Layar augmented reality app now available globally, lets you hunt down tweeps with cold, calculated precision
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Aug 18th 2009 1:44AM
posted Aug 18th 2009 1:44AM
We grabbed Layar off the Market and took it for a quick spin; we're having trouble getting it to aim correctly, though Google Sky Map is having the same issues, so we're fairly certain that we're dealing with a phone or location problem rather than a Layar one. The key thing with an app like this is going to be speed and fluidity, and even on our Magic's relatively lightweight 528MHz core, it's plenty usable. The Google-powered Layar local search -- arguably the most important reality layer bundled with the software -- is a little annoying to use, primarily because the search box has no history or suggestion capability which means you've got to type out a full search every time you want to use it. Ultimately, though, the app's very young (as is this whole category of technology, for that matter) and we're stoked to see where this goes over the coming months.
This is the best app in the Android Market hands down!!!
Ugh, I couldn't stand having that many notifications. Just the image of it bugged me out.
When can I get this on another popular phone? Somethings about android I really wish were on that other phone. The first time I ever used a G1 I knew exactly at that moment, what a "caged bird" feels like. I love my "other" phone but, there is MUCH to be said for freedom.
In the press release:
Dirk Groten, CTO:
“The next platform on which Layar will be available is the iPhone 3GS. We are currently investigating other platforms that support our functionalities.”
I am assuming that is the "other phone" you are referring to.
I don't think this will be that useful for awhile anyway.
600 developers? Seriously? Multi-million dollar games don't even have that many devs. Sounds the like the marketing guy(s) got a little excited.
i presume data-entry and photographers count as developers.
And janitors, too.
Keep in mind the first companies who develop ubiquitous augmented reality apps have the potential to become big, just as Google and Yahoo became major players on the Web.
I'm not even sure what this is.
Girl "Where are you?"
Guy "Standing behind you!"
Lawls!
Coming to a cheesy, Hollywood flick plot line soon!
Where are the white women at?
this article wasn't very well written, after reading two huge paragraphs i had no clue what this thing was and you didn't even bother to mention that platform (which i figured out but you should probably mention that)
You raise a very good point -- I've added a mention of Android.
Regarding the functionality of the app itself, contextual backlinks are provided in the text for appropriate backreading. Augmented reality is kind of a big deal lately, and we can't realistically re-explain what it is with each post.
wow, nice to see someone actually respond to their articles :) thanks
the backlink does explain quite a bit, so the onus is on me there
Look at what time it is!
yeah, I thought it was the iPhone at first due to reading about the AR apps and the iPhone, and actually seeing a demonstration of Layar on the iPhone, yet you just assumed that everyone knew what you were talking about... you really should specify...
Used it this morning, it found 0 items in Leeds, England's 3rd biggest city.
Wikitude is much better and has been around just about a year now!
@Maff
Which layer did you use in Leeds?
Try the Qype or Wikipedia layer..
I think Rate my area should work in UK...
Good luck,
Raimo
I love the netherlands, what a great app! Really looking forward to the iPhone app, can't wait!
@michael: the 600 developers are people from across the globe developing their OWN content layers. Every database with geo-location information can become a layer. We call the ones who have an API key to publish their layer on the platform a developer. So that's why :-)
NRU (pronounced "near you"), developed by Lastminute.com of the UK has beaten Layar to the punch on the iPhone 3GS, at least in Europe.
It doesn't use the video camera though, instead having a black "radar screen" with concentric white circles indicating range (with the compass cardinal points marked in the innermost rotating circle) and pulsing pink "dots" showing restaurants, cinemas, shopping centres, train stations etc at various distances.
I'm in Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK and have it filtered to cinemas and can currently "see" Ster Century Cinema to my East (Qype Mobile gives me various reviews and Safari links when I tap on the pulsing dot), Vue and Odeon Cinemas to my West...
According to Lastminute.com, next destination, North America and Australia. And it's FREE. Watch out for it on the App Store.
"Honeys to my East, fellers to my West, put them both together and we party with the best..."
W00t!
But it doesn't use the camera, therefore not being augmented reality and instead just a different way of seeing a local search. An annoying way, at that, I can't stand nru's interface.
Wikitude has been on the Android market for a very long time now, and is a heap better than nru. The flexibility and scale of Layar is what excites me though. But yeah if you have an iphone I think the only real AR app is the tube one.
Too bad, the iPhone is a crippled p.o.s.
Well, NRU may well not use the camera, but Yelp does (if you are a 3GS owner and shake it vigorously to uncover the "Easter Egg" app called Monocle).
I don't know if anyone has commented this very thing yet, but I'd be VERY interested if they have a desktop (laptop) application for this where it need not detect our position, but go to a user defined position to hunt down tweets.
This is awesome. I can't wait for it to expand and mature. Hope they'll make a MIMOA-layar!
Geocaching.com layer would be a great thing here.