Author: Rebecca

QR codes use tech to inform Black Restaurant Group customers

| May 15, 2014

Seafood cases and menus now feature quick response codes that can be scanned by guests.

The BlackSalt Fish Market located in Northwest Washington now sells dozens of different types of fish and shellfish, and has assigned QR codes to every one of them in order to provide customers with the information that they need to answer more of their questions, and to bring that knowledge home with them on their mobile devices.

These quick response codes are located on all of the menus and seafood cases of the company.

According to the fish monger for BlackSalt Fish Market, among the largest challenges that have been faced is in keeping track of the large amount of data regarding a given fish that is being sold, such as where it was caught, what techniques were used for catching the fish, who caught the fish, and so on. The QR codes provided a very helpful tool that would allow this information to be accurately and clearly relayed to customers who would like to know more about what they are buying and eating.

The Black Restaurant Group is now using QR codes to expand on their efforts to keep consumers informed.

The Black Restaurant Group includes locations such as Republic and Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. Over the last year, it has been making a concerted effort to provide its customers with a way to obtain a better understand of where, when, and how the fish was caught, and by whom. According to M.J. Gimbar, a fishmonger for the company, the purpose is to build greater transparency within an industry that has increasingly been experiencing consumer distrust due to widespread cases of fraud and mislabeling.qr codes - restaurant

Gimbar explained that it is easy for Seafood to be altered or swapped, without the customer’s knowledge. Therefore, Black Restaurant Group is working to make sure that their own customers always know exactly what they are getting and how that seafood came to be available to them. The project, itself, was more challenging than had been anticipated. Keeping the QRcodes up to date and interesting caused a struggle, particularly after time had passed following the coverage by NBC, ABC, and National Geographic.

The excitement over the QR codes had started to die off until the traceability element was introduced, which provided information about each and every type of fish. This has regrown the customer interest and barcodes are being scanned once more.

Mobile technology news from Samsung includes Dong-hoon Chang’s resignation

| May 13, 2014

The mobile design chief has now stepped aside following criticisms of the Galaxy S5 smartphone.

Some of the latest mobile technology news coming from Samsung has revealed that the company has accepted the resignation of Dong-hoon Chang, and that he will be replaced by the assistant head of his department, Min-hyouk Lee.

This resignation of the mobile design chief is in response to heavy criticism of the company’s flagship product.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 was expected to make outstanding mobile technology news, but since its release, it has been the recipient of a great deal of negative press. Consumers were disappointed by what they felt was a design that failed to impress. In fact, it rapidly became known as the “Band-Aid Phone”, as the plastic dimpling on the case of the device reminded people of the texture of the popular adhesive bandage product.

As the department that led to the generation of this negative mobile technology news, changes were expected.

Even beyond the performance of the device, the response that was generated by the appearance of the case was astounding and greatly negative. The front of the device is dominated primarily by the screen and looked like any other attractive and high quality smartphone. However, when the device was flipped over, the back revealed a look and texture that went against what people were expecting from Samsung’s latest flagship product. As this is a premium, high end device, this is the type of mistake that can be fatal to a design – and to the head of the design department’s job.Mobile Technology News - Samsung

Even among those who didn’t find the case to be ugly, there wasn’t a great deal of enthusiasm expressed. With a price tag the size of that of the Galaxy S5, the attraction felt by consumers must be notably better than “adequate”.

Now that the mobile technology news of Chang’s resignation has been accepted, it looks as though the vice president of mobile design, Min-hyouk Lee, will be stepping up into the newly vacated top position. He has already played an extensive role in the original creation of the Galaxy series design that caused Apple’s iPhone to lose its massive dominance over the smartphone marketplace.