Mobilizy Previews Augmented Reality GPS Navigation App
Wikitude Drive from Austrian-based developers Mobilizy, is, at its core, a GPS navigation app. What makes the app stand out, however, is that instead of a map, you just see a real-time view of the street ahead of you and the navigation data is shown on top of this video. Wikitude Drive is currently under development and will run on Android phones. According to Mobilizy, the app will offer all the standard GPS navigation features that drivers have become accustomed to. In addition, though, the company also plans to offer "social navigational features" that will help users, for example, find their friends' locations.
AR Navigation
Just a few days ago, Mobilizy also released the latest version of its Wikitude World Browser augmented reality (AR) app for Android phones. As the company's press release notes, Wikitude is Mobilizy's flagship product, but the company sees navigation as "part of a natural evolutionary process within the field of mobile AR to help people get around in the world."
As with so many of these applications, the best way to get a good feel for them is to watch a video:
Mobilizy's CEO Philipp Breuss-Schneeweis argues that there is "huge" potential for location-based advertising. If you are on a long-distance drive, for example, and your GPS tells you that there is a restaurant nearby that offers a discount to weary travelers, you might just stop there to get a bite.
There can be no doubt that augmented reality apps are pretty hot right now, and this is the second AR app we have seen this week that deals with traffic. Another enterprising developer showed a preview of an app yesterday that can display the traffic situation around you, depending on where you point your Android phone.
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Am I the only person who sees this app as incredibly dangerous? Most GPS systems are stationary, either installed into the dash or in a holder. But this has to be held up to the windshield and panned to different angles in order to be used properly. And ads on a GPS? Yes, because "weary travelers" should be reading about a $9.99 coupon for Sizzler rather than keeping an eye on that oncoming truck.
Seems incredibly confusing to use, what a pointless idea.
ah the never-ending polarized reactions and attitudes over emerging tech..it never ceases to amaze some tend to miss the boat by paying attention to details that should remain obvious, while ignoring other less obvious ones that propose useful insights.
i've never had to tweet while negotiating changing lanes on the highway or passing a log truck (if stuck in a jam for hours, then ya) and if AR is too confusing a tech, then maybe it would help to read up on it a bit. loads-o material out there.
'nuff said.
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I have used the Android phones on two trips now, one being a 1300 mile around trip from California to Oregon. My impressions are very positive. I have previously owned a Android phones. I found the user interface and the voice prompts to be very useful when trying to find specific waypoints.