Layar – Augmented Reality goes into overdrive

Augmented Reality. The words used to wash over me like a cool breeze and I had no idea what people were on about. It’s simple enough though – apps boasting this feature simply combine real-world and computer-generated data in real-time to create an interactive head-up-display. A new (free) AR app has just popped onto the Android market called Layar. It’ll layer information such as FlickR images, Google local search details, Brightkite and Twitter details onto the camera of your phone.


Once installed you simply choose the layer containing the information you need, move your phone around and head for it or click for more info. Distance, category and layers can easily be changed – there’s 87 layers to choose from. You can, for example, load the Twitter layer and find people who have left their GPS info. Within minutes you could be standing outside their house and actually having a real conversation with them. You know, like in the old days before computers and phones. Scary huh?


Confused still? Try watching this video promoting Layar. The blue-haired Japanese fella is bound to.. err.. straighten things out. Personally I’d fire up Android Market and hit your search button, install it and try it yourself.


Link – Layar.eu – Press Release