Shadowforce

Der ‘Augmented Reality Browser’ Layar (kostenlos; App Store-Link) erreichte im Herbst 2009 den App Store, verzog sich jedoch kurz darauf für (stark benötigte) Wartungsarbeiten wieder in seiner Entwickler-Werkstatt. Mit Version 3.0.2 und den kürzlich akquirierten 2.5 Millionen Euro Risikokapital im Rücken, wagt das niederländische Start-Up jetzt einen neuen Anlauf. Auf der Android-Plattform ist der Browser, welcher das reale Kamerabild mit virtuellen Ebenen überzieht, bereits sehr erfolgreich. Die neue Version soll nach Aussagen ihrer Entwickler über 400 dieser Informationsschichten (‘Layars’ genannt) bereithalten – von Staumeldern, über Umgebungs-Tweets bis zu nahegelegenen Supermärkten. Seitdem Apple im letzten Jahr das ‘Go!’ für den (Video-)Kamerazugriff auf dem iPhone 3GS gab, tummeln sich unzählige Anbieter auf diesem Software-Markt. Die Zukunftsperspektive von Wikitude (kostenlos; App Store-Link, der Volkswagen Händlersuche (kostenlos; App Store-Link), Peaks (2.39 €; App Store-Link), Gunman (kostenlos; App Store-Link), oder Tweet 360 (0.79 €; App Store-Link) scheinen dynamische Werbeeinblendungen. Auch wenn Programme mit Augmented Reality-Funktion derzeit einem vorzüglichen Präsentationszweck dienen, lassen sie in vielen Situationen eine Praxistauglichkeit vermissen. Read More

...game comes with a few caveats of course. Large multiplayer games require WiFi, everyone must be wearing a different color shirt, and needless to say, until an iPod touch with a camera materializes you need an iPhone to play. Still, if you can round up a few friends all willing to wear different colored shirts that have iPhones in an area blanketed by WiFi, and don't mind people wondering what i... Read More

A new game has hit the App Store that combines the thrill of a first person shooter with the immersive quality of augmented reality. Called Gunman [App Store, $0.99], the game is possibly one of the most exciting iPhone games to date. The crazy thing about it is that unlike most first person shooters today that are centered around a fictional setting and cast of somewhat-plausable characters and events, Gunman is set in your world. The main character is you, and your nemesis is a real person. Video after the break. Think Layar meets Laser-Tag, but instead of laser guns, you shoot by lining up your target with on-screen crosshairs and tapping the screen. It knows when you hit your opponent based on the color of their shirt, which both players identify at the start of the game. Players take aim at each other and try to score the most hits, shaking to reload. At the end of the game, the shots are rounded tallied and the one who did the most killing and the least getting killed wins. It even lets you save your favorite shots to your camera roll. It’s available this week only for just $0.99, so get it while it’s hot. Categories: News  Tags: id, line Read More

Is this a disturbing trend? War apps used by the military - but also available to everyone else - and now an augmented reality game app called Gunman. YES, THIS REALLY WORKS. YOU CAN FINALLY SHOOT PEOPLE WITH YOUR IPHONE :) One on One: Anyone is fair game. Specify your enemies shirt color and go wild. Our enemy recognition technology will take care of the body count, you take care of the shooting. Multiplayer: A free-for-all WiFi bloodbath. It's you versus the world. Take out rogue agents in the local area and show them no mercy. The score matters, so watch your back. I was horrified years ago when my teenage son enthusiastically showed me how he played "Grand Theft Auto" and I have to agree, he hasn't grown up to be violent. But I continue to find all these shooter games very disturbing. Read More

A company called Shadowforce is out with its first product, which takes augmented reality to the next level. The application is called Gunman and it’s the first AR laser tag first-person shooter game that doesn’t require people to carry around any special equipment other than their . Of course, the idea is play against your friends (up to 4 people can play) when your iPhones are connected via WiFi. Once someone is hit, its phone will buzz and you get to save the screenshot of a target. Moreover, players can play for rank on the Playgunman website, track all of their favorite hits, and tweet out their favorite shots. Of course, if there are no other iPhone users around, you can go solo by collecting bounties on celebrities appearing on the Gunman “Hit List,” which includes such names as Ashton Kutcher, MC Hammer, Shaq, and 50 Cent. In addition, Shadowforce says this is only the beginning, as the game will receive regular updates such as team-based tactical missions (like capture the flag mode), an arsenal of new weapons, an international leaderboard, and more. In a word – awesome! You can grab Gunman from the AppStore for 99 cents. is required, if you haven’t figured it out… Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run SymbianWatch.com which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis. Read More