Here are some thoughts by Frank Spillers on Augmented Reality. Here are some pro and cons of AR.
Drawbacks of Augmented Reality
Current performance levels (speed) on today’s 2009 iPhone or similar touch devices like the Google G1 will take a few generations to make Augmented Reality feasible as a general interface technique accessible to the general public.
Content may obscure or narrow a users interests or tastes. For example, knowing where McDonald’s or Starbucks is in Paris or Rome might not interest users as much as “off the beaten track information” that you might seek out in travel experiences such as those our clientRentVillas.com offers.
Privacy control will become a bigger issue than with today’s information saturation levels. (See Privacy- your biggest user experience challenge). Walking up to a stranger or a group of people might reveal status, thoughts (Tweets), or other information that usually comes with an introduction, might cause unwarranted breaches of privacy.
Benefits of Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality is set to revolutionize the mobile user experience as did gesture and touch (multi-modal interaction) in mobile phones. SeeMulti-modal design: Gesture, Touch and Mobile devices… This will redefine the mobile user experience for the next generation makingmobile search invisible and reduce search effort for users.
Augmented Reality, like multi-modal interaction (gestural interfaces) has a long history of usability research, analysis and experimentation (particularly in Automotive Telematics research) and therefore has asolid history as an interface technique.
Augmented Reality improves mobile usability by acting as the interface itself, requiring little interaction (this Interaction Design technique is known as Direct Manipulation). Imagine turning on your phone or pressing a button where the space, people, objects around you are “sensed” by your mobile device- giving you location based or context sensitive information on the fly. See my musing on where this might go, written in 2004: “ Would you like a Pop-Up with that Traffic Jam?“
Next year, Birmingham City University in the UK will be offering a one-yearmaster’s degree course in social media. Students will learn the ins and outs of social networking applications as public relations, communications and marketing tools. Designed to accessible to anyone, the course takes a scholarly look at services like Facebook, Twitter, Bebo and so on.
Although learning the nuances of social media in the business world may have a place as part of a larger curriculum, it seems like too little to base an entire Master’s program on. Early responses to the class have people scratching their heads at the relevance of a line of study that could essentially be completed for free by just getting hands-on experience with the social media tools out there. Source:
kooaba is always keen on testing the boundaries of the current state-of-the art in image recognition. In cooperation with ETH Zurich, thus create prototypes of novel applications of our image recognition services.
This post is dedicated to “Asus” that really managed to grab my attention with its latest “gimmicky” ad.
Yes, we all know that “Sex” sells but isn’t this too lame to sell your Netbook in this fashion? No doubt, it managed to grab my attention and it has a recall value too. but I dont think it informs or entices me to go and buy one of those Netbooks (I would rather go and buy “Clavin”). Is it aimed to a different target audience? Not sure.
I always enjoy advertisements that uses “Sex” but in a very witty manner and not something that is on your face. And here the example of such a “witty” ad. with an idea to sell the product. This is a print ads for Omax wide-angle lenses which is tasteful and uses “Sex” as a backdrop. (Literally)
OMAX Wide Angle Lenses:
So coming back to “Asus” half naked girls: I am sure that the creative input is coming from Calvin klein as there is a clear resemblance in “Calvin Klein” and “Asus MOCO” ads. See some or the Calvin ads featuring “Eva Mendis”, but I guess it makes sense in this context as they are trying to see “lingerie” and not a”Netbook”.
Nokia Money, a new mobile financial service offering consumers with mobile device access to basic financial services. For many consumers, this will be the first time they have had any access to such financial services.
Nokia Money has been designed to be as simple and convenient as making a voice call or sending an SMS. It will enable consumers to send money to another person just by using the person’s mobile phone number, as well as to pay merchants for goods and services, pay their utility bills, or recharge their prepaid SIM cards (SIM top-up). The services can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere, meaning savings in travel costs and time. Nokia is building a wide network of Nokia Money agents, where consumers can deposit money in or withdraw cash from their accounts. Catch the video Demo below:
This is one of the sexiest mobile UI visualization for Augmented reality that I have come across lately. I remember conceptualising many augmented reality concepts in my graduation at Interaction Design Institute Ivrea + Domus Academy. This example sets itself apart because of the high standards of UI visualisation and explore scenarios in which you can appropriate your profile depending on the context. Another augmented reality UI for “tweets” are also floating around. See both of them below.
Augmented reality ID – TAT
Augmented ID is a TAT concept that visualizes the digital identities of people you meet in real life. With a mobile device and face recognition software from Polar Rose, Augmented ID enables you to discover selected information about people around you. All users control their own augmented appearance, by selecting the content and social network links they want show to others. Modifying your augmented ID is easier than fixing your hair in real life and, of course, TAT Cascades will make sure you look great!
Came across an interesting article and smartphone market share statistics since 2006. Interesting to see iPhone and RIM growing phenomenally and Nokia alarmingly loosing its market share. Here is the article.
“Locked in an epic battle with Apple’s iPhone, Research in Motion has managed to grow bigger and more dominant than ever. But the competition is about to get tougher.”
I am an Interaction Designer, currently working with Fjord Oy, Helsinki. My interest revolves around designing playful, desirable and rich user experience for convergence-driven products and services. I am a graduate from Interaction Design Institute Ivrea+Domus Academy, Milan, Italy.
but I dont think it informs or entices me to go and buy one of those Netbooks (I would rather go and buy “Clavin”). Is it aimed to a different target audience? Not sure.
