link
BumpTop’s been bumping around for a few months on Windows, and even made a cameo in HP’s newest touch tablets. Today, it arrives on what feels like its natural home: OS X.
The BumpTop concept is the same as it is in Windows, which is to say it’s a 3D sandbox of a regular desktop. Icons can be placed on the floor – the main desktop surface – or any one of its four walls, which can be viewed from the top down, or head on. Icons can be stacked, literally, into piles which can then be previewed in a variety of ways, and interact with one another as solid objects would. If you throw one, it has momentum. If you throw one into another one, they collide.
2010年1月24日 星期日
2010年1月11日 星期一
iPhone Augmented Reality
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/jamais-cascio/open-future/iphone-augmented-reality
This matters not because now you'll always know which way is North with the iPhone, or even because you can make a quick-and-dirty metal detector with it. It matters because it finally opens up the iPhone to real augmented reality. In that august position, it joins the ranks of a handful of other smartphones, including (in particular) the Android G1 and the Nokia N97.
Augmented reality (AR) technologies offer the ability to layer data--including images--over our perceptions of the physical world. While science fiction versions of AR usually involves high-tech eyewear, real-world AR is moving swiftly from the labs to the users via advanced smartphones. These handhelds offer everything a basic AR setup needs: a good display; a camera to see the world; and location-awareness.
That last one is important, and the compass/magnetometer in new iPhone 3G S will finally bring the Apple line up to snuff. Now the handheld can know which direction it's being pointed--and when combined with location information through A-GPS, the iPhone will (with the right software) be able to recognize what it's looking at, adding tags, notes, and directions as necessary.
For a glimpse of what that would mean, readers with G1s should check out the SkyMap app, available for free from the Android Market. SkyMap provides a real-time map of constellations and planets, showing you the relevant names and information when pointed at the sky. You can even tell it to search for a celestial body, and it will point you toward where Mars (for example) is at this moment. Casual astronomy buffs no doubt get a kick out of this app, but think about where this is heading.
How long until there's a StarbucksMap app, something that will know where you are and be able to point you to the nearest coffee shop? (Which, admittedly, is probably within a few hundred meters from wherever you are.) Any of the various location applications that have heretofore relied on giving you an overhead view of a map with some relevant thumbtack icons can now offer you "first person shooter" directions.
link
Imagine the potential for social networking, even dating, apps.
And imagine the games that are possible with this technology. That's actually been something of a sad surprise for me, as a G1 user: the potential for immersive, AR-style games is so great, but there's been little activity on that front. I hope that the new iPhone will push this field forward.
But here's the fun bit of speculation: imagine how this changes behavior. We already have problems with people walking around looking down at their phones, usually texting. If you're using your smartphone as an AR device, however, you're likely to be holding it up in front of you. While walking around. Less likely to run into walls or out into traffic, sure--but taking up a bit more personal space, and much more likely to drop the phone while being jostled in crowds.
This matters not because now you'll always know which way is North with the iPhone, or even because you can make a quick-and-dirty metal detector with it. It matters because it finally opens up the iPhone to real augmented reality. In that august position, it joins the ranks of a handful of other smartphones, including (in particular) the Android G1 and the Nokia N97.
Augmented reality (AR) technologies offer the ability to layer data--including images--over our perceptions of the physical world. While science fiction versions of AR usually involves high-tech eyewear, real-world AR is moving swiftly from the labs to the users via advanced smartphones. These handhelds offer everything a basic AR setup needs: a good display; a camera to see the world; and location-awareness.
That last one is important, and the compass/magnetometer in new iPhone 3G S will finally bring the Apple line up to snuff. Now the handheld can know which direction it's being pointed--and when combined with location information through A-GPS, the iPhone will (with the right software) be able to recognize what it's looking at, adding tags, notes, and directions as necessary.
For a glimpse of what that would mean, readers with G1s should check out the SkyMap app, available for free from the Android Market. SkyMap provides a real-time map of constellations and planets, showing you the relevant names and information when pointed at the sky. You can even tell it to search for a celestial body, and it will point you toward where Mars (for example) is at this moment. Casual astronomy buffs no doubt get a kick out of this app, but think about where this is heading.
How long until there's a StarbucksMap app, something that will know where you are and be able to point you to the nearest coffee shop? (Which, admittedly, is probably within a few hundred meters from wherever you are.) Any of the various location applications that have heretofore relied on giving you an overhead view of a map with some relevant thumbtack icons can now offer you "first person shooter" directions.
link
Imagine the potential for social networking, even dating, apps.
And imagine the games that are possible with this technology. That's actually been something of a sad surprise for me, as a G1 user: the potential for immersive, AR-style games is so great, but there's been little activity on that front. I hope that the new iPhone will push this field forward.
But here's the fun bit of speculation: imagine how this changes behavior. We already have problems with people walking around looking down at their phones, usually texting. If you're using your smartphone as an AR device, however, you're likely to be holding it up in front of you. While walking around. Less likely to run into walls or out into traffic, sure--but taking up a bit more personal space, and much more likely to drop the phone while being jostled in crowds.
Thinking through Location-based Advertising
link
So I am in the middle of doing this Master’s degree on Creative Media Practice and about to explore the future of media technology. It’s time to start my final thesis and am looking ahead. I want to look into the future of digital advertising where we will see the commercialisation of content across a fragmented range of viewing devices through location-based advertising.
So I am going to outline my thinking and throw it out here. Feel free to comment, critique, disagree – even call me a nutter – but join me in thinking this through and get that brain matter ticking over lest we all become like sheep to the slaughter.
This for me is why I signed up for this whole degree course, the rest was painful (but interesting) to get through… History is interesting, but I want to see stuff that’s next. I love technology. I stand up on stage and preach about technology. But deep within me I have a deep-rooted fear that is beyond a niggling.
You’ve seen Minority Report – where the billboards talk to people – and gets it wrong as it scans the wrong iris…? Science-fiction right? Wrong.
Advertising won’t be linked to Iris scans, it will be linked to little microchips sewn in your clothes hidden in your credit cards or mobile phones even under your skin. And its not future stuff…
•Mini USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards
•Yahoo Japan plans to scan passersby and put up personalized content on billboards
But I have an issue.
I can see whats next, and think its opening up a huge can of worms and actually going to be human downfall – and even though i am sounding over-dramatic – I actually believe this to be very true. Not in science fiction kind of way, but in a factual, evidential point of view.
So here is my juxtaposition.
10% of all commercial turnover globally is spend on advertising. whether thats paying for the company car and cell-phone bill of salesman to a billboard, TV or online ad.
Explore the benefits and changes of Mass Media effectiveness v personal recommendation v targeted advertising.
So internet-enabled TV ads will eventually mean real-time targeted ads in TV. Knowing that a French person is sitting in UK hotel room and he has a HSBC bank account, so I swap English UK barclays ad with French HSBC ad in middle of UK TV show? Does this appeal commercially? Will technology enable it to be so? Yes – I’m already running test with a company right now.
But how do i know you are in the room? Or even walking past that billboard?
By 2012, 5.9 Bn cell-phones contracts globally. GPS enabled. Locate you anywhere.
I can even track your children right now.
But we can move beyond mobile phones. Back in 2003 I first heard about commercially tracking individuals when Proctor & Gamble did display tagging tracking physical movement of items on shelves in stores and Walmart started to enforce all logistics suppliers to implement RFID. Radio barcodes that broadcast a persons and product position – uniquely – and is same technology inside every DART Tag system on roads, or Oystercards in London underground, inside cats microchips that cause cat-flaps to open only for them, etc, etc – and same thing thats is keyless fobs in cars and how billboards talked to BMW Mini owners…
My first blog post in 2006 as web came 15 and showed development for next 15 years time. This has been the exploration in my blog ‘NothingToHide.Us‘ since then.
Now we have:
•Google Maps & street view
•Mobile v iPhone GPS/Compass
•Augmented Reality / AI
•RFID & human inventory
•Barcodes vs Bocodes
M2M (machine to man) – ubiquitous computing – internet of ‘things’ is about tagging every single device with a unique reference number. Its about tagging every single human with a unique reference number.
On one hand you put product in fridge in Korea and it tells you sell-by dates or in /out of stock. Put in on kitchen surface near other items and it recommends recipes for you – put product in bin… and next TV ad says ‘buy more’ and adds to your online account… ok this is pushing Korean technology little further then where its at right now, but I can show evidence of this happening. Even washing machines knowing what product in them and adjust temperature automatically. This is M2M and its a reality in places like Korea and Japan – even Germany and UK – and not fiction.
If i can save even a measly 0.5% of “global turn-over” for Coca-Cola by ‘knowing’ who is buying Pepsi or Coke and if they put one in a bin and serve them appropriate ad at right time are they interested? You betchya! Because they know between 50-99% of all ads they send out mass-media are wasted… All that junk mail ending up in the bin – and ‘targeting’ people will save a lot of companies a lot of money. Kerching!
I am talking 10% of global turnover for every brand is at stake to drive efficency. Its a huge commercial incentive. Get me to that board room.
Add to this ’security’ measures of tracking people, lest 9-11 doesn’t happen again, and;
From UK’s CCTV cameras in peoples homes to a planned Unique Identification (UID) number for 1.17 Billion Indian citizens…
And as Chenoy of Nehru University sums it up;
“I don’t want to be paranoid,” he said. “But with many government schemes, a very good intention ultimately doesn’t always get implemented in the right spirit.”
So we currently see this biggest technology coo ever is being fought out in India right now where they want to electronic DNA every Indian person – 1/6th of planet – and IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft are all bidding for multi-billion pound contract – the biggest technology contract in the world. Ever. Every person uniquely tagged.
Remember IBM started ‘computing’ in the first place by ‘counting people’ back in 1890 census. Did same in WW11 in Germany. Pitching for India, just won contract for the UK and now 2010 census in the US. (Did I mention Germany..?) Uh oh.
Nah, we never did really buy the whole “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” Thomas Watson, Chairman, IBM, 1949.
Anyway, what will this mean?
I link advertising to their cellphones or ID cards, I know who they are… where they are… suddenly personal ads… anywhere in the world on any device. Billboards, TV sets – in homes or back of Taxi’s.
Next stop microchip people like cats. Everyone. Everywhere. World is safer place. Cheaper for everyone as we save huge advertising resource. Doors open as you walk up to them. Your house or car or office door will open just like gates on underground. Wave your hand and pay for stuff like coffee in Starbuck’s and no cash or credit card means no-one can rob you. *cough*
(Thats right because technology makes world safer place and because people don’t hold up post-offices for a few grand with shot-guns means that people don’t clone credit cards and scam billions globally do they?)
Really. Microchipping people? Heck I can e-mark you with RFID with a simple invisible injection and you wouldn’t even know.
How long – 5 years – 10 years – 20 years out? RFID chips in humans got green light by FDA back in 2004.
I am joking, right? Urmmm… One billion people to get biometrics and RFID tracking by 2015
So I have a business case – government backing – cool idea for implementation – safer world from security point of view – a global rush to adopt – an advancement of advertising technology – and your Orwellian nightmare where someone know everything about you and you are locked on a grid.
Wasn’t something written 2,000 years ago about not buying or selling without a mark of the beast? Some kind of global system constructed where sinister plan meets commercial opportunity targeted to human food supply? Go check Revelation 13.
Conspiracy theory meets intelligent digital advertising?
Track people, make them wear a ‘yellow star or pink triangle’… future or past? Didn’t Hitler try this before trains sent people to death camps – where the state dictates behaviors they see are acceptable? Tried smoking in bar recently? Add tax to smokers cigarettes as they are problem for health authority? Link doctors notes to purchase to medical insurance… hmm possible vision of Microsoft and Google with HealthVault, etc? Cloud computing for your medical records that you wouldn’t need to submit to your insurance company… its all linked to your food purchases, etc. Loyalty cards and reward mechanisms hit the 21st century where price of food changes based on health records – fat people paying more for chocolate, but discount as regular shopper at Tesco’s… and the billboards and TV’s giving you ads about local health clubs or fat reduction pills… Welcome to a digital world of ubiquitous computing.
So I want to explore this – from both sides – positive and negative.
Some of which i appreciate may seem a long way off or even far-fetched. Some of which i can prove is closer then you think and already implemented and most people don’t even realise. Either way, you have to accept its ‘freaky’. Science-fiction versus historical facts. A lot to think through.
But bottom line, it’s just about joining all the dots – and that is what the Internet was invented for – to join dots across the globe.
And I really do hope I am wrong in my more ‘scary’ predictions, but I fear the hundreds of web links and 8″ high newspaper clippings I have at home – plus history of human dictator’s drive for world domination – may prove me right, timescales aside.
Maybe I should write a book? I’ll try to narrow it to 10,000 words… and focus in on the aspect as it relates to location-based advertising.
So I am in the middle of doing this Master’s degree on Creative Media Practice and about to explore the future of media technology. It’s time to start my final thesis and am looking ahead. I want to look into the future of digital advertising where we will see the commercialisation of content across a fragmented range of viewing devices through location-based advertising.
So I am going to outline my thinking and throw it out here. Feel free to comment, critique, disagree – even call me a nutter – but join me in thinking this through and get that brain matter ticking over lest we all become like sheep to the slaughter.
This for me is why I signed up for this whole degree course, the rest was painful (but interesting) to get through… History is interesting, but I want to see stuff that’s next. I love technology. I stand up on stage and preach about technology. But deep within me I have a deep-rooted fear that is beyond a niggling.
You’ve seen Minority Report – where the billboards talk to people – and gets it wrong as it scans the wrong iris…? Science-fiction right? Wrong.
Advertising won’t be linked to Iris scans, it will be linked to little microchips sewn in your clothes hidden in your credit cards or mobile phones even under your skin. And its not future stuff…
•Mini USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards
•Yahoo Japan plans to scan passersby and put up personalized content on billboards
But I have an issue.
I can see whats next, and think its opening up a huge can of worms and actually going to be human downfall – and even though i am sounding over-dramatic – I actually believe this to be very true. Not in science fiction kind of way, but in a factual, evidential point of view.
So here is my juxtaposition.
10% of all commercial turnover globally is spend on advertising. whether thats paying for the company car and cell-phone bill of salesman to a billboard, TV or online ad.
Explore the benefits and changes of Mass Media effectiveness v personal recommendation v targeted advertising.
So internet-enabled TV ads will eventually mean real-time targeted ads in TV. Knowing that a French person is sitting in UK hotel room and he has a HSBC bank account, so I swap English UK barclays ad with French HSBC ad in middle of UK TV show? Does this appeal commercially? Will technology enable it to be so? Yes – I’m already running test with a company right now.
But how do i know you are in the room? Or even walking past that billboard?
By 2012, 5.9 Bn cell-phones contracts globally. GPS enabled. Locate you anywhere.
I can even track your children right now.
But we can move beyond mobile phones. Back in 2003 I first heard about commercially tracking individuals when Proctor & Gamble did display tagging tracking physical movement of items on shelves in stores and Walmart started to enforce all logistics suppliers to implement RFID. Radio barcodes that broadcast a persons and product position – uniquely – and is same technology inside every DART Tag system on roads, or Oystercards in London underground, inside cats microchips that cause cat-flaps to open only for them, etc, etc – and same thing thats is keyless fobs in cars and how billboards talked to BMW Mini owners…
My first blog post in 2006 as web came 15 and showed development for next 15 years time. This has been the exploration in my blog ‘NothingToHide.Us‘ since then.
Now we have:
•Google Maps & street view
•Mobile v iPhone GPS/Compass
•Augmented Reality / AI
•RFID & human inventory
•Barcodes vs Bocodes
M2M (machine to man) – ubiquitous computing – internet of ‘things’ is about tagging every single device with a unique reference number. Its about tagging every single human with a unique reference number.
On one hand you put product in fridge in Korea and it tells you sell-by dates or in /out of stock. Put in on kitchen surface near other items and it recommends recipes for you – put product in bin… and next TV ad says ‘buy more’ and adds to your online account… ok this is pushing Korean technology little further then where its at right now, but I can show evidence of this happening. Even washing machines knowing what product in them and adjust temperature automatically. This is M2M and its a reality in places like Korea and Japan – even Germany and UK – and not fiction.
If i can save even a measly 0.5% of “global turn-over” for Coca-Cola by ‘knowing’ who is buying Pepsi or Coke and if they put one in a bin and serve them appropriate ad at right time are they interested? You betchya! Because they know between 50-99% of all ads they send out mass-media are wasted… All that junk mail ending up in the bin – and ‘targeting’ people will save a lot of companies a lot of money. Kerching!
I am talking 10% of global turnover for every brand is at stake to drive efficency. Its a huge commercial incentive. Get me to that board room.
Add to this ’security’ measures of tracking people, lest 9-11 doesn’t happen again, and;
From UK’s CCTV cameras in peoples homes to a planned Unique Identification (UID) number for 1.17 Billion Indian citizens…
And as Chenoy of Nehru University sums it up;
“I don’t want to be paranoid,” he said. “But with many government schemes, a very good intention ultimately doesn’t always get implemented in the right spirit.”
So we currently see this biggest technology coo ever is being fought out in India right now where they want to electronic DNA every Indian person – 1/6th of planet – and IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft are all bidding for multi-billion pound contract – the biggest technology contract in the world. Ever. Every person uniquely tagged.
Remember IBM started ‘computing’ in the first place by ‘counting people’ back in 1890 census. Did same in WW11 in Germany. Pitching for India, just won contract for the UK and now 2010 census in the US. (Did I mention Germany..?) Uh oh.
Nah, we never did really buy the whole “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” Thomas Watson, Chairman, IBM, 1949.
Anyway, what will this mean?
I link advertising to their cellphones or ID cards, I know who they are… where they are… suddenly personal ads… anywhere in the world on any device. Billboards, TV sets – in homes or back of Taxi’s.
Next stop microchip people like cats. Everyone. Everywhere. World is safer place. Cheaper for everyone as we save huge advertising resource. Doors open as you walk up to them. Your house or car or office door will open just like gates on underground. Wave your hand and pay for stuff like coffee in Starbuck’s and no cash or credit card means no-one can rob you. *cough*
(Thats right because technology makes world safer place and because people don’t hold up post-offices for a few grand with shot-guns means that people don’t clone credit cards and scam billions globally do they?)
Really. Microchipping people? Heck I can e-mark you with RFID with a simple invisible injection and you wouldn’t even know.
How long – 5 years – 10 years – 20 years out? RFID chips in humans got green light by FDA back in 2004.
I am joking, right? Urmmm… One billion people to get biometrics and RFID tracking by 2015
So I have a business case – government backing – cool idea for implementation – safer world from security point of view – a global rush to adopt – an advancement of advertising technology – and your Orwellian nightmare where someone know everything about you and you are locked on a grid.
Wasn’t something written 2,000 years ago about not buying or selling without a mark of the beast? Some kind of global system constructed where sinister plan meets commercial opportunity targeted to human food supply? Go check Revelation 13.
Conspiracy theory meets intelligent digital advertising?
Track people, make them wear a ‘yellow star or pink triangle’… future or past? Didn’t Hitler try this before trains sent people to death camps – where the state dictates behaviors they see are acceptable? Tried smoking in bar recently? Add tax to smokers cigarettes as they are problem for health authority? Link doctors notes to purchase to medical insurance… hmm possible vision of Microsoft and Google with HealthVault, etc? Cloud computing for your medical records that you wouldn’t need to submit to your insurance company… its all linked to your food purchases, etc. Loyalty cards and reward mechanisms hit the 21st century where price of food changes based on health records – fat people paying more for chocolate, but discount as regular shopper at Tesco’s… and the billboards and TV’s giving you ads about local health clubs or fat reduction pills… Welcome to a digital world of ubiquitous computing.
So I want to explore this – from both sides – positive and negative.
Some of which i appreciate may seem a long way off or even far-fetched. Some of which i can prove is closer then you think and already implemented and most people don’t even realise. Either way, you have to accept its ‘freaky’. Science-fiction versus historical facts. A lot to think through.
But bottom line, it’s just about joining all the dots – and that is what the Internet was invented for – to join dots across the globe.
And I really do hope I am wrong in my more ‘scary’ predictions, but I fear the hundreds of web links and 8″ high newspaper clippings I have at home – plus history of human dictator’s drive for world domination – may prove me right, timescales aside.
Maybe I should write a book? I’ll try to narrow it to 10,000 words… and focus in on the aspect as it relates to location-based advertising.
2010年1月10日 星期日
Wi-Fi無線網路花朵在美國各地萌芽
http://taiwan.cnet.com/crave/0,2000088746,20141159,00.htm
2009年09月18日Wi-Fi無線網路花朵在美國各地萌芽
Daniel Terdiman 翻譯：peivan 留下回應 分享7...
Poetic Kinetic生產的Wi-Fi網路花。
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)
一對洛杉磯藝術家與豐田汽車（Toyota）合作進行一項特別的功能性藝術（functional art）計畫：將一組可提供免費Wi-Fi網路與電源輸出的巨大彩色花朵放在美國各地的公眾場所。
目前這些花朵正在舊金山芳草地花園(Yerba Buena Gardens）展示，它們是由一家名為Poetic Kinetics的公司所生產，這家公司的社長Patrick Shearn與CynthiaWashburn是豐田最新一代車款Prius的應援者之一。
這些花朵已經在美國巡迴展出數週了，白天時它們展現明亮的色彩，夜晚時以LED燈亮起。為豐田該計畫行銷的廣告公司 Saatchi & Saatchi公關部主管 John Lisko表示，這些花朵已經到過波士頓、紐約、芝加哥、西雅圖，不久後就會出發前往洛杉磯。
Wi-Fi 網路花晚上會亮燈。
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)
這項計畫有一部分受到Shearn在2005及2006年為 Burning Man所做的巨型機器人花朵的啟發，豐田要求這項計畫的主題必須呼應Prius：人與自然、機謝之間的和諧共存。
Washburn表示，這些花朵靠太陽能供電，透過3G網路獲得網路訊號，再轉換成Wi-Fi，有效範圍是距離每朵花約200英呎之內。
目前這些花朵還只能算是現代藝術作品，但Lisko表示豐田正在考慮生產永久版本的可能，因為一般大眾的反應相當正面。
2009年09月18日Wi-Fi無線網路花朵在美國各地萌芽
Daniel Terdiman 翻譯：peivan 留下回應 分享7...
Poetic Kinetic生產的Wi-Fi網路花。
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)
一對洛杉磯藝術家與豐田汽車（Toyota）合作進行一項特別的功能性藝術（functional art）計畫：將一組可提供免費Wi-Fi網路與電源輸出的巨大彩色花朵放在美國各地的公眾場所。
目前這些花朵正在舊金山芳草地花園(Yerba Buena Gardens）展示，它們是由一家名為Poetic Kinetics的公司所生產，這家公司的社長Patrick Shearn與CynthiaWashburn是豐田最新一代車款Prius的應援者之一。
這些花朵已經在美國巡迴展出數週了，白天時它們展現明亮的色彩，夜晚時以LED燈亮起。為豐田該計畫行銷的廣告公司 Saatchi & Saatchi公關部主管 John Lisko表示，這些花朵已經到過波士頓、紐約、芝加哥、西雅圖，不久後就會出發前往洛杉磯。
Wi-Fi 網路花晚上會亮燈。
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)
這項計畫有一部分受到Shearn在2005及2006年為 Burning Man所做的巨型機器人花朵的啟發，豐田要求這項計畫的主題必須呼應Prius：人與自然、機謝之間的和諧共存。
Washburn表示，這些花朵靠太陽能供電，透過3G網路獲得網路訊號，再轉換成Wi-Fi，有效範圍是距離每朵花約200英呎之內。
目前這些花朵還只能算是現代藝術作品，但Lisko表示豐田正在考慮生產永久版本的可能，因為一般大眾的反應相當正面。
iPhone帶來比真實世界更棒的「擴增實境」
http://taiwan.cnet.com/crave/0,2000088746,20139376,00.htm
真正的實境不怎麼討人喜歡，到處充滿著無趣、醜陋的路標，我們希望未來可以看到赤裸裸的街道，然後讓我們的智慧手機用「擴增實境」（AR）告訴我們該往哪裡走。
「最近地鐵」（Nearest Tube）是一項創新的AR應用程式，結合iPhone 3GS內建的數位羅盤，它可以告訴你最近的倫敦地鐵站在哪裡。
這項應用程式將數位羅盤的資訊與全球衛星導航系統（GPS）相結合，再與顯示地鐵站距離與方向的路標重疊，較高處的圖示顯示的是前方的地鐵站，而且也親切地將每個地鐵站會經過的地鐵線標示出來，也會顯示這個地鐵站是不是搭乘某條線最近的車站。
它所提供的距離大致正確，因為是以直線距離來衡量，所以會比實際上短一些，例如它顯示滑鐵盧車站與Crave Towers之間的距離是1.04公里，但Google地圖卻顯示步行距離是1.4公里。
下面的影片來自這項程式的開發商 Acrossair，他們告訴我們「最近地鐵」正在等待蘋果公司（Apple）的批准，預計兩週內就會在App Store上市供人下載，不過價格是1.19英鎊，可能會讓你有點卻步。因為它用的是數位羅盤，所以只有iPhone 3GS適用這項程式，沒有數位羅盤的iPhone 3G就不行了。
你把iPhone 3GS放平時，「最近地鐵」會顯示通往所有倫敦地鐵站的路標，路標顏色還會配合地鐵線的顏色。
Android手機已經有好幾款AR應用程式，例如受科技瘋喜愛的Google Skymap，不過我們用Android手機成癮的同事Ian對於「最近地鐵」流暢的程度印象深刻，和一些我們試過的Android AR相比算是好的。
「最近地鐵」利用iPhone相機拍攝到的影像而非即時視訊，所以我們偶爾會看到照相用的方形對焦框，不過在「最近地鐵」裡我們無法真的對任何東西對焦。它也不能操縱或分析這些影像，所以路標只是根據GPS與數位羅盤而放置的，而不是因為可以辨識出路上明顯的地標或廣告牌上的標語。
就尋找地鐵站而言這項AR程式的功能發揮得不錯，不過Acrossair表示，他們想做出與真實世界連結得更緊密的AR程式卻遇到很大的問題。Acrossair給我們看由14個軟體開發商與研究者連署寄給蘋果公司的一封公開信，信中懇求蘋果比照Android的方式公開攝影項相機的 API。Acrossair也給我們看某些程式的雛型如何運作。
將video stream解碼後，程式開發商們就可製作一些很酷的程式，例如可辨識歷史建築、顯示旅遊資訊，或是點擊一張電影海報就會跑出這部電影的預告片。現在程式開發商已經透過私人的API製作這類程式的雛型，蘋果不會允許這些API放入App Store，所以開發商們希望蘋果可以釋出公開版的API，這樣他們做出的程式才會適用於App Store。
我們已經取得一些Android AR程式打算用宏達電（HTC）Magic手機來試用，所以別忘了回來看看。
iPhone 3GS的數位羅盤會受到附近的磁場干擾，顯然倫敦的地底下有鉛，因為我們常常發現手機要求進行羅盤校準，「最近地鐵」也做出類似的要求。
通常要求校準的訊息會在數秒後消失，然而即使我們不照手機的要求做，「最近地鐵」還是可以運作。
真正的實境不怎麼討人喜歡，到處充滿著無趣、醜陋的路標，我們希望未來可以看到赤裸裸的街道，然後讓我們的智慧手機用「擴增實境」（AR）告訴我們該往哪裡走。
「最近地鐵」（Nearest Tube）是一項創新的AR應用程式，結合iPhone 3GS內建的數位羅盤，它可以告訴你最近的倫敦地鐵站在哪裡。
這項應用程式將數位羅盤的資訊與全球衛星導航系統（GPS）相結合，再與顯示地鐵站距離與方向的路標重疊，較高處的圖示顯示的是前方的地鐵站，而且也親切地將每個地鐵站會經過的地鐵線標示出來，也會顯示這個地鐵站是不是搭乘某條線最近的車站。
它所提供的距離大致正確，因為是以直線距離來衡量，所以會比實際上短一些，例如它顯示滑鐵盧車站與Crave Towers之間的距離是1.04公里，但Google地圖卻顯示步行距離是1.4公里。
下面的影片來自這項程式的開發商 Acrossair，他們告訴我們「最近地鐵」正在等待蘋果公司（Apple）的批准，預計兩週內就會在App Store上市供人下載，不過價格是1.19英鎊，可能會讓你有點卻步。因為它用的是數位羅盤，所以只有iPhone 3GS適用這項程式，沒有數位羅盤的iPhone 3G就不行了。
你把iPhone 3GS放平時，「最近地鐵」會顯示通往所有倫敦地鐵站的路標，路標顏色還會配合地鐵線的顏色。
Android手機已經有好幾款AR應用程式，例如受科技瘋喜愛的Google Skymap，不過我們用Android手機成癮的同事Ian對於「最近地鐵」流暢的程度印象深刻，和一些我們試過的Android AR相比算是好的。
「最近地鐵」利用iPhone相機拍攝到的影像而非即時視訊，所以我們偶爾會看到照相用的方形對焦框，不過在「最近地鐵」裡我們無法真的對任何東西對焦。它也不能操縱或分析這些影像，所以路標只是根據GPS與數位羅盤而放置的，而不是因為可以辨識出路上明顯的地標或廣告牌上的標語。
就尋找地鐵站而言這項AR程式的功能發揮得不錯，不過Acrossair表示，他們想做出與真實世界連結得更緊密的AR程式卻遇到很大的問題。Acrossair給我們看由14個軟體開發商與研究者連署寄給蘋果公司的一封公開信，信中懇求蘋果比照Android的方式公開攝影項相機的 API。Acrossair也給我們看某些程式的雛型如何運作。
將video stream解碼後，程式開發商們就可製作一些很酷的程式，例如可辨識歷史建築、顯示旅遊資訊，或是點擊一張電影海報就會跑出這部電影的預告片。現在程式開發商已經透過私人的API製作這類程式的雛型，蘋果不會允許這些API放入App Store，所以開發商們希望蘋果可以釋出公開版的API，這樣他們做出的程式才會適用於App Store。
我們已經取得一些Android AR程式打算用宏達電（HTC）Magic手機來試用，所以別忘了回來看看。
iPhone 3GS的數位羅盤會受到附近的磁場干擾，顯然倫敦的地底下有鉛，因為我們常常發現手機要求進行羅盤校準，「最近地鐵」也做出類似的要求。
通常要求校準的訊息會在數秒後消失，然而即使我們不照手機的要求做，「最近地鐵」還是可以運作。
2010年1月7日 星期四
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