Two mobile apps for navigating the city in two very different ways:
Embark – maps plus some more hand-holding (i.e. alerts, underground access)
Via Laughing Squid
Serendipitor – maps plus simple instructions to follow along the way — for the more whimsical commuter
Grow Interactive worked with Google to concept and develop Uncover Your World, a lovely mobile experience for Google’s Search App.
To build the ad experience, Grow modeled an entire “world” with 3D technology and used a 3D printer to bring it to life. Check out the making-of video below:
You can explore the mobile site here: http://www.uncoveryourworld.com/
Contributed by Mia Ruiz-Escoto
You may think their time has passed, but what if QR Codes were less ugly and more useful?
Designer Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino set out to improve this troubled medium with Mapcodes, a hyper-linking system that uses fragments of maps — instead of indecipherable blocks — to link to full maps.
http://designswarm.com/blog/2011/09/mapcodes/
Although still in prototype/idea territory, it’s refreshing to see more user-friendly (and beautiful) graphic languages being developed for connecting digital content to physical locations.
Contributed by Ralph Paone
The Trimensional app is a 3D scanner that generates models using the iPhone’s front-facing camera.
Via Laughing Squid
Read Marc Saporta’s Composition No. 1 on shuffle with the novel’s new iPad iteration.
It doesn’t seem like this would be that relaxing of a reading experience, but it’s cool that the technology helps achieve the work’s original intention to be read non-linearly.
Via Gizmodo
Satisfy your craving for mystery and intrigue mixed into daily routine with Gumshoe:
Keiichi Matsuda imagines what it would be like when digital layers of information converge with the physical environment – no device required. (Best viewed in 3D if you have 3D glasses handy)
110 Stories imposes an outline view of the Twin Towers on the NYC skyline using augmented reality.
Based on your location, the app offers a glimpse back of how the towers figured into the cityscape from multiple vantage points. The app also encourages people to comment and share their memories and impressions of the augmented skyline.
The project, from artist Brian August, reached its goal on Kickstarter just in time for the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.
Read more about it here: http://kck.st/nIyEjN
A fun round-up of wearable electronics ranging from utterly silly to sleek and innovative:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/06/is-the-rise-of-wearable-electronics-finally-here.html (via MAKE)
Also, another great collection here from Fast Company:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1773462/smart-couture-wearable-tech-gets-wearable
We’ve been talking about the future of this a lot lately, and here’s a nice little infographic that sums up mobile payment growth and the overall landscape.
Mostly correct but American Express’ Serve supports Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and debit cards.
https://www.gplus.com/Mobile-Payments/Article/INFOGRAPHIC-Goodbye-Wallets-How-Mobile-Payments
Contributed by Collin Whitehead