Same thing has been used in Europe for ages now. Not QR code, but a similar thing. Orange (Mobile operator) have been shipping devices with 'Mobile Tag' on for some time - think I last saw it on a Sony-Ericsson device. You can also download the software yourself.
You can have 'direct' tags (where the tag contains a small amount of information) or 'indirect' (where the tag contains a reference string which is passed to a URL to get the information. It can point to vCard, vCal etc, link to other web addresses and so on.
The software is available as native WinMobile or a java client, and with the right JSR support you don't need to take a picture, just point the camera phone at the advert, poster, computer screen and the tag will get spotted. I have a mobile tag in my e-mail sig at work, which points to a vCard containing all my contact information - yeah, I could attach a vCard, but it is my customer's technology so they like it. I can also have one on my business cards... other cool apps are company contacts details on adds and posters, "Don't forget to watch 'Lost' on Saturday" with a reminder vCal tag on the advert, "Visit our restaurant" with location details in the tag... I could go on...
So, yeah... well done Micro$oft for copying something then making a noise about it.
THE WHEEL! THE WHEEL! LOOK AT US... WE JUST INVENTED THE DAMNED WHEEL!!
