"Leave the tomatoes. Take the Da Vinci QR Code T-shirt"

Yesterday Taiwanese mobile operator Far Eastone Telecommunications (FET) unveiled its first QR code capable handset, the Sharp WX-T91.

Funny enough, of all the possible examples how QR codes can be used, FET chose the ability for consumers in supermarkets to do a background check on tomatoes. It's not the first I'd personally think of, but fortunately printing the codes in magazine ads and on outdoor posters and billboards for generated spectacularly efficient consumer responses get a mention as well.

FET will launch the QR code phone with a marketing campaign linked to the Da Vinci Code. Customers who sign up for a contract including the Sharp WX-T91 will be able to participate in a treasure hunt, with prizes like a luxury Da Vinci Code trip to France for two, movie tickets, or goodies with 'Da Vinci Code Classic Paintings' printed on them.

FET claims that QR is the emerging standard for mobile response in Taiwan, which makes it the second QR market after Japan, where QR codes are taking off in a big way with tens of millions of handsets already QR capable.

The third market could be Singapore, where Sistic, the ticket agent responsible for about 80% of theater and concert ticket sales in the island state, has announced the intention to move to a completely QR based ticket sales solution.

With numerous technologies for mobile response evolving all over the globe (here's a small list) it's still early days to claim victory for QR.

But de facto standards are all-important for consumer acceptance, and it certainly looks like QR is a serious contender.