2DQR
What is 2DQR? Know all about 2DQR.

A 2DQR Code (it stands for "Two Dimensional - Quick Response") is a readable barcode that's been big in Japan forever, broke into Eurpoe a while back, and is now getting traction in USA. Still it has to percolate in India and other developing countries. There are a lot of applications available for mobile devices which are able to read this 2DQR codes.

In it's simplest sense think "print based hypertext link" - simply encode a URL into the 2DQR Code and then point a mobile phone (or other camera-enabled mobile) at it. If the device has had 2DQR Code decoding software installed on it, it will fire up its browser and go straight to that URL.

But it doesn't stop there - a 2DQR Code can also contain a phone number, an SMS message, V-Card data or just plain alphanumeric text, and the scanning device will respond by opening up the correct application to handle the encoded data appropriately courtesy of the FNC1 Application Identifiers that are embedded in the encoded data.

The technical specifications for a 2DQR Code are set down in the ISO-18004 standard so they are the same all over the world, and the only signifcant variations from one 2DQR code to another (apart from the data it contains) is the number of modules required to store the data. A Version 1 2DQR Code is a 21x21 array of data elements with the array increasing in size by 4 modules for each increase in version number. The largest standard 2DQR Code is a Version 40 symbol that 177x177 modules in size and can hold up 4296 characters of alphanumeric data (theoretically) compared to 25 characters for a Version 1 2DQR Code.

While there is still a lot of scope for improvement, the resolution of average present-day camera-enabled portable devices is such that the size of the data modules (dots) on a 2DQR Code of Version 5 or above (37x37) presents a real risk of incorrect decoding of the symbol by the device. When creating a 2DQR Code intended for use with mobile phones and PDA's it's best to stick to Version 4 or lower, and a 2DQR Code symbol of at least 2cm (0.85inches) across.

To make things a bit more robust, the 2QR Code also contains its own error correction data, internal orientation calibration and self-alignment markers. In this way it doesn't matter whether the 2DQR code is upside down or wrapped around a curved surface, the message will still get through.

2DQR Code enhanced branding can create a 360 experience:
  • Revitalize branding by adding new dimensions to the brand’s exposure
  • Brand engagement – through increased interactivity and novel strategic alliances
  • Brand enhancement – deliver meaning to brands with new technology and content-rich engagement of brands between customers and companies
  • Allow for quick and easy real time updates of data
  • Ability to do a commercial within a commercial – creating partners in media
  • Offer a green marketing alternative – use less resources, or replace/augment expensive hard copy marketing tools
  • Allow charity donations to be made in real time

There are numerous applications for 2DQR codes that allow the consumer to be engaged repeatedly with a refreshed brand experience. They also produce metrics that can provide information on the location, time and date, type of device used to scan, and more. 2DQR Codes allow you to connect with your customers instantly and produce quantifiable data like never before.

  • You can browse to a website.
  • You can bookmark a website.
  • You can make a phone call.
  • You can send a short message.
  • You can send an e-mail.
  • You can create a vCard (v2.1 or v3.0) with coordinates to add a contact to your device.
  • You can create a meCard to add a contact to your device.
  • You can create a vCalendar event to add to your calendar.
  • You can create Google Maps URLs.
  • You can create Bing Maps URLs.
  • You can create raw geological coordinates.
  • You can create iTunes app and review URLs for iOS devices.
  • You can create market:// URLs for searching for publishers or packages on Market app for Android.
  • You can create Foursquare venue URLs.
  • You can create special youtube:// URLs for YouTube app on iPhone.
  • You can fetch and encode the latest tweet of a Twitter user.
  • You can overlay a Twitter profile image over the code.
  • You can create a mobile URL to tweet on Twitter.
  • You can initiate a chat to a particular Blackberry PIN on Blackberry Messenger.
  • You can connect to a WIFI network on Android devices.
  • You can read plain or free formatted text on your device.

You can change the block size of the generated image to make it bigger or smaller.

Also, you can change the margin size of the image to add more quiet zone if your decoder cannot decode it (Especially Data Matrix seems to need bigger margin sizes). Error correction level for 2DQR Code (ignored for other code types) can be set to 4 different values and higher values may cause the image to be decoded slightly slower.

The 4 values can be explained like this:

  • Low (L): Up to 7% of errors can be corrected.
  • Medium-Low (M): Up to 15% of errors can be corrected.
  • Medium-High (Q): Up to 25% of errors can be corrected.
  • High (H): Up to 30% of errors can be corrected.

For more information about QR Codes, try these sites:

  • Denso-Wave - They invented the things in the first place!!
  • QRMe - Home base for everything you need to know about QR Codes
  • Wikipedia - QR Codes
  • QR-Code - Jordi and the boys blogging about QR Codes
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