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Over the past two years at AdMob, we’ve experienced the rapid growth in consumer usage of the the mobile Internet and applications first-hand.  As it has grown, so has the scope of the topics we’ve covered in our monthly Mobile Metrics Report.

Over the past two years at AdMob, we’ve experienced the rapid growth in consumer usage of the the mobile Internet and applications first-hand.  As it has grown, so has the scope of the topics we’ve covered in our monthly Mobile Metrics Report.

Over the past two years at AdMob, we’ve experienced the rapid growth in consumer usage of the the mobile Internet and applications first-hand.  As it has grown, so has the scope of the topics we’ve covered in our monthly Mobile Metrics Report.

Widgets are installable Web applications that use technologies such as JavaScript and HTML. Many handsets support widgets running on their home screens, where they are easily visible and accessible. Despite the lack of standards, widgets provide a convenient way to deliver simple, connected applications, especially those involving real-time data updates (such as weather forecasts, e-mail notifications, marketing, blogs and information feeds). Because widgets exploit well-understood tools and technologies, they have lower entry barriers than complex native applications, and thus can be a good first step to assess the demand for an application on a specific platform before undertaking expensive native development.

App stores will be the primary (and, in some cases, the only) way to distribute applications to smartphones and other mobile devices. App stores also provide a range of business support functions, such as payment processing, that assist smaller organizations. Gartner believes that app stores will play many roles in an organization's B2C and B2E strategies. They will be a distribution channel for mobile applications and a commercial channel to sell applications and content (especially in international markets), and they will provide new options for application sourcing. Many applications will exploit ecosystem cloud services.

Augmented reality, a capability that has been around for decades, is shifting from what was once seen as a gimmick to a bonafide game-changer.

Various forms of augmented reality, starting with early head-mounted displays, have been around for more than 30 years. Over that time, increased bandwidth and smart phone adoption, as well as a proliferation of AR browser applications, have helped AR evolve from a family of cool gadgets on the periphery of graphics and visualization technologies to an increasingly central player in the technology landscape.

Augmented reality (AR) refers to the addition of a computer-assisted contextual layer of information over the real world, creating a reality that is enhanced or augmented.

acrossair is a new kind of company - a hybrid collective combining rockstar application and game developers with a corporate infrastructure to cover all those mundane things like marketing, sales and finance. acrossair is working with companies to take advantage of the Apple iPhone platform for everything from fun games to enterprise applications. Our first application (delivering TV listings for TVGuide.co.uk) reached No.1 in the UK. Currently available for download on iTunes is a range of acrossair apps including Nearest Wiki, New York Nearest Subway, Nearest Places, London Nearest Tube and many more. acrossair have also developed an iPhone advertising platform which enables publishers to commoditise their applications.

Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or an indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input, such as sound or graphics.

Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or an indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input, such as sound or graphics. It is related to a more general concept called mediated reality, in which a view of reality is modified (possibly even diminished rather than augmented) by a computer. As a result, the technology functions by enhancing one’s current perception of reality. By contrast, virtual reality replaces the real-world with a simulated one.

AR has become common in sports telecasting. The yellow "first down" line seen in television broadcasts of American football games shows the line the offensive team must cross to receive a first down using the 1st & Ten system. The real-world elements are the football field and players, and the virtual element is the yellow line, which augment the image in real time. Similarly, in ice hockey an AR colored trail shows location and direction of the puck. Sections of Rugby fields and cricket pitches display sponsored images.

Touch-screen based mobile devices are increasingly becoming the communication tools of choice. While there is already an abundance of games, entertainment and utility applications on mobile platforms, the widespread use of such devices for educational purposes is still largely unexplored. In this project, Jay Bagga and Vinayak Tanksale, both of computer science, have developed three native and web-based iPhone applications designed to support and enhance the learning process. The first prototype developed by the team is a political science learning tool, created in collaboration with Joseph Losco, chair of Ball State’s Department of Political Science. The application features textbook chapters, interactive quizzes, polling capabilities and access to web-based resources.

Cell phone and wireless laptop internet use have each grown more prevalent over the last year

. Nearly half of all adults (47%) go online with a laptop using a Wi-Fi connection or mobile broadband card (up from the 39% who did so as of April 2009) while 40% of adults use the internet, email or instant messaging on a mobile phone (up from the 32% of Americans who did this in 2009). This means that 59% of adults now access the internet wirelessly using a laptop or cell phone—that is, they answered “yes” to at least one of these wireless access pathways. That adds up to an increase from the 51% who used a laptop or cell phone wirelessly in April 2009. The use of non-voice data applications on cell phones has grown dramatically over the last year. Compared with a similar point in 2009, cell phone owners are now more likely to use their mobile phones to: Take pictures—76% now do this, up from 66% in April 2009 Send or receive text messages—72% vs. 65% Access the internet—38% vs. 25% Play games—34% vs. 27% Send or receive email—34% vs. 25% Record a video—34% vs. 19% Play music—33% vs. 21% Send or receive instant messages—30% vs. 20% African-Americans and English-speaking Latinos continue to be among the most active users of the mobile web. Cell phone ownership is higher among African-Americans and Latinos than among whites (87% vs. 80%) and minority cell phone owners take advantage of a much greater range of their phones’ features compared with white mobile phone users. In total, 64% of African-Americans access the internet from a laptop or mobile phone, a seven-point increase from the 57% who did so at a similar point in 2009. Young adults (those ages 18-29) are also avid users of mobile data applications, but older adults are gaining fast. Compared with 2009, cell phone owners ages 30-49 are significantly more likely to use their mobile device to send text messages, access the internet, take pictures, record videos, use email or instant messaging, and play music.About the Survey This report is based on the findings of a daily tracking survey on Americans’ use of the Internet. The results in this report are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between April 29 and May 30, 2010, among a sample of 2,252 adults, age 18 and older. Interviews were conducted in English. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 2.4 percentage points. For results based Internet users (n=1,756), the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting telephone surveys may introduce some error or bias into the findings of opinion polls. Using Our Research Want to use our research? » View our Use Policy How are you using our research? » Let us know Report Data Set » May 2010 - Cell Phones Related Research Teens Social Media and Young Adults Feb 3, 2010Amanda Lenhart Teens Teens and Mobile Phones Apr 20, 2010Amanda Lenhart Mobile Wireless Internet Use Jul 22, 2009John Horrigan Media Mentions For minorities, new 'digital divide' seen Jan 10, 2011Associated Press Will your next car be a smartphone? Oct 19, 2010CNN Minorities Favor Phones in Using Web Aug 1, 2010New York Times More Media Mentions

Take pictures—76% now do this, up from 66% in April 2009 Send or receive text messages—72% vs. 65% Access the internet—38% vs. 25% Play games—34% vs. 27% Send or receive email—34% vs. 25% Record a video—34% vs. 19% Play music—33% vs. 21% Send or receive instant messages—30% vs. 20%

he 2010 Horizon Report includes examples of augmented reality like the Wii under the category Gesture Based Computing. Gesture recognition enables humans to interact with mechanical devices using simple natural gestures. In the future, the use of a keyboard, a mouse or even a touch pad may become a thing of the past with innovations in gesture based computing. See a video slide show of The New Media Consortium/ Educause report Click Gesture-Based Computing : 2010 NMC Horizon Report iPhone geotags. Geotagging and Geolocation Another important part of augmented reality applications is the use of geotagging and geolocation. A Geotag is a GPS coordinate that associates content such as videos, textual information, audio or any user- generated content to a specific location. When photographers use digital cameras, they have the choice to date stamp the video or photo. A Geotag is similar to that type of tag. AR applications draw on specific tags created by companies but will also depend on content that everyday users add through Geotagging. When we go to Google Earth to view a location, we are now able to find pictures and information added by users through these types of tags. Marker vs Markerless Augmented Reality AR Marker QR Code. AR Marker QR Semacode. Currently, many people associate augmented reality with black and white squares that trigger augmented reality elements. These black and white squares are called markers. Markers are also called QR (Quick Response) codes or Semacodes. A QR code is a two dimentional bar code that allows its content to be decoded at high speed. Markerless technology requires no marker to know the position of the object or person. Smartphone browsers that layer information over live locations are often considered in the markerless category, although they still use embedded "marked" information through geolocation and geotagging. The goal is to have augmented reality work much like this HP commercial Jerry Seinfeld for HP

The Wrap™ 920AR augmented reality eyewear and maxReality™ plug-in for Autodesk® 3ds Max® empower you to turn your desktop into a “HOLO-Deck”. maxReality provides the power to easily bring Autodesk® 3ds Max® characters to life on your desktop, displayed in stereoscopic 3D through the Wrap 920AR augmented reality eyewear. For those familiar with the basic operation of Autodesk 3ds Max it takes only minutes until you are able to view in an augmented reality application using the maxReality Viewer and provided marker. Never has augmented reality been so fast and easy. A wearable display with a 67-inch screen, as viewed from ten feet, stereo video capture, 6-degrees of freedom head tracking, VGA connectivity for your computer and plug-in software to bring your Autodesk® 3ds Max® characters to life – this bundle has it all.

Augmented reality or AR is a mixture of the real-world and virtual computer-generated imagery or information. With the Wrap 920AR, the real world is captured by it’s stereo camera system and displayed in the eyewear on what appears to your eyes as a 67-inch display as seen from 10-feet (3m). This image, which can be displayed in standard 2D or 3D, can be augmented with virtually any form of computer-generated data in the form of text, still images or even video. Until now, augmented reality has been limited to bulky stationary displays or portable hand-held systems with limited capabilities. Although these solutions implemented AR technology, it was in an unnatural format with obvious technology barriers. The Wrap 920AR is the first consumer product that empowers users to experience AR in a real-world environment – worn like sunglasses and displaying 3D graphics. Developer Support Vuzix provides an evolving SDK (Software Development Kit) and additional resources designed to aid and assist developers in the implementation of support for Vuzix products in virtual and augmented reality applications. Go to the Developer Support for additional information and links to downloadable developer resources.

Augmented reality is changing the way we view the world -- or at least the way its users see the world. Picture yourself walking or driving down the street. With augmented-reality displays, which will eventually look much like a normal pair of glasses, informative graphics will appear in your field of view, and audio will coincide with whatever you see. These enhancements will be refreshed continually to reflect the movements of your head. Similar devices and applications already exist, particularly on smartphones like the iPhone.

Now, researchers and engineers are pulling graphics out of your television screen or computer display and integrating them into real-world environments. This new technology, called augmented reality, blurs the line between what's real and what's computer-generated by enhancing what we see, hear, feel and smell.

Augmented reality is changing the way we view the world -- or at least the way its users see the world. Picture yourself walking or driving down the street. With augmented-reality displays, which will eventually look much like a normal pair of glasses, informative graphics will appear in your field of view, and audio will coincide with whatever you see. These enhancements will be refreshed continually to reflect the movements of your head. Similar devices and applications already exist, particularly on smartphones like the iPhone.

Welcome Tagwhat is a free network where you can create-and-share location based messages and content on-line or in mobile augmented reality.

computer interfaces based on 3-D motion capture

3Gear's mission is to develop application specific gestural interfaces that are competitive with the

mouse and keyboard in usability.

Games often have a fantasy element that engages players in a learning activity through narrative or storylines. Educational video games can be motivating to children and allow them to develop an awareness to consequentiality.[1] Children are allowed to express themselves as individuals while learning and engaging in social issues. Today's games are more social, with most teens playing games with others at least some of the time and can incorporate many aspects of civic and political life.[2] Students that participate in educational video games can offer deeper, more meaningful insights in all academic areas. The success of game-based learning strategies owes to active participation and interaction being at the center of the experience, and signals that current educational methods are not engaging students enough. Experience with and affinity for games as learning tools is an increasingly universal characteristic among those entering higher education and the workforce

is a branch of serious games that deals with applications that have defined learning outcomes. Generally they are designed in order to balance the subject matter with the gameplay and the ability of the player to retain and apply said subject matter to the real world.

The Cube is a turnkey, ‘plug and play’ interactive display unit that transforms any space of any size into a gesture-based interactive entertainment and advertising experience.  Just put The Cube on the floor or a table, or against a wall, and it instantly creates an engaging 5' x 4' (aprox.) foot interactive display that visitors can control with simple motions.  Well-suited for small spaces and for traveling promotions, The Cube gives customers access to GestureTek’s full library of over 70 eye-catching special effects and games.  Applications can be projected onto any surface, immediately transforming the surface into an interactive entertainment medium for the enjoyment of visitors.

Augmented books, now just beginning to enter the market, are another interesting application of this technology. The German company Metaio is developing books that include AR elements, such as globes that pop up on the pages. The books are printed normally; after purchase, consumers install special software on their computers and point a webcam at the book to see the visualizations. The technology allows any existing book to be developed into an augmented reality edition after publication; an atlas featuring 3D views of geographic locations is currently in development.

The game changer here is that instead of using prohibitively expensive and complex motion capture systems incorporating sensors placed around the body (like those used in Hollywood special FX) his system uses the computer's web-cam to identify a hand position from a database of 100,000 pre-stored images. Once it finds a match it displays it on screen, and repeats this several times per second enabling it to recreate gestures in real time. A similar system, developed by Javier Romero and Danica Kragic of the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, is attempting to do the same thing using your hand's flesh tones, meaning you don't even have to wear a glove at all. Perhaps this will be the basis for the system that enables gestural UI for the masses. An application that is cheap and simple. Genuinely different and new, yet intuitive to use. We've all seen the future. Maybe it isn't as far away as we think.