AR App Gun

Posted by augmentedplanet under iphone

If you are looking for that little extra realism with your augmented reality games, AppToyz, a UK games company could have the answer.

The AppToyz solution is a gun shaped holder for your mobile phone. There is no electronics in the device, instead the trigger controls two rubberised fingers (for want of a better word) which tap the screen. Of course games will need to be designed specifically for the AR gun to ensure that the fingers tap in the right places. In the video below you can see the gun in action.

I’m not sure about this one, I worry about my expensive phone flying through the air in the heat of an AR battle. It will be interesting to see if developers begin to build compatible games.
From what I understand the gun will be priced around £15-$20 ($25-$30) mark.

The AR Gun in action

Word Lens – Augmented Reality Translation

Posted by augmentedplanet under iphone

When I first got interested in augmented reality some 18 months ago, one of the first demos I saw was a translation application running on a Symbian device.

The demo was a Youtube video of a traveller holding up their Nokia phone to a street sign in Japan. Instantly the Japanese text was translated into English and displayed in the camera window. I lost the demo but always found the idea of using augmented reality for translation fascinating.

There have been other augmented reality translation mash-ups since then, all of which required you to take a picture of the text, highlight the text area and then press submit. To be honest very few of these have worked well. I used to do live translation demos at augmented reality events that I spoke at, but most of the time they would fail with even simple three or four word sentences. Either the light wasn’t just right or it just completely messed up a word.

With access to the camera feed, reading the text and doing a live translation on the fly without forcing the user to take a photo is obviously a much more compelling solution. Enter Word Lens from Quest Visual for the iPhone.

Word Lens is a new augmented reality translation application reads text visible in the camera window, translates it, and then overlays the original text with the translation. Better yet the dictionaries are downloaded to the phone so you don’t incur expensive roaming charges while abroad.  Word Lens currently supports Spanish & English and the languages are available as in-app purchases. (normal price $8.99 but currently on 50% discount for $4.99 until 31^st December).
Even if translation is not your thing, the app is free and it comes with a demo mode that enables you to reverse or blank out words. Perfect for those drunken look what my phone can do moments over Christmas.

Take a look at the video below, is this not the future of translation?

Get it here:

The New Yell AR Browser

Posted by augmentedplanet under iphone

Yell is one of the most popular yellow page business directories in the UK. The iPhone application enables users to find everything from restaurants to pubs to florists and everything in between.

A year ago we reviewed the application fully when Yell first added augmented reality functionality to the client. If you have used an augmented reality browser before you’ll know sometimes that it can be difficult to select POIs when they are hidden behind each other. Yell solved this problem with one of my favourite features, a rather nifty targeting recital that gave a visual indication on what you were looking at.

The new version of Yell bears no resemblance to its predecessor and has been completely revamped. One of the big differences you’ll notice with the augmented reality view in the new version is the addition of an onscreen map. This rather handy feature saves switching between the AR view and the map view to get your bearings. AR is great for figuring out what is around you and the general direction but it’s not useful for navigating and homing in on the target.

While the map is a welcome addition and very useful, it does feel like it was developed independently. For example, the POIs shown on the map are identified by numbers but the POIs shown in the AR window are identified by name only. Additionally the map is not zoomable so while the map can show 3 POIs the AR window may have 20 or more. But what I would really like to see is the map orientate itself with the direction you are facing so you can use the map to navigate to the target and see the POIs in relation to the map. It will be interesting to see if the map gets perfected and if others copy the map idea.

The rest of the application has be updated significantly to give excellent integration with the phones functionality, for example you can call the business directly with one click or even share the details via SMS/Facebook/Twitter with friends. Useful if you are trying to tell a group of people where to meet.

If you haven’t taken a look at Yell for a while or if you are looking for a local search application then Yell has had a serious revamp and is well worth a look.

Get Yell

AR Invaders

Posted by augmentedplanet under iphone

Those pesky aliens are at it again, invading our cities, forests, living rooms and just about anything else they can. The last line of Earth’s defence is you. God help us.

AR Invaders and Look Up are two new games courtesy of Soulbit7 that bring the classic alien space invaders genre up to date with a fresh augmented reality feel. The game uses the tried and tested augmented reality formula of enabling the camera window so the action takes place in 360 around your surroundings. You can also team up with other members of the Earth’s Resistance Forces (or your friends) to drive back the alien hordes.

Regardless of whether you decide to take on the aliens alone or with a friend, you’ll need quick reflexes as the aliens don’t hang about waiting for you to shoot them.

AR Invaders / Look Up in action

While it appears are two games, AR Invaders and Look Up, they are both in fact the same game. The difference being AR Invaders is exclusive for the iPhone 4 as it makes use of the gyroscope. iPhone 3G users however can still play the game via AR Invaders.

iPhone 4 owners can download the free AR Invaders Lite version to give the game a try.  (Full price $1.99)  AR Invaders is on special offer of $0.99 so get it while its on special.

iPhone with a keyboard

Posted by Lester Madden under Gadgets, iphone

I love my iPhone.  I’m trying an Android device as well but I am getting tired of the error messages telling me I have to force a close.  I get that annoying error message practically every time I pick the dam thing up.

I did want the HTC Desire Z because of its fantastic looking keyboard, but I’m not exactly falling in love with Android OS.  However I just found a cool looking keyboard for the iPhone 4. It’s integrated into the case and looks pretty sweet.

The cost is a reasonable $70 from Box Wave

Money Talks with AR

Posted by augmentedplanet under General

They say money talks, thanks to a fun augmented reality application from Harmonypark and Sam Hare it really does have a voice.

Chatterbucks is a new iPhone application that uses natural feature tracking to identify £5 and £10 banknotes from the UK. Once identified a speech bubble appears giving Her Majesty the opportunity to deliver a personalised message to the viewer.

The application is a bit of fun that demonstrates the power of natural feature tracking for mobile devices. Developers have been surprisingly slow to build natural feature tracking applications for the iPhone so its good to see an app appearing finally. Sam and the guys at Harmonypark are working on a application that will recognise Japanese Yen and US Dollars so overseas readers will get to have some money fun soon.

Chatterbucks

Bulmers Cider Pub Finder

Posted by augmentedplanet under Augmented Reality

The team that put together the Tiger Beer augmented reality iPhone application have been busy with another augmented reality application, this time for Bulmers Cider.

The one thing that London has in abundance is pub’s, we have so many that we use them as our navigation beacons. Turn left at the Red Lion, keep going to the King George, and turn right by the Slug and Lettuce and you are there. Finding a decent drink is easy, but thanks to the new augmented reality application you can now find a decent pub that servers Bulmers Cider and has a garden where you can sit outside and enjoy your drink in the sun.

Like most augmented reality applications the functionality is simple, it will use your current location to inform you what pubs are around you, and as you hold your phone up you’ll see the locations of the pubs in the camera window giving you the general direction. The application displays a handy rating system so you’ll know if the pub is worth a visit. Since the ratings are taken from UseYourLocal.com you are not relying on people who have the application installed to add reviews, therefore there should already be reviews for a good number of pubs.

A general comment about the data provided by the RateYourLocal website. I checked my local pub and was surprised to see that it was missing. On closer inspection I found it was about half a mile away from its correct location. Either someone moved it over the weekend or someone somewhere is licensing a database that needs a serious clean up.

Like the Tiger Beer application you can also opt in to receiving Bulmers Cider related notifications. Based on the Tiger Beer notifications I received in the past, they are generally details about pubs that are offering 2 for 1 or free drink deals. They are not very intrusive so you don’t get spammed. If you opt in you’ll also get details about the Sun Lovin’ Criminals band that are performing on behalf of Bulmers and may appear in a pub near you.

For a marketing exercise, the Bulmers Cider app is a great way to reach out and engage with customers, especially the ability to send them promotions. For the consumer, if you’re a cider fan or just looking to explore a new pub then the app is great, signing up to the notifications may mean that you even manage to pick up a deal in the process.

Bulmers Cider AR App in Action

Twitter 360 Augmented Reality Application

Posted by augmentedplanet under General

Pesselite today announced their latest augmented reality application for the iPhone. If you are a Twitter fan and  wonder where all the people you follow are tweeting from, then Presselite latest application titled Twitter 360 will show you their location on a map.  The application also has 2 augmented realtiy modes, point the device down it switches to show you arrows that show the distance of the tweet, when you hold the device in front of you the applications switches to focus on the tweets by placing them in circles.

If you have used any previous Presselite product to help you find tube (metro/subway etc) stations then you’ll find this application looks very similar as it shares the same augmented realty engine. Personally I am not a huge Twitter user, I just don’t seem to have the time to keep up so I tend to read more than take part, but I know it will appeal to many Twitter addicts.

Since I had a rant about privacy the other day I should refer you to this post. Augmented reality and geotagging is fantastic combination when you are at an event and want to see who is around you and what they are saying. But remember to turn off the feature when you don’t want to be found, unless of course you want everyone to know where you live.

Watch it in action

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=330158239&mt=8

Pandemica Augmented Reality Game

Posted by augmentedplanet under General

Pandemica from XMG Studios is the latest augmented reality iPhone game that uses the camera and accelerometer to produce an entertaining arcade style shooter that you can experience with full 360 degrees of movement. Pandemica transforms your iPhone into a sub-field bio-scanner that can detect the invisible alien organisms that are around you, and like all alien organisms they are not friendly. Armed with your sub-field bio-scanner your mission is to eliminate the alien threat before they have the chance to get you and cover you in goo.

Like most arcade games, as you progress you’ll have the opportunity to unlock better weapons to help you fight off the alien hordes, weapons such as Missiles, Continuous Electron Beam and the Bosnoic Field Bomb produce the necessary firepower to survive some of the games harder levels. As with the other augmented reality games that fall in to this new genre, the game requires you to be active, it’s not the type of game you’ll be playing while sitting on the sofa or the train to work. As the game takes place in reality you’ll constantly be looking behind you for the next wave of alien attacks.

If your worried about what the neighbours will think of you running around screaming incoherently about aliens fear not, Pandemica also has two multi-player modes where you can team up with a friend and fight cooperatively against the threat, or you can compete for the highest score. Pandemica is the first multi-player game of this type and it adds a new twist on the game play. If you can get a few friends together I think there is endless fun to be had with these modes.

Pandemica costs $1.99 or £1.19 and is available from the app store.

MMORPG Augmented Reality Game

Posted by augmentedplanet under General

In my daily scan of the iPhone application store I noticed that Parallel Kingdom -- Age of Emergence has arrived. It’s has also hit the the Google Android.

Parallel Kingdom is a massively multi-player online role playing game that takes place around you. The game uses GPS to figure out your location and places the character directly in your neighbourhood where you can explore, declare war on other players or just fight the many creatures that live there. It’s interesting to see your surroundings plotted with monsters, trees, caves and other exotic items. I had never noticed that there was a castle at the end of my street before.

I have only just installed the game and it seems to be pretty complex and loaded with options so it is going to take a while for me to figure out what the hell I am doing, but like all MMORPG’s the object is to kill, collect gold and build up your level.

Given it’s complexity it’s hard to give a full review but I guess the question is, is it really an augmented reality application? Well that depends on your point of view.

If you are a traditionalist who believes that augmented reality is defined by using the camera and blending computer graphics in the camera feed then you probably won’t see Parallel Kingdom as a true augmented reality game. If however you take the wider view and believe that augmented reality is being aware of you surroundings and enhancing them then you’ll see Parallel Kingdom as the first true augmented reality MMORPG. Either way, Parallel Kingdom is free so worth an install and making up your own mind.

Game Trailer

FutureTek – Holographic Phones

Posted by Lester Madden under iphone

I stumbled on a spoof demo yesterday that showed an iPhone displaying a hologram. The idea was you receive a call and just like something out of a Star Wars film you see a hologram of the caller emerge from the screen. Of course it’s not possible but it got me thinking and I did a little bit of digging and found that to some degree you can create a hologram for the iPhone.

The first video is a rather ambitious look at the year 2012 but I think it will be more like 2020 before we see anything like this

iPhone 2012

Next is an interesting take on why it wont be a good idea to answer your holophone.

Finally to prove that there’s an app for just about everything, there is an hologram creator application for the iPhone. The images don’t leap out the screen but it’s still an interesting application.

Essential iPhone Apps – Part I

Posted by Lester Madden under iphone

My iPhone is almost a week old so I thought it would be a good time to look at some of the applications I have installed that I consider to be essential.