Video: Hands-on with SPRXmobile's Layar augmented reality browser for Android

We had a chance to go hands-on with Layar, the new augmented reality browser from SPRXmobile. Launched yesterday on Android Market in The Netherlands, we were curious to see how the software, that looked damn-impressive in the promo video, would function in actual use, in this case, from the living room of SPRXmobile's Maarten Lens-FitzGerald just outside of Amsterdam. Our take? it's the real-deal, especially for a v1 release. The software looks rock-solid and the initial data layers -- ATMs, social joints like cafes and clubs, and job listings -- appear fully populated and thus, useful. The ATM and cafe/club layers (or layars) are definitely helpful for serendipitous discovery though we're still scratching our heads over the job search layar. See, what you're discovering are jobs you can apply for from that particular employment office, not jobs necessarily available in that specific neighborhood or office building. Next month, Layar will have access to what could be its killer app (or killer data layar) called Funda, the site in The Netherlands for finding places to rent or buy. Of course, you can imagine travel guide companies like Let's Go and Frommers jumping into this with huge effect as well. And really, it's content that's going to make this type of augmented reality software a success. Maarten tells us that more partner announcements are expected this week with expansion into the US, Germany, and UK anticipated later this year on Android devices and on the iPhone 3G S (compass required). Check the interview and demo after the break.

Update: New layers announced including Google local search (that's a ton of content), Tweets Nearby (exactly what it sounds like), and ANWB (Dutch AAA) coming in July.

[Bob @ Jun 18th 2009 8:13AM]

Lame. Why is holding your phone up in front of a rental building for 3 lines of info.a killer app? What? You find a house hold up the phone and see prices, bathrooms a square footage...less info than you received when you looked that property up online in the first place to find it. Then what, you walk 3 blocks to the next rental and hold the phone up again for 3 pieces of info, then walk another 3 blocks. Killer app? I don't think so.

We a;ready have idiots talking on their phones not paying attention where they are going, soon we will have idiots holding phones up in front of their faces paying even less attention to where they are going.

Garbage.

[Thomas Ricker @ Jun 18th 2009 8:26AM]

Have you every searched for a place to live in a big city? You go to the neighborhood where you want to live and walk around (or bike in amsterdam). You see the for sale/rent signs and you write down the web address of the agent. You can then try to browse to the agent's site and search for the property (which is always a pain in the ass) or just wait until you get home to find out the price and details. In a hot market that extra time could be the difference between getting or not getting your dream home. The Funda data layer gives (or will give next month) you the price, full description, and photos of the interior -- everything you need to schedule an appointment on the spot. Having just bought a house in Amsterdam and lived the very process I've described, I tell you, real estate is a killer app for this kind of software.

Thomas

[shanabus @ Jun 18th 2009 8:43AM]

@Bob ~ Chill out Bob, it will make it to the iPhone eventually.

[LondonConsultant @ Jun 18th 2009 8:41AM]

I think this app is a great idea, but linking it to the camera display and calling the result "augmented reality" is a little misleading. It would probably be a more effective app if the camera display weren't used, although it would then be much less hypeable.

[Maff @ Jun 18th 2009 8:47AM]

@LondonConsultant, that has already been done without the camera app, there's NRU, one by google and Qype radar (and probably others), plus there's also Wikitude which does the same as this app but has been around longer so I don't know why Layar is being called the 1st in the world!

[Ryan @ Jun 18th 2009 9:36AM]

But what about Bob?

[FuzzyCat @ Jun 18th 2009 9:50AM]

@Maff

Because engadget like to ignore the facts and just say whatever gets more traffic.

Wikitude gets my support because it's been around for ages and I can use it right now.

[rafa @ Jun 18th 2009 9:52AM]

Apartments? Who even looks for an apartment more than once every couple of years?

This is useful on a more daily basis if I'm walking around the city and want to quickly find a bar or restaurant, or the nearest electronics store. It's also a fun way of looking at the search results.

You're taking it too seriously, and your tone makes you come off as huge douche.

[FuzzyCat @ Jun 18th 2009 10:00AM]

@Thomas

"You see the for sale/rent signs and you write down the web address of the agent"

WTF are you on about? You just go to Funda.nl, browse the houses and follow the link from there to the agent.

[Mystic @ Jun 18th 2009 11:08AM]

Not only lame, but f3cking lame.

[beanspants @ Jun 18th 2009 11:16AM]

To Thomas:
The US has something called MLS, multiple listing service, a website that shows all available houses for sale.
It also has Apartment Locator companies, who work for free. I think there's just a difference in services between countries that make certain services valuable or pointless.

[nvidiagtx @ Jun 18th 2009 8:21AM]

NL FTW

[Joe Henson @ Jun 18th 2009 8:25AM]

This is the just the beginning of this tech.
You will be able to get movie times, or information from billboards (watch trailers, or place direct orders), menus from restaurants, check train times.... e.t.c.

the only lame thing about it is people lack of imagination. I have walked down the street in London and seen a house up for rental, it would be great to be able to point my phone at the house and get all the information I need about it.

[Nick @ Jun 26th 2009 4:07PM]

here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b64_16K2e08&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgizmodo%2Ecom%2F5292748%2Flayar%2Dfirst%2Dmobile%2Daugmented%2Dreality%2Dbrowser%2Dis%2Dyour%2Dreal%2Dlife%2Dhud&feature=player_embedded

[auricom @ Jun 18th 2009 8:42AM]

Layar is Indonesian for "screen".

[BigD @ Jun 20th 2009 11:31PM]

I think they were also going for Layer but changing "er" to "ar" to reflect Augmented Reality.

[Ike Turner @ Jun 18th 2009 8:59AM]

Can't wait to see how it works on a hoe stroll. They should do a video demo in Amesterdam's redlight district.

[Maff @ Jun 18th 2009 9:01AM]

a "hoe" stroll?
is that when you go looking for gardening equipment?

[therodt @ Jun 18th 2009 6:17PM]

Noooo he is talking about professional sex industry workers. Common term in US is Ho', kind of short fo whore. Your ghetto tour has ended...LOL

[wenigwieser @ Jun 18th 2009 9:00AM]

I'd say finding job listings is about the dumbest thing they can use to show off this service. For a job you search by going threw all the local, big, meta search whatever sites at home, not by walking aimlessly along the street (except maybe you are looking for a bartender part time job or something).

But for finding a restaurant, bar, cinema, ATM machine and so on this looks pretty neat.

Except for the fact that google maps can already do all those things, and it should be a lot easier to actually find a place with it, then by looking at a blinking dot saying '800 meters' with a wall right in front of you.

Looks fun, but I'm not quite sure what the advantage over maps is.

[Johnny @ Jun 18th 2009 11:10AM]

I tend to agree. I think it is a really cool concept, but looking at maps would be better. For example, if I am looking for an ATM and I use Layars, I would see a blinking dot and how far away it is. That's great except there are several blocks of roads and buildings between us, so if I am not from the area (which I would assume you wouldn't be if you don't know where the nearest ATM is), then I am going to need a map. I guess it might be fun every now and then to use Layars and pretend you are some sort of hunt to find your target.

It makes more sense if you are somewhere that you want more information about what is right in front of you such as realty, restaurants, bars, etc. Then, however, I don't really need to point the camera at it.

[HammerT @ Jun 18th 2009 9:36AM]

The ING ATM finder app already uses the wikitude interface thing.

[Shinigami @ Jun 18th 2009 10:07AM]

Aim the camera on a building and see how much it costs to rent an apartment there? I'd love that. But shooting zombies is also fun!

[Johnny @ Jun 18th 2009 11:15AM]

What I could see being really cool is an augmented reality game. Look through the phone as you are walking down the street and shoot at people as if they were zombies. Really, I can imagine a lot cooler games than that, but I don't feel like elaborating.

[zosogt87 @ Jun 18th 2009 10:14AM]

this would be extremely helpful in finding the nearest mcdonalds after too much time in one of those amsterdam coffee shops.

[zosogt87 @ Jun 18th 2009 10:24AM]

this would be very useful in finding the nearest mcdonalds after a few too many treats in one of those amsterdam coffee shops

[ScottishDan @ Jun 20th 2009 5:43PM]

this would be extremely helpful in finding the nearest coffee shop after too much time in one of those mcdonalds

[John P. @ Jun 18th 2009 10:49AM]

The only thing I don't really like is that the police will be using these for scanning people/houses/apts/license plates etc,... There will be no place to hide soon.

Other than that, I think this is really great and can see tons of useful ways for this.

[Nelagster @ Jun 18th 2009 10:57AM]

impressive. I know Nokia was doing a similar thing with Point and Find except there's wasn't real time like this one is. Amazing how Nokia got one upped by a group of developers

[bhsx @ Jun 18th 2009 12:11PM]

I've been waiting for this tech since the very first glimpses of what Android was going to be capable of. I believe this app is exactly why Apple found it so important to put the compass into the 3G S. This is the game changer, and up to this point, it's been a relatively unknown.

[bombgigitty @ Jun 18th 2009 1:02PM]

So if your going to kill yourself can you point it a rooftops and get a rating e.g. certain death, paralysis, broken leg, hernia, look foolish etc.?

[dingdong @ Jun 18th 2009 2:21PM]

If only Harold and Kooomaar had this...it would have been much easier to find white castle...

[Collin @ Jun 18th 2009 2:57PM]

Ok, seriousely... who is this fool talking on this video? "Use cases, as I like to call them.." !?!? I guess he came up with that himself just like Al Gore invented the Internet. ;)

[therodt @ Jun 18th 2009 6:32PM]

Al Gore didn't invent the internet? WTF

[Sqij @ Jun 19th 2009 12:32AM]

A content partner in Brooklyn has signed up with Layar, and will show a hooded youth overlayed in the camera view that says "gimme yo fuckin money!"

[Digistar @ Jun 21st 2009 3:48PM]

Nice app, but nothing new dudes.

Layar is not the first Augmented Reality Browser in the World.

Nokia Point & Find Beta was announced October 2008, and i think there are also other initiativesas already mentioned by others.

Here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1wM6nlcALA

Nuff said.

[joakim.soderberg @ Jul 6th 2009 10:09AM]

Is it just me who noticed that the distance to that nearest restaurant he was talking about was 1337 meters *nerd*... This is some cool stuff, surely there'll be a lot of games using this kind of technology both for the iPhone and android.

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