While Carrier IQ isn’t likely to go Skynet on us, this video is fairly alarming. It’s yet another log on the anti-privacy bonfire that has been ablaze in recent months with the antics of Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and many others. Who is going to be the John Connor that will end all of this?

First of all, I call dibs. But I’m going to wait until I see a T-1000 in real life. Second, let’s not freak out… yet.

A recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request asking for any “manuals, documents or other written guidance used to access or analyze data gathered by programs developed or deployed by Carrier IQ,” from the FBI by a blogger at MuckRock.com was denied on the grounds that revealing that information would interfere with a law enforcement case.

The YouTube video that started it all:

This doesn’t necessarily mean the FBI is using Carrier IQ data to track your every move. The FBI could actually have denied the FOIA request because they are building a case against Carrier IQ. We’ll all just have to wait and see where this goes. We do know the truth will eventually become clear as there have already been class-action lawsuits filed against Carrier IQ and the providers who use the app to collect user data (Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T).

The Carrier IQ discovery is certainly disturbing. The developer says that the data is only being used as a diagnostic tool to tweak performance and give to carriers; the content is not being stored. Two examples would be: 1) the software would record the date and phone number of a person you are texting, but will not record the message you send and 2) it will record what website you visit, but it will not record the actual content of the page. This is enough to make many people squeamish about the privacy of their data and usage.

The problem with Carrier IQ saying it’s not recording content is that the video above clearly shows every keystroke being recorded into a simple text file. Carrier IQ says that the output in that video is from pre-release debugging software that should have never made it onto a consumer device.

Carrier IQ’s response:

Now it’s time to pick your poison, either this company is secretly recording everything you do and giving it to your phone provider or they can’t keep track of what software is being pre-installed on phones without user consent.

Carrier IQ believes this is all a mistake and a misunderstanding. They say their software is beneficial to users because it lets phone carriers know if there are performance problems that need to be fixed. In an effort to be more transparent, they have released a 19 page document explaining what the IQ Agent is, how it works, and what it is used for.

Is Carrier IQ on your mobile phone? Are you going to try to remove it?

More: How to Find and Delete Carrier IQ

From my own experience, when I scan a QR code I expect some sort of immediate reward or Easter egg for taking the time to engage with the advertisement. There’s nothing more disappointing than scanning a code only to be taken to the regular home page of whatever company caught my eye. This is where marketers are failing. If you see a web address printed somewhere, you can remember it and visit it later. A QR code has to be scanned on location or taken home  for later review. That’s a lot more work, so there better be a payoff for the user’s time and energy.

From a customer’s perspective, that’s the gamble behind QR codes. You don’t know where it will take you, but you hope it will be worth your time and show you something useful. And when it doesn’t, the letdown can harm the brand’s reputation and the customer’s willingness to engage in the future.

If you haven’t had much luck with QR codes, or are yet to try them out, there are a few simple things you can do to give yourself a better shot of making them work for you.

Thumbs Up:

The Red Cross proved great design is possible with QR codes.

Customize your QR codes. You can alter about 30% of the image and maintain its readability. Try incorporating your logo or product in some way. Also, don’t be afraid to change the colors to make it really stand out. The QR Code is your call to action. Make it enticing. Test the code with multiple QR scanning apps before publishing to make sure your customization didn’t render the code unreadable.

Location, location, location. The most creative QR code in the world won’t mean a thing if it is in an irrelevant location. QR Code billboards on the highway? Bad idea and just plain unsafe. QR codes on a disposable coffee cup? Genius.

Thumbs Down:

Destination. Just as important as the physical location of the QR code is the destination of where the code will take the user. Making a QR code just to have one is tempting, but it needs to make sense. It seems obvious that users will be visiting your QR code destination from a mobile device, but many QR codes lead to non-mobile websites resulting in a frustrating user experience.

Content. Congratulations, your QR code has broken through the clutter and convinced someone to take the time to scan it. Will it be worth it? If you’re thinking, “Yes, take a picture and it takes you to our website. How cool is that!” then the user probably won’t think too highly of your brand. A good idea would be to create a special mobile landing page for the QR code. Offer an exclusive discount, an enticing contest, or at least a thank you for their taking the time to scan it. A little extra effort can go a long way.

Cool Tools:

• Kaywa has a free tool for creating QR codes for URLs, SMS, phone numbers and plain text.
• Goo.gl is a great URL shortener that automatically creates a QR code and tracks your clicks.

Also check out How to Use QR Codes for Small Business Marketing.

Quiz: Now that you have a better idea on how to use QR Codes, what did we do right and wrong with ours at the top of this post?

We recently published a guide on how to configure FreedomIQ service on the Counterpath Bria iOS app (also available in the Android Market). Now we want to go over some of the benefits that this handy little app can offer.

Why would I want to buy and configure the mobile softphone?

A softphone is a piece of software that works as your VoIP phone without actually needing to have a physical “hard” phone. One of the things we really like about this app is that it’s not just an extension of your VoIP phone, it can be your VoIP phone. The Bria app maintains our popular call reports and call record (if purchased) features as well as the ability for administrators to listen to live calls. It really is like having your VoIP desktop phone inside your mobile device.

We think this is a great piece of software for the mobile professional. Now you can have access to your office phone system while attending a trade show or an out of town conference. It’s also a great product for our virtual phone system customers who are thinking about upgrading to FreedomIQ but don’t want to purchase VoIP phones for all of their employees. Now they don’t have to.

How is this different from call forwarding to my cell phone?

Call forwarding uses your cell phone minutes. We’ve all picked up the occasional business call that goes much longer than expected. While normally just an inconvenience, a lengthy chat using call forwarding could eat up the cell minutes that cost you money and should be saved for family and friends. Remember, FreedomIQ allows for unlimited calling within the U.S. Take advantage by making your calls over Wi-Fi and/or 3G/4G. Note: Enabling 3G/4G will use data rates for these calls. Check your data plan with your wireless provider for details.

Another big advantage is that the Bria app helps you keep your private life private. When you call out, the recipient will see your professional FreedomIQ outbound caller ID. Even though you’re making a call from your iOS or Android device, you’re not using your cell service to make the call. Your cell phone number won’t be given away, and you won’t be getting any unexpected business calls at home.

What else should I know?

From our testing, we’ve found the Bria app to work best over Wi-Fi connections. 3G/4G may or may not be optimal depending on your signal strength. Some complementary Wi-Fi access points, like you would find in restaurants and stores, restrict the use of VoIP calls for various reasons. Most of these free access points do not have QoS and Traffic Shaping resources configured on their routers. As a result, many different connected users on the network can lower call quality. That being said, we have found the Bria app to be the best mobile softphone on the market today, and we have many of our own employees regularly using it.

Have you installed the Bria app? Leave your impressions in the comments below.

Are you happy with your FreedomIQ or FreedomVoice virtual phone system service? If so, please leave a product recommendation on our LinkedIn page.