With the rise of Google Glass, it’s looking like augmented reality may gain renewed focus from many brands in coming months. UK startup VirtualMob has geared up to help ease that process by launching what’s being called a “WordPress for AR.” Their Point-at-Me (PAM) app allows the creation of AR experiences without the need to code, which can then be accessed via VirtualMob’s PAM app, or through a brand’s own app. Several big players are already giving the service a try, including Time Inc, Cartier, and Hyundai. The effectiveness of this form of simple development is yet to be seen, but for brands looking for a first step into the AR sphere, PAM could be a great place to start.
Tag: Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality Supermarkets
I disagree with the assertion in the article that this has larger implications. It seems to me to be a lot more difficult than just accessing the supermarket mobile website from anywhere, rather than having to go to an empty lot and wave your phone around just to get the same stuff. This project strikes me as an example of making something unnecessarily difficult.
New Video From Google Glass
The Google Glass project is one of the most hyped tech advancements this year and for good reason. Google just released some video showing the promise of their AR glasses that deliver digital experiences based on your environment. The glasses should be dropping later this year and seem to feature voice controls quite prominently in Google’s entrance into the wearable computing market.
Google’s ‘Ingress’ Mobile Game Turns Duane Reade Into Your Next Adventure
Google took social gaming to the next level with its Augmented Reality adventure game, “Ingress,” and it recently partnered with Duane Reade to expand its boundaries inside of the pharmacy’s locations throughout New York. In brief, Ingress is a sci-fi AR game for Android handsets where the player collects exotic matter (XM) to be spent at other locations, known as portals – which can be found at accessible public locations like libraries or subway stations – to unlock missions. Now, players can pick up that XM or start new missions in Duane Reade stores. Each Duane Reade location will have a participation sticker outside, alerting gamers that game items are hidden inside. Once gathered, players can scan the asset for one-time use codes or in-game weapons, adding a live-action scavenger hunt aspect to the game. Zipcar and Jamba Juice were already ahead of the NYC-based Pharmacy chain in partnering on Ingress, creating an advertising strategy for Google that’s specifically designed to combat in-game banner ads. The game is currently in closed beta, but when it goes public it has the potential to bring AR to Android users in a very tangible manner.
Augmented reality set to blast off
For over a year now, the Lab has displayed AR or Augmented Reality technology on a fixed platform in our DOOH room. However, AR is rapidly moving its way beyond a fix platform. Location-based social networking site Brightkite recently entered into a partnership with Dutch startup SPRXmobile to integrate the Layar augmented reality features into its solution. This solution leverages Location-based social networking, GPS, camera and compass phone functions to overlay 3D location-based information on the screen in real time. Called Layar, it’s their browser designed to be used on smart phones and give users the chance to point and experience. As the Lab’s resident “car guy” I couldn’t help but think about Intel’s progressive in-car efforts and their drive to create rear-seat entertainment/navigation architectures, along with LBS.
Brands however could really move AR forward through sponsorship initiatives. Continue reading “Augmented reality set to blast off”
Mobile Evolution: “Robocop-esqueâ€
This Wednesday, I’ll be speaking on a panel at ThinkLA. I’ll be presenting a few short slides on the evolution of mobile specific to the mobile web and applications. Though the panel should be interesting, the evolution of mobile is a much broader topic – one that’s inspired delving into mobile’s future relating to user input and output.
Ok, that last bit sounded boring. Here’s a video of the sixth sense concept from MIT, which presents some of these concepts in a much more interesting manner. The system MIT designed uses a projector to deliver information, and a camera to input controls. This could be the future evolution of mobile input and output – from keypads and screens to projectors and cameras. Continue reading “Mobile Evolution: “Robocop-esque—
