Augmented reality browser hits Android Market
For those of you familiar with “Spook Country” by William Gibson this should freak you out just a little.
Layar 2.0 popped up in the Android market here in the U.S. over the last few days.
For those not familiar with Layar, or ”Augmented Reality” in general, the program/browser allows a user to scan the local area with the onboard camera/viewfinder (think the phone’s screen) and as tagged areas, properties, points of interests, etc. come into view the program pops up information tags over the real-time, real-world view.
Check the vid:
The program currently has “87 layers that are now live (or almost) all over the world in the Layar 2.0 Content Catalog,” according to Layar.eu.
From Layar.eu: Layar is a free application on your mobile phone which shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of reality through the camera of your mobile phone.
Layar is a global application, available for the T-Mobile G1, HTC Magic and other Android phones in all Android Markets. It also comes pre-installed on the Samsung Galaxy in the Netherlands.
How do you use Layar?
By holding the phone in front of you like a camera, information is displayed on top of the camera display view.For all points of interest which are displayed on the screen, information is shown at the bottom of the screen.
What do you see in the screen?
On top of the camera image (displaying reality) Layar adds content layers. Layers are the equivalent of webpages in normal browsers. Just like there are thousands of websites there will be thousands of layers. One can easily switch between layers by selecting another via the menu button, pressing the logobar or by swiping your finger across the screen.Added features of Layar Reality Browser 2.0:
Layar has some cool features which include:
- Unique layer specific icons/markers
- Featured and Popular section
- Search function
- Add layer to favorites
- Map view and list view
- Enhanced AR view
- Accuracy information
- “Take me There” function
Who is the team behind Layar?
Layar is run by Raimo van der Klein, Claire Boonstra & Maarten Lens-FitzGerald.
R. John Klimut
