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A World in Augmented Reality
It's not a secret that smartphone technology has improved rapidly. Consider that it was just six years ago that Apple launched the first iPhone, and on June 11th of 2013, it has been deemed obsolete. Your average smartphone has the computing processing power to handle some of the most exciting technological advances, and in doing so, deliver them quickly in the palm of a user's hand. Seemingly advanced technologies, such as augmented reality, will soon be commonplace. Just as the saturation of mobile technology has increased exponentially since its advent, so will applications that use this exciting new technology.
Augmented reality is the computer generated modifications of a real world environment, in real time. Using the capabilities of your smartphone (camera, gps, clock, etc.), this technology presents manifested objects to appear on a display to relay information in a way that simply wasn't possible before. While this technology, in its infancy, can be used best by marketers and advertisers to create marketing materials that provide interactivity, developers at many software companies have been attempting to find viable applications for this new visually interactive medium. Below are three apps that you can download today to experience the enhanced interactivity that augmented reality can present a user.
Word Lens is a translator that uses augmented reality to understand phrases and signs that are posted in languages that are not the user's own. The premise is very simple: A user selects what language they would like to translate into and just point their camera at the sign. The application actually translates the material in real-time on their smartphone. The app works instantly to translate:
- English ↔ Spanish
- English ↔ French
- English ↔ Portuguese
- English ↔ German
- English ↔ Italian
At $10 per language, the app can be an indispensable tool for those traveling professionals that are constantly traveling to Europe or the Americas.
Augment is an application that allows anyone to create a 3D model and upload it to share with the Augment community. While this app is designed to subjugate advertising costs by allowing interested parties to get an accurate look of a product without physically delivering the product to potential customers, the application can be a great collaboration tool for teams to seamlessly present ideas.
From the end-user's point of view, Augment provides access to products that they simply did not have before. While still in its infancy, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to see this technology transforming the way that people search and shop on their personal mobile device.
Junaio is one of the first augmented reality browsers available today. Using the capabilities of your smartphone or tablet, Junaio provides users a new way to interact with the world around them. The app works like a browser, giving you access to information based in a realistic view of the world. Whether it is used to find restaurants in your immediate area, or to simply find your way in an unfamiliar place, Junaio allows access to more information, with less effort than ever before.
These three applications are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The development of these augmented reality apps look to be the way advertising, sales, and even education are going to be moving forward in the information age. By integrating this technology with other developing technologies such as Google Glass, users will soon be able to break free from the confines their devices place on them.
At Computerware, we keep an eye on new technology trends to best serve our customers. For more information about hot technology trends, and how we can provide you with the information necessary to cut costs and improve efficiency, call us at (703) 821-8200.
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