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Augmented reality browser Junaio offers less 'clunky' apps, new API for developers (video)
Remember Metaio? Back in February we reported on the company's rather neat brand of markerless augmented reality, and now it has some fresh news: a major revamp to its Junaio AR browser for iOS and Android, which incorporates the markerless algorithms and a lot more besides. The browser is an open platform for a myriad of smaller AR apps coded by independent developers, and the new version includes both a new UI and API to give those devs additional tools in HTML5 and JavaScript. Right now, the app is worth a peek for the various curiosities demo'd after the break -- such as the ability to see other people's Instagram photos overlaid on the view from your rear camera, showing the direction and distance to the point where they were snapped. In time, though, we're really hoping that developers will latch on to platforms like this and take AR to where it needs to be: something that let's us recognize and augment people and objects naturally and instantaneously, without pre-conceived markers. In fact, Junaio really needs to have coffee with Project Glass. Update: looks like the Android version has jammed in a pipe somewhere and won't hit Google Play til June 25th.
OpenPeak introduces Moorestown-powered OpenTablet 7, sticks with Open naming scheme
OpenPeak is a company so open it just can't resist throwing the word into damn-near every product it makes, and the new OpenTablet 7 is no exception. The number refers to the size of the thing: a seven-inch TFT LCD tablet with LED backlighting, 802.11b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth, and 3G connectivity. It's all powered by an Intel Moorestown processor, and is designed to serve as a "fully functioning telephone and multimedia platform," the latter bit helped by a microSD slot and not one but two cameras. It will quite naturally run the OpenPeak platform, which is powered by Flash, meaning no concerns about back and forth name calling here. No concerns about pre-ordering yet, either, as the company hasn't seen fit to tell us when this will be shipping, or how much it will cost when it does. %Gallery-85670%
Copia promises to blend e-books and social networking into set of new readers
Brace yourself, more e-readers on your way! First up the open platform: DMC Worldwide announces Copia, a social networking / e-book store hybrid that's gearing up hit private beta status this month and public beta in March. With that out of the way, let's talk hardware. Lower on the list of gear is the keyboard-laden Tidal with a 6-inch, 600 x 800 screen and 2GB internal storage. Just above that is the Tidal Touch with a 9-inch, 768 x 1024 screen, earphone / mic jack, 4GB internal upgradeable to microSD. And then we've got Ocean, which comes in 6-inch (600 x 800 pixels) and 9-inch (768 x 1024 pixels) variants and both feature capacitive touchscreens, 802.11b/g WiFi, tilt sensors, 4GB internal storage expandable via microSD, and some form of earphone / mic jack. Both Tidal Touch and Ocean 9 have optional 3G connectivity (that in the process halves internal storage to 2GB and nixing the microSD slot). Prices reportedly range between two and three Benjamins and will hit availability status online in April, followed by retail in June. Presser? You guessed right, it's after the break. %Gallery-81650%
Sony's PS2 effectively becomes "an open platform" in Europe
Seriously, calm down a minute. Your world has not just gotten infinitely better, although hearing the words "PlayStation" and "open platform" in the same phrase may make you think otherwise. In a relatively quiet announcement made at Casual Connect in Kiev, Ukraine, Sony Europe's George Bain proclaimed that developers would "no longer have to submit a game for content approval," effectively making the PS2 "an open platform." He pointed out examples from Russia and India, noting that they could now "create low-development cost titles and release them in their market." In all honesty, we have our doubts that this decision will make any real waves in North America, though Bain did mention a "global approval system" to replace the separated processes currently serving Europe, Japan and America. Now, if SCEA comes out and says something similar about the PS3, then you'll hear some real excitement in our voice.[Via Joystiq, image courtesy of GamesAreFun]
Apple "wrestles" with 3rd party iPhone apps
Will the iPhone open up to 3rd party apps? Steve Jobs says that Apple is wrestling with the decision, according to Tech.co.uk. Contradicting earlier statements that the iPhone would definitely be a closed platform, Steve Jobs cracked open the door a bit. Supporting this semi-statement is the upcoming Developing Websites for iPhone session at WWDC.Apple may be thinking of web based apps as their third party "in" to the iPhone. Developer Bruce Gee of Gee Three dropped us a note saying that "In many ways, this is a very open approach to getting lots of new functionality on the iPhone. We'll have to wait and see how these apps work over the network, but it could be interesting."
