread at least OnePlus, Pixel, Motorola and Samsung has it in the default app. As far as I know it is part of android.

underlines|5 years ago

Xiaomi's Android distro MIUI has QR code scanning in the Camera app by default. Most asian target markets do that, because QR codes are more common here.

aembleton|5 years ago

MIUI also allows you to sort apps by installation time

qu-everything|5 years ago

I just tried with my Samsung s9+ and the camera app picked up the qr code, don't know what you are saying

Tokelin|5 years ago

That's specific to the default Samsung Camera app.

OJFord|5 years ago

The camera app is actually not one thing, even on Android One, it depends on hardware support. The Pixel one doesn't work on my Nokia for example.

My last few Android phones have had QR reading built in to the camera though, just not current Nokia. It might even be my biggest annoyance with it...

cdr3|5 years ago

Firefox for Android comes with an integrated QR code reader. Works great. No add on needed.

j1elo|5 years ago

+1 to the answers here. Mine offers QR reading as another selectable mode, in addition to the "Still photo" and "Movie" modes. My previous phone had it integrated in the "Still photo" mode: it would simply detect and read QR codes automatically when pointing the camera towards one.

But, the phone I had before those two, had a Camera app which didn't read QR codes. So maybe it's a matter of expectations now: old Camera apps were just for Camera, while modern ones are now generally expected to be able to read QR codes? (I would, anyway)

goldcd|5 years ago

It is on my pixel (so worth a try on whatever's shipping with Android One).

I thought it was a bit 'hit or miss' at first - if you hold the camera over the code, after a bit it decides to pop up a link over the QR in preview. Then realized if you tap on the code, it instantly displays the link. Just had a fun few minutes on https://www.google.com/search?q=qr+codes&tbm=isch - as the tap allows it to handle multiple ones within the same frame.

Apanatshka|5 years ago

My Firefox on Android has a QR code scanner, I typically use that even when I know it's not a website. When you open a new tab and select the address bar you get to see the button for the QR code scanner.

cam_l|5 years ago

After going through dozens of QR code scanners trying to find one that is open source and trustworthy enough looking to install, i realised there is just one right there in Firefox.

Daho0n|5 years ago

And in the default camera app.

pbhjpbhj|5 years ago

I have an Honor5C on Android 7 (with EMUI5) and there's a QR code reader built in, but I only found it by accident.

After taking a picture of a QR code, view the image, tap 'more', wait 10s, if the image is good enough (and it really needs perfect focus and placement, it's very pinickety) then it will show "read QR code", if you choose that option it will then take you to a URL/text preview, and then you can open your browser to that URL, etc..

Worst discoverability ever!

saagarjha|5 years ago

This is basically the problem I have with Windows (well, had, maybe it's gotten better): a bunch of basic tools are third-party utilities. Microsoft will even point you to them?! On macOS either the basic things are build in or easy to find from a website that isn't trying to push a new toolbar at you. On Linux you just use your package manager to install whatever it is…

toyg|5 years ago

I don’t think you really need any 3rd party utility on Windows anymore, for the basic tasks. Any hrowser has PDF viewing, .zip support is already there (since Win2000), it has basic image manipulation and text editing, screenshot editor, and i think even desktop-recording. Sure, none of these things is a “best in class” app, but that’s normal (and leaves market space for developers). Anything beyond that is not “basic” and I wouldn’t expect it on MacOS either.

chupchap|5 years ago

Take photo of the qr code with any camera and open the image in Google photos. Google lens will detect qr code and do the rest

pwg|5 years ago

On my Moto E4 (Android 7.1.1) the default Android camera app also reads QR codes. But nothing in the app. nor app. help actually tells anyone that it will do this. The only way one discovers it is by pointing the camera at a QR code to see what happens, and realizing that the app just decoded the QR code it was viewing.

perryizgr8|5 years ago

> I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used

I've had this on Samsung phones for a long time.

underlines|5 years ago

Xiaomi's MIUI has QR code reader as a default feature in the camera app, and as a short link on the desktop

unknown|5 years ago

[deleted]

gfxgirl|5 years ago

That's disappointing. Chrome on iOS also has a QR code scanner. Surprising that Chrome on Android does not

https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/7862896?hl=en

lathiat|5 years ago

I read somewhere the native camera app also does but many including Samsung have their own app instead. Cannot vouch for that.

On the flip side there are QR apps in the top 100 App Store apps because the built-in support in camera is not really obvious unless someone tells you.

mackrevinack|5 years ago

i had an s10e recently and the camera app would scan them if they were in view and show a popup message.

Daho0n|5 years ago

So does Android (at least OnePlus and Pixel) in the default Camera app.

johnchristopher|5 years ago

Firefox android has a QR code reader. I also recently noticed that the Google App (Discover ?) has a QR code reader and I think the Google assistant too.

But these are all behind app, not readily accessible.

neya|5 years ago

On my Samsung it's the same as well. The default camera app scans any QR code, even does document scanning on the fly which I find super useful.

barnabee|5 years ago

Aside: on iOS the default camera app doesn’t do document scanning but the Files app does (it’s an option under the menu on the browse tab).

Took me ages to discover that, still not sure how long it’s been there.

roel_v|5 years ago

Yes, on my Samsung the camera app is great, and it gets better all the time. I know people like to crap on Samsung but they do some great things in some regards.

wwn_se|5 years ago

Samsung phones have qr reading in the camera app since a few years at least. Google also has Lens but that does not work offline (?)

jedimastert|5 years ago

There is native support now with Lens, although I agree it's kinda nutty that it took so long.

nunodonato|5 years ago

I use the Microsoft launcher and a qr code scanner is part of it

teekert|5 years ago

Firefox mobile also has one embedded.

andrepd|5 years ago

Simply get something from fdroid.

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