Top 10 Posts of 2011
It’s hard to believe the year is coming to a close already. Here are the top 10 most popular posts from 2011.
Zazzle See It Before You Print It
In case you don’t know, Zazzle is a website that lets users upload their photographs and/or artwork and apply them to many different types of merchandise in the hopes of selling their work. They’ve just released a new tool that allows you to preview posters, prints and wrapped canvas in your own surroundings before purchasing. Simply print up the Zazzle marker and place it on the wall where you want to hang the artwork. Once you take a photo of the location with the marker on the wall, upload the image to the Zazzle website where their internal software will apply any piece of art you would like to visualize. Neat huh?
Sony's Augmented Reality Room
To advertise the PlayStation Store, Sony created 3 videos which use projects to change the look of a room instantaneously. By attaching their Move controller to the camera, they are able to view the scene from multiple angles by adjusting the projects in real time.
3D Laser Plasma Display
I’ve been very vocal about my dislike of 3D televisions, but three dimensional holographic displays look a lot more promising. This display developed by Burton, uses lasers to project 50,000 dots into mid air (or underwater) to create three dimensional objects. The technology is relatively new and has room for improvement, but I think it’s a fantastic starting point since all previous attempts at 3d are simulated, while this display is true 3d.
Use Your Cell Phone Camera To Interact With Starbucks Cups
In a clever marketing campaign, Starbucks has released an Augmented Reality app for iPhone and Android which will allow you to interact with their products. When you point your cell phone’s video camera at specific Starbucks drinks and coffee bags, one of 5 characters will appear (an ice skater, a squirrel, a boy, a dog or a fox). The augmented reality feature is holiday themed and allows you to interact with the characters by tapping on the cell phone’s screen.
Wikitude Augmented Reality GPS
If you have difficulty reading maps, then the Wikitude Augmented Reality GPS navigation for smart phones might be of interest to you. Instead of viewing basic maps when you drive, the screen on your phone shows streaming images of the actual scene in front of you. Add the navigation arrows within the scene, and you have augmented reality. They claim one of the saftey features is that even if you are looking at the GPS device, you are still able to see the events unfolding ahead of you. What do you think? Is this a helpful addition to GPS devices?