Friday, November 6. 2009

Junaio: Mobile Social 3D Editable Augmented Reality App

Metaio Augmented Reality Solutions is behind the Junaio iPhone app which will launch soon. RWW has the preview of the app which allows users to add, edit and animate 3D objects within the phone's view of reality. Then, those photos, for example can be shared via social networks. The video examples are fun (putting a dinosaur near the Golden Gate Bridge, putting a pumpkin in the hands of a coffee shop visitor) but as the article suggests, the uses for games and other interactive events is quite high. I'm sure there are uses for advertising and perhaps more serious uses. The app also has "traditional" AR features including providing information about locations and finding restaurants.

junaio from junaio on Vimeo.

Wednesday, November 4. 2009

Acquisition/Parntership Roundup

TeleCommunications Systems, a developer of text messaging location-based software, has acquired Solvern Innovations, a Baltimore company specializing in cyber security.

- press release

MapmyIndia, one of India’s map and GPS navigation services providers has signed a deal with Survey of India. MapmyIndia can use and provide value added services to Survey of India maps.

- India Times

Loopt has added "Pulse" a tool to access content (like restaurant reviews from Zagat and Citysearch) as well as a search feature and check in option to its LBS app. Loopt will also be using NAVTEQ LocationPoint Advertising to offer the targeted and relevant offers and promotions.


- TechCrunch

Tuesday, November 3. 2009

Podcast: With Geodata, Developers, not Consumers Rule

If consumers think of geodata as a commodity, what does that say for its future? What are the key data relationships? And what, if anything, will differentiate one offering from another? Our editors ponder these questions in light of evidence that consumers know and care little about who makes, manages and updates basemaps.

Monday, November 2. 2009

TeleNav to File for IPO ($75 million)

- WSJ

Friday, October 30. 2009

Augmented Reality Player Layar gets $1 million+ in funding

That's the word from VentureBeat. The company boasts 250,000 downloads and acknowledges all the funders in the current round are from Europe. Also: the app launched on Symbian.

Wednesday, October 28. 2009

Stalqer: Foursquare running in the background

One of the big issues with location-based apps for the iPhone is that the operating system does not allow background processing. That makes playing Foursquare or other LBS apps and games a bit trying.

Stalqer ("stalker?") has found a way around that and offers a Foursquare-like app that runs in the background. There's also a connection to Facebook, such that if your friends make their info public, you can see where they are, even if they aren't running Stalqer. (I think I have that right...)

- TechCrunch
- Pocket Lint (includes video)