Open up your mind and say, ahh...

Republicans are taking to social media in an attempt to curb the Democrats’ digital momentum. Facebook is courting the red states. And a study shows that Republicans are more cohesive and effective on social networks. That’s the news from this GOP-themed edition of our weekly series looking at stories in the intersection of digital technology and politics.

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Republicans Beat Democrats on Twitter

Despite President Barack Obama’s prowess on social networks, Republicans came out ahead of Democrats when it comes to effective use of Twitter, at least in the 2010 race. That’s according to a study from the U-M School of Information and the College of Engineering. The study looked at more than 460,000 tweets — that’s three years worth of tweets from 687 candidates running for House, Senate and guberntorial seats during the 2010 midterm elections.

Republican tweets were more cohesive, covering a single basic topic. Top terms included “spending,” “bills,” “budget,” and “deficit.” Democrats sent an average of 172 fewer tweets, and they covered more diverse topics, including terms like “education,” “jobs,” “oil_spill,” “clean_energy,” “Afghanistan” and “reform.”

Tea Party Members showed more cohesion than either Democrats or Republicans. They retweeted a colleague’s message an average of 82.6 times compared with 52.3 retweets for Republicans and 40 for Democrats. Tea partiers also used hashtags an average of 753 times, while Republicans averaged 404 times and Democrats were at 196, the study said.

Facebook Courts Top Republican Candidates

The worlds most popular social network has historically leaned towards the Democrats. President Obama has 22 million fans, which is 10 times more support than the 10 declared GOP presidential candidates combined, says the Atlantic Wire. Now Facebook is working to close that huge number disparity.

“The color of the site is blue, but the color of the company is purple,” Joel Kaplan, former deputy chief of staff in the George W. Bush administration and Facebook’s current vice president of U.S. public policy, told RCP. Facebook has recruited five high-profile GOP strategists to join its outreach team in recent months.

Republican’s Hold a Twitter Debate

Following on the heels of President Obama’s Twitter town hall, Republican presidential candidates will be holding a Twitter debate on July 27 sponosored by TheTeaParty.net, reported the Washington Post.

The forum will include former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R,-Pa), former Gov. Gary Johnson (R,-NM), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R,-Minn), Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R,-MIch) and Georgia businessman Herman Cain.

Images courtesy of Flickr, outtacontext, Combined Media, Truthout.org, http://www.flickr.com/photos/donkeyhotey/

Hamilton Chan is CEO and Founder of Paperlinks. With the free Paperlinks iPhone app, featured previously by Apple as the #1 New & Noteworthy app, consumers can scan and view QR code content with a native app experience. Paperlinks also provides a powerful platform for generating QR codes, hosting content, and tracking their performance.

The QR code: A thing of beauty or an eyesore? The magical barcodes that can be scanned by a smartphone to launch an offline-to-online experience are often criticized for their black and white checkerbox appearance. Those who doubt that QR codes will go mainstream are quick to point out that the look of QR codes will deter marketers and advertisers from using them.

Fortunately, QR codes are malleable and can be redesigned in truly extraordinary ways, while still maintaining their scanability. The truth is, QR codes no longer have to be checkerbox in appearance. We’ve entered a new phase of “designer codes” that can be integrated into marketing campaigns in an attractive way that isn’t an eyesore.

QR codes have so much potential from a design perspective, so let’s take a look at a few tricks and techniques you should keep in mind when designing a code to enhance your brand and appeal to your audience.

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1. Add a Color Palette

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The easiest way to add branding power to your code is to add color to it. Your QR code does not have to be standard black and white in order to be scanned. You can embed multiple colors and apply a color gradient without affecting scanability. The only rule of thumb is that the code color should generally be dark and placed against a light-colored background. Make sure the contrast is sufficient, or the code will be difficult to scan.

A “reversed out” code, where the background is dark and the boxes are light colored, is generally not recommended. Only a small handful of QR code readers can treat such codes as a film negative and properly interpret the data.

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2. Soften Hard Edges with Round Corners

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One of the QR code’s greatest aesthetic flaws is its numerous hard edges. You can dramatically lessen the severity of this look by strategically rounding some corners. It is not necessary to round all of the corners but softening up the edges will definitely make the code appear more friendly and approachable.

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3. Incorporate Dimensionality for 3D Impact

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One high impact way to brand your QR code is to obstruct some of the boxes with imagery, such as a logo. By placing an image in front of the code, you imbue the code with a sense of depth. An ordinary barcode suddenly becomes a form of artwork, and you can really make a statement with the way you melt boxes together or choose to obstruct aspects of the code.

Fun ideas include adding a logo to the center of the code, but you could also add interesting elements to the corners or the sides for an even less standard look. Adding images or characters between the boxes is another playful way to dress the code with personality and style.

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4. Use QR Codes With 30% Error Correction

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If you decide to add in a logo to create a 3D feel for your QR code, you need to decide which part of the coding to obstruct with your logo. The key to creating these eye-popping designer codes is to take advantage of the fact that up to 30% of a QR code’s data can be missing or obstructed, and still be scanned. QR codes can be generated with 0%, 10%, 20% or 30% error correction rates built in. Building in the 30% error correction rate adds more noise (extra boxes) within the code, but those extra boxes within the code can then be removed to make way for a logo or other interesting imagery.

If you use a QR code with 0% error correction, the code will look more streamlined, but opportunities to brand the code by adding in a logo are very limited. Removing or obstructing a single box within a 0% error QR code could render it unscannable.

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Apply a Trial-and-Error Process

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Technically, it is possible to mathematically compute which boxes in a QR code are the buffers that can be removed, but such computations are generally unnecessary. By applying a simple process of trial-and-error, anyone can begin applying their design techniques to a code and then test for scannability.

Be sure to test your code’s scannability with multiple QR readers, ideally three or four. Some readers may be able to overcome some stylistic elements of your designer code, whereas others will not. Deploying your code without testing for scannability is designer malpractice and can cause serious heartache with clients. It is true that even with reasonable precautions, designer codes may still be difficult to scan, so you must always weigh the costs of scanning difficulty against the benefits of designing a code that is eye-catching. If a designer code takes more than a few seconds to scan, it probably needs to be redesigned.

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Conclusion

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In the end, creating branded QR codes is as much art as it is science. The mathematical qualities of a QR code and the impact of a clever design can truly elevate a QR code to the point where the code becomes the central artwork of a piece of marketing collateral. Applying designer best practices will enhance scanning conversion rates and effectively augment an offline item with online capabilities.

It is only a matter of time before QR codes hit mainstream. Knowing how to innovate both in technology and design, and how to implement a QR code in the right way for your business, will keep your brand on the cutting edge of marketing and technology.

The world knows quite well that #tigerblood flows through the veins of @CharlieSheen. We’re also learning that the color of #TigerBlood is green, as Charlie proves to the world that paid Tweets not only sell, they work.  Ad.ly, the social media talent agency to the stars, is largely recognized for its work in merging celebrity endorsements with Twitter, introducing us to an era of sponsored Tweets from the people we know, love, and take guilty pleasures in following. Ad.ly is also the team behind the media storm that is @charliesheen and #CharliesKorner.

Ad.ly arranged an initial endorsement opportunity for internships.com, helping Charlie Sheen find a #winning intern.

Today Ad.ly and internships.com released some initial stats that officially are impressive and unofficially are nothing short of incredible. I’m working getting approval on releasing additional data, but in the mean time, the team published an interesting infograph that demonstrates just how far #tigerblood spills.

One single tweet published at 4:03 pm Eastern was published to 2.2 million followers.

The Speed: The velocity of the social effect hit 95,333 clicks in the first hour…

The Reach: 181 countries

The Yield: Over 74,000 applications

What this means for brands, personal brands, and additional stats to follow…

Future automotive designers from all over the world got a taste of what it’s like for automakers to create and build a new car, from focus group to final production.

As part of a collaboration between the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Honeywell, middle schoolers participating in the Honeywell/SAE Student Design Challenge practiced their math, science, social studies and language arts skills while working for mock corporations tasked with building toy electric cars. They learned about engineering and business, and we learned that the Chevy Lumina APV could easily have been built by 12 year olds.

Teams were judged by their written and video presentations, plus implementation of performance and environmental standards. From a standing start, all toy cars had to be able to either travel three meters in under three seconds, climb a 30 degree slope for one meter, or climb a 15 degree slope for one meter in under two seconds. All vehicle body components had to be non-toxic and easily recyclable.

Winning teams included a papier-mâché bear from Thaon-Les-Vosges, France in first place; an open-wheel racer with a passing resemblance to the Auto Union Type C from Glinde, Germany in second and a wheeled ladybug from Mexicali, Mexico for third.

We especially enjoyed watching the winning team explain how they implemented the recommendations of focus groups. Their research showed that most of their target audience — kids between 6 and 10 — are environmentally conscious, and like the color blue, animals and sports team logos. Therefore, they built a miniature EV that looks like a big blue bear with a sports team logo on the side.

That’s truly impressive work by middle schoolers, but it’s not a stretch to imagine that a similar presentation greenlighted the Ford Probe.

Photo: Honeywell

Ever notice that it’s the little things that help you express your individuality? The way you tie your laces, how you take your coffee, or a special product that you’ve personalized.

Everyone and his dog seems to be toting an iPhone these days, but you can at least differentiate yours with some excellent personalized products such as custom mods, cases and skins.

You may be one of the millions of iPhone owners, but your iPhone can say a lot about you, without saying a word. We found five options to give your iPhone a little je ne sais quoi.

Let us know which ones you like in the comments below, and share with us any gadgets you have already personalized with your awesome tastes.

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1. Uncommon

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Uncommon’s clip-on “Deflector” cases for the iPhone 4 (or “Capsule” case for earlier models) will add some glossy protection to your phone and can be customized by uploading your own photos or artwork.

You have to sign up to upload your own images, but once you do that, the online design process is easy, with simple options to re-size and rotate until you are happy with the final product.

Once you’re satisfied you can either save the design for a later date or go straight ahead and order — the cost per case is $34.95, so arguably not a huge premium for something that is unique to you.

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2. ColorWare

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ColorWare has made quite a name for itself by giving consumer electronics a rainbow-hued makeover. The service covers gadgetry with a high-gloss, scratch-resistant polymer-based coating that instantly adds a serious splash of color to your phone.

After you’ve designed your color scheme via the online design center, you can send in your iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS to get the ColorWare treatment.

ColorWare offers a variety of colors, and rather than just one block color, you have the option to make the frame, button and even the SIM card tray different shades.

The only drawbacks are that you’ll be without your phone for as long as the process takes (currently around three weeks) and the cost — it’s $250 for the iPhone 4, which makes the $15 extra to get your earbuds done too look like great value.

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3. GelaSkins

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If you don’t want the bulk of a case, but would still like to pimp your iPhone (4 or earlier models) the affordable answer is a GelaSkin. The removable sticky cover won’t offer as much protection as a case, but will stop scratches and keep your phone looking stylish too.

You can turn your own photo, illustration or artwork into a custom GelaSkin using the site’s online service. Simply upload your image, tweak how it appears and fork out $14.95.

In addition to the skin, the price includes the option to create an iPhone wallpaper from the image and add personalized text. GelaSkins will then e-mail the file to you as the order is shipped.

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4. inblue

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Etsy seller inblue offers lovely hand-sewn and hand-printed leather iPhone cases that she will customize with initials, a name or even a short quote to make a case perfect for you.

If this is up your alley, then check out Etsy to browse the designs available and then make your special requests for the text or design.

Pricing starts at $13, so it’s a great option for an unusual case that won’t break the bank.

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5. Case-Mate

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Case-Mate offers a similar service to Uncommon (or vice versa!) with a customizable hard shell called the “Tough Case” for the iPhone 4, as well as earlier models.

With no need to sign up, Case-Mate’s online design studio is a breeze. You just need to upload the picture you want to illustrate your casing, then use the zoom, scale and rotate tools to get it exactly right on the iPhone 4 mock-up and hit the buy button.

After paying the $39.99 for the case, you’ll be eagerly awaiting your unique phone protection to arrive in the mail.

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While there’s no iPhone app that can help you avoid hitting your thumb with a hammer, falling off a ladder or stepping in a tray of paint, certain apps can be a useful addition to your tool kit when attempting some DIY projects.

Here are five great apps that will assist you in illumination, estimation, decoration, organization and for those green-thumbed folk among you, even propagation. So grab your safety goggles and strap on the tool belt — handyman help awaits.

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1. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap

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iPhone owners are privy to a large number of fantastic color-related apps, but this is our top choice for the DIYer as it offers some practical features. Say you’re out just living your life and suddenly you spot the exact shade (or shades) you’d love to decorate your kitchen with. Just snap a picture of the hue and this app will help you match it to the nearest Sherwin-Williams paint color.

You can also take the selected color and create a custom palette either based on your own choices, or from auto-generated suggestions. If you want a second opinion on your selected palette, you can share it via e-mail or Facebook, and then once you’ve made your final choice, the app offers map-based store locations and directions so you can go and purchase the Vogue Green and Java Brown you have your heart set on.

It goes without saying that the color representations (or matches) on the iPhone will depend on the quality of the light, and the paint may not be exactly the same as you’ve been seeing on your phone’s display. But it’s a free, high-tech alternative to endless sample strips, and a great way to record a favored shade on the go and match it to real-life products.

Cost: Free

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2. KAD Software’s Estimation Apps

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If you’re the type who can look at a wall, squint convincingly and suck in a breath before stating, with absolute confidence, “we’ll need 267 six by six tiles,” then skip these apps. But for anyone else who’s not a born guesstimator or mathlete, stay right here, as KAD Software’s apps might be of great help.

The company offers a bunch of estimation apps for all aspects of home improvement. Whether you need to know how many rolls of wallpaper you need, or how many cans of paint, or how much lumber, acoustic ceiling, sheathing, asphalt, and so on, these $0.99 apps are great.

There are free online tools that can help you with estimation needs, but if you’re in middle of Home Depot staring blankly at your room dimensions scribbled on a scrap of paper, you might want a slightly more portable solution that’s going to give you an accurate estimate.

Cost: $0.99 per app

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3. Real Tools

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First, we are not suggesting that “Real Tools” can replace your 18-inch Waterloo steel split-lid cantilever tool box with its precious cargo, but it could help you out in a fix.

With 18 “tools” in total, (16 of which work with later models of the iPod touch) the most useful are a ruler, the spirit level, flashlight, various digital angle gauges, a virtual tape measure and a plumb bob.

The claim from the developers is that if you wanted to buy all the tools included in this app in the real world it would set you back $1,200.00. We’re not sure about that, but what we can say is that the app looks, feels, and sounds good. Also, the tools we did test as per the list above, worked perfectly.

Cost: $1.99

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4. Task This

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Keeping a project on track can be half the battle for those of us that are less than motivated to really do it ourselves. So a project management app that can send you timely reminders to get to it, might be just what you need to turn your project from in-progress to ticked off the to-do list.

Task This is a really good place to start because its design and categories works really well for a DIY project.

There’s more to this app than we’re going to cover here (especially when you take into account the web sync options with www.task-this.com) but as far as home improvement planning goes, we’re interested in the app’s “projects,” shopping” and “reminders” functionality.

As you’d imagine, “shopping” lets you create lists of items associated to your projects, or standalone lists as well. Projects can be created with time parameters, status indicators and priority settings, and reminders can be set via push notifications (which will appear in the app’s calendar) to alert you at key points throughout.

As a free app, it’s rather good-looking and as comprehensive as many paid options out there.

Cost: Free

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5. Gardening Toolkit

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If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, then this app will help you make the most of it by providing detailed info and advice on planting and care for over 800 varieties of herbs, flowers and vegetables.

For novice gardeners, this handy app will keep you from planting some kind of flimsy fern suited to more tropical climates if you happen to reside in Chicago, by taking your geographical area’s climate into account and letting you know what will grow best.

Once you’ve narrowed down what you want to plant, you can read up on advice, set yourself a to-do list and then create your own garden profile by picking plants from the searchable database. It’s a great at-a-glance look at what’s growing, basic care info, and your own notes.

In addition, a colorful interface offers great photography, while the by-the-month advice section (e.g., August: It’s easy to get distracted by the long summer days, but the garden still needs attention…) will provide new gardeners with time-tailored suggestions on what needs doing in the manner of a kindly, green-thumbed aunt.

Cost: $3.99

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Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Spiderstock