NEC BIGLOBE – a cloud content and ISP in Japan – says it expects the system to be useful in sports and hobbies, for instance “helping the user identify fish and fishing techniques right on the river.” Alternatively it could be linked with GPS and knowledge of other users’ locations, so that a skier could have their friends flagged up “by looking at icons that are geospatially correct inside the users view through the glasses.”

Technical details on the platform are scant – we’re still digging – though the STAR 1200 glasses Vuzix was showing off at IFA 2011 uses a pair of transparent 852 x 480 displays that together mimic a 16:9 aspect 60-inch display viewed from 10 feet away. They’re paired with a front-facing 1080p Full HD camera and 6-axis motion tracking.

Vuzix STAR 1200 hands-on:

As for the user-recognition, that’s presumably a cloud-based process rather than being handled by a smartphone or other mobile device carried by the user. While the STAR 1200 glasses are decidedly clunky, Vuzix has more recently shown off a new set of Smart Glasses that manage to squeeze transparent displays into a more aesthetically-pleasing design.

One of the harsh realities of online clothes shopping is without the ability to try on the clothes you’re looking to purchase. With the help of this software and Microsoft Kinect, users will be given the opportunity to see how clothes fit prior to purchase. The software is fairly accurate that it will be able to tell you whether the clothes you are trying on are too loose or snug. Before taking advantage of this users must first register an account.

Bodymetrics has had seven years to hone their technology in body-mapping. One of their services has been available to shoppers at the Selfridges department store in London. With nearly a decade of experience, Bodymetrics believes PrimeSense 3D will change how people shop online because of the software’s ability to obtain hundreds of accurate measurements in seconds. The anticipated price for PrimeSense 3D is approximately $150.

[via Mashable]

The display engine itself promises high contrast and brightness, suitable for outdoor use, while the waveguide is similarly special. Vuzix says it uses “input and output hologram structures on the surface which squeezes the light down the waveguide and then two dimensionally expands the image back into the user’s eye, creating an image that is then mixed into the real world.”

What that adds up to is the ability to pull data from your smartphone, laptop or another source up into your glasses, overlaying and integrating that information into your view of the real world. Both daytime and nighttime use is supported, meaning the Vuzix Smart Glasses will be just as much at home reminding you who you’ve already met at a business meeting as they are guiding you to the nearest bar after hours.

Vuzix is planning both monocular and binocular versions, with applications not only for consumers but in industrial and commercial spheres too. There’ll be head-tracking support, as well as various camera options; as we’ve seen before, that can turn your glasses into a full AR system. Retail availability is pegged for this coming summer.

Update: Vuzix has been in contact to say that the summer availability is for the monocled versions of the Smart Glasses system, targeted at the industrial and commercial markets. Other versions will follow on at a later date. There’s also the possibility for non-sunglasses variants, with the waveguide lens itself being more transparent and only slightly color-tinted for better image reproduction.

[via Engadget]

“Generally we look three years ahead when we work on games” Yoshida says, with Sony having a “fairly firm plan” to take it up until 2013. The PS Vita went on sale in Japan over the weekend, selling 321,000 units in its first two days.

Meanwhile, Yoshida was at pains to point out that Sony will not be pushing augmented reality onto PS Vita gamers unnecessarily, despite AR being a key part of what the handheld was designed to support. The company has demonstrated its SmartAR technology several times this year, eschewing glyphs and instead using face-tracking and other systems.

“One thing I know about hardcore gamers is that they hate it when we try to shove new technology down their throats. There may be a perception that Augmented Reality is a gimmick, so we have to provide something that is robust and genuinely enhances the experience … The more we experiment, I’m sure that we will see real gameplay benefits for hardcore players” Shuhei Yoshida, Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment and President of Worldwide Studios

“Together with the Google team, we will accelerate our efforts toward this shared vision. Google helps local businesses connect with potential customers, and its worldwide presence can bring the value of Clever Sense to a much larger audience … Discovering local information is extremely important to both users and businesses, and the acquisition of Clever Sense will benefit both” Clever Sense

One of Siri‘s most publicized features is its ability to find nearby places to eat, pick out those with the best reviews and direct you to them. With Clever Sense’s technology, Google’s rumored Majel alternative to Siri could not only pull up a list and filter it by general reviews, but use its learned knowledge about the user’s individual tastes and preferences to make better suggestions.

However, it’s planned developments on the Clever Sense roadmap that may have particularly whetted Google’s appetite. On the cards were deal recommendations, similar to services like Groupon, as well as broadening the range of services that could be suggested, to include general local entertainment and more. Again, that would all be in line with the basics Apple offers on the iPhone 4S, only with the added benefit of AI learning individual preferences.

According to Google’s official statement, Clever Sense “is at the forefront of developing a recommendation engine that connects the online and offline worlds by delivering personal and sophisticated information to users at the right time, the right place and within the right context.” There’s certainly plenty of scope for integration with existing services like Google Googles, for an augmented reality view on the world that’s populated with tailored suggestions of activities and entertainment.

There’s more on the company’s so-called “Serendipity Engine” here, explaining how Clever Sense learns from app interaction, Facebook and Twitter use (and, we’re guessing, eventually Google+ activity too). ”By combining their technology and expertise with our team and products,” the Google statement continues, “we’ll be able to provide even more people with intelligent, personalized recommendations for places to eat, visit and discover.”

Clever Sense “Alfred” Demo:

[via TechCrunch]

These glasses were announced back in November so the specs were known, but the pricing wasn’t. SMD had promised that the glasses would be lower cost than the others on the market. The ST1080 haven’t met that promise with a steep price of $799. The upside to the glasses and the steep price is that these things are 10% see-through thanks to some cool screen tech.

That will allow the glasses to be harnessed as an augmented reality platform since you can see through the screens. The glasses will support 1080p resolution and can be powered on the go from a USB port. Those are some nice features that help justify the price, but at $799, these glasses will still be a hard sell.

[via Roadtovr]

For now the testing of the contact lenses is being conducted on rabbits. The lenses in testing now have a very low resolution of only one pixel. The researchers think that the resolution will improve over time and that someday we could all be using these lenses for navigation, reading news, email, and maybe watching video.

A team of American and Finnish researchers at the University of Washington are developing the lenses. A radiofrequency transmitter powers the prototype lenses. An antenna printed on the lens is about 5mm long. The potential for military applications is also interesting giving soldiers something like Terminator vision to detect friend or foe on the battlefield.

[via TheNextWeb]

The L.A. adventure had people winning prizes each of the three days with a final contest coming up after, the entire process working with the iOS-based GoldRun app. This app uses your iPhone or iPad 2′s camera to allow you to see the world and in this case superimpose images on top of everyday objects. If you made the right combination happen, you’d advance in the game! Have a peek at the images above and below to see how much fun searching for a brand new car can be when you’re doing it in a virtual reality landscape.

The Nationwide promotion worked in a very similar manner to the L.A. section of the game, with one challenge at a time per two-day period. Prizes were awarded, and a grand prize was again teased. The grand prize winner of course will win the still ultra-fabulous 2011 version of the Ford Escape. Everyone else will just have to head to the auto lot to pick up next years version. And NOTE: this final contest is not yet over, it runs until the 18th of November! Download yourself GoldRun app from the iOS App Store to participate!

In fact, the target is AR that can remind you of the identity of acquaintances when you bump into them at parties, pull up information on products you’ve bought but haven’t kept the user guide to hand, and other more personal applications. NEC is also working on the potential input and control methods, such as sensors which would allow you to tap your arm in different ways to trigger functionality.

The computer is a 140 x 90 x 55 mm box weighing 360g including a battery that, NEC says, is good for over 4hrs of continuous use. Inside there’s 256MB of RAM and 2GB of storage (1.7GB of which is left after the low-footprint Windows CE 6.0 R3 Professional OS is installed), while connectivity includes support for an earpiece and microphone, as well as a camera input. With the latter, it’s possible for remote workers to beam back footage of what they’re seeing to a centralized control room, where experts can guide them through complex repairs and the like.

As for the wearable display, the AirScouter creates a virtual 800 x 600 image for one eye, and weighs 64g. It’s capable of playing back several types of video, as well as more industrial data. Unfortunately it’s likely that only businesses will consider the NEC TeleScouter at the moment: it’ll start shipping on December 26, priced at 400,000 yen ($5,207) for the headset/computer combo itself, and 1,990,000 yen ($25,903) for the accompanying software and control system.

[via AV Watch]

In Qualcomm’s demo, the main camera on a BSQUARE MDP can spot and recognize DVD covers, look up the film they’re related to, and then superimpose a video stream on top of them on the handset’s display. That video stream resizes and skews according to the angle at which the DVD box itself is oriented: it can also track multiple covers, even if only a small part of each is actually visible.

Qualcomm Vision-Based AR hands-on:

Although it makes for an eye-catching demonstration, what Qualcomm is keen to stress is the technology behind it – and the demands that are being made on the MDP’s chipset. The app scans the frame thirty times a second, each time comparing the contents to the list of recognizable titles. It then calculates the position of each object, and renders an AR view that hybridizes custom graphics and the live feed from the camera. It demands a decent camera, of course, as well as enough processing capacity and 3D graphics capabilities.

Best of all, though, this sort of thing is possible with current devices. The MDP runs Qualcomm’s MSM8660, the same SoC as inside the HTC Jetstream tablet, meaning the hardware side of things is all there. What’s still in the air, Qualcomm tells us, is the service itself: the right content-related company coming along and investing in AR. It’s not limited to DVD previews, of course, but could include any internet-sourced links or multimedia. If you’re interested, you can try it yourself with Qualcomm’s free AR SDK.

In the DVD preview demo, which you can see in the video below, by showing the barcode on the back of a DVD case [Update: it actually recognizes the front cover of the DVD] to your phone you can instantly see live streams of the movie trailer overlaid on top. Multiple DVDs can be recognized simultaneously, with focus changing depending on where you point the camera (or touch the display) with audio fading in and out between them.

Of course, this isn’t just limited to trailer clips: in other potential implementations, as discussed at Uplinq earlier this year, you could also order the DVD online, find out more information about it or share it on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

In Qualcomm’s second demo, the size limitations of a touchscreen were bypassed by using the regular microphone as a sonar sensor. Hand gestures made in front of the phone – similar to what you’d do to control Microsoft’s Kinect – then allow you to sweep through a carousel UI, select different apps and services, and navigate content.

Similar tech should come into its own when you’re relying on your smartphone as a hub for the center of your digital life, streaming media and internet to nearby TVs and other hardware. ”We want to move content from our phone to our TV, or to other people’s devices” Dr. Craig Barratt, president of Qualcomm Atheros Inc. explained.

“You’ve heard people talk about the “internet of things” – we believe in the “internet of everything.” Not just hundreds of connected devices around you, but thousands of them … There will be a sea of sensors around us, and we’ll be able to access them with our phone” Paul Jacobs, CEO, Qualcomm

Those displays mimic a 16:9 aspect 60-inch display viewed from 10 feet away, but it’s the camera and sensors that make it particularly special. As well as tracking 6-degrees of freedom with the same plug-in motion sensor as offered for the Wrap 1200, the STAR set has a front-facing 1080p HD camcorder. The camera is removable, with a pair of screws underneath, allowing you to use the perhaps more discrete camera integrated into your smartphone instead.

Just like other Vuzix headsets, you can individually adjust each eyepiece to suit various levels of eyesight (or wear them over glasses, though it’s a clunky and heavy option and we felt like it might slide off at any moment) as well as adjust the nosepiece and tilt the eyepiece section inside the glasses frame. Audio output is supported too, while inputs include composite and component for hooking up to a PMP or DVI and VGA for your computer. USB is used for the AR software, and Vuzix says most apps – as long as they have the right connections – should work with the STAR.

Vuzix STAR 1200:

Sadly we couldn’t actually test that, as Vuzix didn’t have anything set up to actually feed AR data into the STAR 1200. Right now there are apparently only two such headsets in the world, one at ShowStoppers and another in the US. Unfortunately, Vuzix is targeting the STAR 1200 headset at developers looking to push AR software and services, rather than the general public. That adds up to limited availability when it begins shipping in the next few months, and a $4,999 price tag. We may have to wait a little longer before AR gets integrated into our regular glasses, but hopefully the STAR 1200 will help pave the way.

The scavenger hunt will start in just over two days, so you still have some time to download the app and get prepared. To start, you should read all the details and instructions on DroidDoes.com and watch the below video to get an idea of what’s involved. You’ll be running around town with your current Android device with the ARena app installed trying to find hidden prizes nearby.

The prizes include 16 Droid Bionic handsets, four 40-inch LED HDTVs, four Motorola XOOM tablets, four laptops, and four video-streaming Quadcopters. You will have 30 minutes per game to track down a prize and you can play up to 48 times a day for the four days of the scavenger hunt. There will be a total of 16 winners with four from each day, so good luck!

Apple’s concept improves on some shortcomings of other augmented reality mapping solutions by making the process from augmented reality view to compass-enabled mapping more streamlined. For instance, you can capture a particular intersection using your iPhone’s camera and the app will find the location and overlay directions directly on the image, instead of simply pinpointing the location and then taking you to a different map view.

The map data offered can be turn-by-turn directions overlaid on live video. This information would automatically update as the live feed changes with the user’s progression along the route. Using the compass feature, the app can also inform users if they are heading the wrong direction.

[via Patently Apple]

Layar is the largest augmented reality platform out there and the company has a very cool sounding new twist for developers called Layar Vision. This is an AR platform that will allow for cool AR layars that need no tags or scan codes to work. The Vision platform is able to recognize real world objects and show digital content on top of them.

The platform can detect up to 50 items and combine them with location-based layers. The layers can apparently be products or actual locations too. Documents for Layar Vision are on the website right now. Devs will have access to beta versions of the software in the coming weeks and the finished product should launch in Q4. Support will be offered for Android and iOS devices via apps.

[via Andorid Community]

Qualcomm quiety rolled out the beta release that now allows developers to more easily incorporate augmented reality features into apps developed for both Android and iOS. The SDK was originally limited only to Android with a full commercial release back in April, where it makes more sense since that category utilizes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors. However, the company promised back in May that it would be releasing an iOS port sometime in July.

There are already augmented reality iOS apps, but Qualcomm claims that this SDK will make it easier for developers to create more of them. This SDK supports iPhone 4, iPad 2, and the fourth generation iPod touch. It also supports Unity, a WYSIWYG rapid game development tool, while also allowing developers to work directly in Xcode if they prefer. The SDK can be downloaded from Qualcomm’s developer center.

[via TechCrunch]

Current patent applications from the company include an object-recognition system, similar to Google Goggles, in which a mobile device can identify an object shown to it. When mixed in with geopositioning GPS tech, that could allow the system to spot locations such as hotels and then call up related information such as check-in times, room rates and more:

“Users point a hand-held device of the invention toward an object to address it. The device determines which objects are being addressed by making position and attitude measurements and a search of a database containing preprogrammed information relating to those objects being addressed. Information relating to objects determined to be those presently being addressed is presented at a user interface” GeoVector patent application

There are also patent applications for a system which would adjust the graphical complexity of on-screen information based on the user’s current circumstances: for instance, while walking or stood still, high-resolution images of nearby locations in, say, a PND app could be shown, while more simple graphics could be used instead if traveling at speed in a car. Meanwhile, the company already has an iOS app, World Surfer, which calls up local information based on augmented reality results:

Microsoft has experimented with AR-style systems in Windows Phone, for instance the Bing Vision search tool in Mango. However, rather than merely recognizing barcodes, GeoVector’s technology could open that up to object-recognition and other more advanced use.

One of the patent filings, discovered by Apple Insider, was published for the first time today by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The documents illustrate an augmented reality interface for the iPad that involves a split screen where the one above shows a live video while the one below shows a computer-generated or augmented version of the live video.

A use-case example for this interface was for viewing the skyline of downtown San Francisco. The top screen shows a live video of the skyline, while real-time object recognition allows the bottom screen to show a computer-generated image of the skyline with information such as building identification and navigation.

While this first filing is based on existing display technologies, the second filing reveals a more ambitious idea using transparent display technology for iPads. Titled “Transparent Electronic Device” the documents illustrate a screen that can have selectively transparent areas that will allow information to be layered over a live view. This screen may use in-plane switching LCD technology to electronically switch between opaque and transparent states.

[via Apple Insider]

Although head-tracking has been done before, the system Sony demonstrated was able to track minor details like eye-blinking and eyebrow twitches, for a more lifelike animation. Sony wasn’t saying a video calling app would necessarily be the final use of the technology, 4gamer reports, but that the software was merely a demonstration of the power of the Vita’s abilities and its potential in augmented reality (AR) gaming.

Rather than using specific glyphs that can be identified and tracked by an AR system, Sony’s Yoshikatsu Kanemaru suggested that objects and even people could be distinguished by the Vita and have computer-generated graphics overlaid. It’s a technology that appears to have borrowed from Sony’s previous SmartAR research, which can intelligently spot unique elements -such as posters, magazines or more complex forms, like body outlines – in the camera’s frame and then track them accordingly.

The Augmented Reality Cinema app video demo of it shows some pretty nifty features. The app lets you capture stills or video of a location to bring up movie scenes that were shot in the same location. It even allows you to take an image of yourself in that location to insert yourself into the scene. Take a look at the video below to get a taste of the fun.

The app doesn’t appear to be ready yet, but at this point it is an interesting concept that could be a fun travel app for movie buffs. The possibilities for augmented reality continues to develop, with Sony most recently announcing a SmartAR technology that can auto-detect objects for tracking movement, eliminating the need for marker glyphs.

[via Engadget]

There are also some reasonably distracting landmark indicators, along with links to the in-car entertainment system to let you know what music you’re listening to. It can even tell you the meal deals at the restaurants and pubs you’re passing. Since Autoglass specializes in windshield repairs, there’s a hook into your cellphone so that, should damage occur, it can automatically get alert a technician and tell them your location.

Clever stuff, though we’re still waiting for our flying cars controlled by all-knowing AIs. In case you’re wondering – and you don’t recognize London, UK – the video is filmed in the UK, hence the driver being on the left side of the road.

[via Autoblog]

In Sony’s demonstration, an XPERIA Arc recognized a magazine and offered 3D interaction with it; however, the more ambitious demos overlaid complex UIs on top of maps (as in the screenshot above) as well as providing human identification. According to Sony, the probability matching technology is actually surprisingly CPU-light, which means even portable devices can quickly spot and identify what different objects are.

It’s all built on AR and pattern recognition experiments Sony has been carrying out since the days of AIBO and all the way back to 1994 and 2D barcode recognition on VAIO notebooks. No word on when we could expect to see this show up in portable devices at retail, but we would be very surprised if the company wasn’t looking at ways to slot the tech into the incoming Sony NGP.

[via Twitter]

The dude that got the tattoo goes by cranberryzero and the tattoo was inked by Colby at Blue Flame Tattoo in Raleigh, NC. The guy says that he though the AR card would make a “killer” tattoo, and the car is linked to his Mii on the console. The tattoo isn’t without its issues though. The guy says that the AR doesn’t always work on bright light, but it works fine in dim light.

He also notes to anyone else wanting got get the tattoo that the 3DS says to never obscure the white border of the AR card, but his works well enough most of the time. I can’t think of a more epic fail than getting an AR tattoo that doesn’t work. You can see the tattoo in the video below.

[via iHeartChaos]

In Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, that overlay consisted of two two robots that could be virtually battled on a real-world game mat. The app tracked QR codes on the mat, and used them to overlay the ‘bots on top of the scene, viewed as if live through the camera. In the AR photo frame concept, Qualcomm showed how a phone could identify different networked displays based on what they were showing at the time, swapping pictures around accordingly.

Qualcomm says the AR Platform should work on any Android 2.1+ device, though unsurprisingly the company is also warning that performance will be best on those handsets powered by Snapdragon chipsets. You can download it here.

[via Android Community]

Press Release:

Qualcomm Announces Commercial Release of its Augmented Reality Platform

Platform Enables Android Developers to Create and Distribute Vision-based AR Applications

SAN DIEGO — April 27, 2011 — Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced the immediate commercial availability of its Augmented Reality (AR) Platform for Android smartphones. Offered through Qualcomm’s online developer network, this 1.0 release marks the successful completion of the Company’s beta program. Developers can now build, market and commercially distribute applications based on the Qualcomm AR platform.

Qualcomm’s award-winning AR platform will enable a broad range of experiences that entertain, engage and inform consumers with a new form of interactive media. The platform’s rich feature set enables developers to build high-performance, interactive 3D experiences on real world images, such as those used in print media (books, magazines, brochures, tickets, signs) and on product packaging.

The platform supports multiple development environments. The Qualcomm AR Android SDK supports native Android development with the Android tool chain, including the Android SDK and NDK. The Qualcomm AR Unity Extension supports rapid development with the Unity 3 game development tool. A web application is also included for creating and managing image resources that can be used with either development environment.

Industry-leading performance is achieved through Qualcomm’s innovations in advanced computer vision algorithms and close integration of hardware and software. The effect of this performance is a higher fidelity user experience in which graphics content appears more real against the real world background. While applications built on the platform will run on all Android smartphones using Android 2.1 or greater, optimal performance will be exhibited on phones using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon™ chipset.

“Qualcomm has a long history of providing advanced technologies that drive innovation and opportunity for the mobile ecosystem,” said Jay Wright, senior director of business development, Qualcomm. “We continue the tradition by making leading AR technology widely available to developers for commercial use. With more than 6,000 registered developers, we look forward to a new generation of AR applications available in the Android Market and other application stores.”

Qualcomm and BigPlayAR recently collaborated with the Dallas Mavericks to introduce the first commercial application using Qualcomm’s platform. Mavs AR, a game developed by Big PlayAR, has enabled fans attending the Mavs playoff games at American Airlines Center to point their smartphone running the Mavs AR application at their ticket to play a virtual basketball game in the palm of their hands.

“We are thrilled with Mavs AR – it has really added a new layer of fun and interaction to the Mavs fan experience,” said Mavs owner Mark Cuban. “Based on the game’s success, we expect to use AR for future fan promotions, and Qualcomm’s AR platform has demonstrated itself as a powerful platform for creating these types of 3D experiences.”

The Qualcomm AR Platform is available immediately at developer.qualcomm.com/ar

By combining the display and eye-tracking camera into a single component, the HMD as a whole can be smaller, lighter and use less power. Rigo Herold, one of the researchers behind the prototype, suggests that it could be used to show bio feedback during exercise, or even play videos, advancing through different screens or various clips in a library by looking between different controls presented in the field of view.

The demonstration model is a monochrome display with a 32-degree viewing angle and 1500 cd/m2 luminance. Unfortunately all we have so far is this tiny little image of it, but it certainly looks like it would be ideal for augmented reality applications involving overlaying graphics over a real-world view and then controlling a UI with eye-movements.

[via OLED-Display]

Hardware

Style-wise the 3DS is classic Nintendo, obviously related to the DSi and DS Lite before it. At 134 x 74 x 21 mm it’s actually slightly narrower than the DSi, though a little thicker when closed. Physically it’s angular and bristling with ports and buttons, with a shimmering metallic-effect plastic casing that feels solid and creak-free. The lid snaps open with an audible click and defaults to a reasonably broad angle; it likes to stay there, too, so more personal adjustments aren’t particularly accommodated. A slight curve to the profile makes it easy to open up, and the 230g weight is only a little greater than the DSi’s 214g and well under the DSi XL’s 314g.

Inside there’s a mixture of mystery and custom chips, with Nintendo keeping the exact specifications of the 3DS’ processor secret. What has been confirmed is the custom Digital Media Professionals PICA200 chip, a departure from the proprietary Nintendo GPUs of previous models. We can’t argue too much with the performance, with menus and UIs moving quickly and lag-free, though individual apps and games – more on which later – do take a little longer to boot. with little in the way of delay. There’s also 2GB of storage pre-installed in the SD card slot.

The big news, of course, is the 3D display, which joins the 3.02-inch 320 x 240 resistive touchscreen on the lower half of the 3DS. A 3.53-inch autostereoscopic screen, it offers glasses-free 3D as long as you’re looking dead-on. Resolution is 800 x 240, though because of the way the 3D picture is created – splitting the pixels between each eye and refracting them through an adjustable parallax barrier – the effective resolution is 400 x 240. Still higher than previous DS’, though.

Ports include a game card slot on the back that will take new 3DS titles and existing DSi/DS games, but not the larger Game Boy Advance carts, along with the SD slot, a proprietary power port for rejuicing the non-user-replaceable 1,300 mAh battery. The extending stylus is on the back, along with an IR port, while a wireless switch for the WiFI b/g is on the right edge and a volume slider on the left edge. At the front is a centrally-positioned 3.5mm headphone jack, along with power and charge LEDs.

On the outer edge are two cameras, each shooting at VGA resolution. Flip open the lid, and stereo speakers flank the upper display; there’s also a microphone and another VGA camera for self-portraits. Nintendo supply a docking station that can be used to recharge the 3DS, or alternatively you can plug the AC adapter in directly.

Controls

Despite the similarity in sizes, Nintendo has been considerably more ambitious with its range of hardware controls and sensors on the 3DS. As well as the left and right shoulder buttons, normal A/B/X/Y cluster and power key, there’s both an analog “circle pad” and the usual D-pad, the latter having shifted down to a less-than-ergonomic position almost in the bottom left-hand corner to accommodate. The Select/Home/Start keys now run under the touchscreen, and we can’t help but wish Nintendo had differentiated between them with at least a ridge between the three.

Still, the new analog pad is tactile and usable, with a soft-touch rubberized finish that cups the thumb nicely. Nintendo’s usual well-sprung buttons leave us no room for complaint, and – mildly frustrating D-pad positioning aside – there are no significant ergonomic blunders. The resistive touchscreen is easily stabbed with the stylus but is still manageable – even with the onscreen QWERTY keyboard – with a fingernail. Inside there’s now a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope for motion-sensitive games.

3D

Say 3D and traditionally you think of pictures leaping out of the screen at you; the 3DS, however, works the other way around. Instead of pushing content out, it adds a sense of depth to graphics and video. As with all glasses-free 3D there are limitations, primarily as to where you can actually see the effect from: you need to be facing the 3.53-inch panel head-on, with the 3DS around 12-inches away from your face, and with little in the way of movement (even if you’re getting excited about the game).

Nintendo’s initial 3D tutorial and setup wizard does a great job when it comes to both wow-factor and familiarizing users with the system. There’s undeniably something impressive when, after a 3…2…1… countdown, the 3D effect switches on. The tendency, at least initially, is to try to tilt the 3DS from side to side and “look around” the screen, though of course when you move more than a few degrees off-center you lose 3D altogether. That also means anybody watching you play won’t get to see the effect either.

On the right edge of the screen is a 3D depth slider, cranking the effect from maximum – which requires you have the 3DS closer to your face – to 2D mode, where the 3D visuals are shut off altogether (but you still only get a 400 x 240 image). Most of the time we had the slider at the 3/4 position and could leave it there, though switching games did usually require a little tweaking.

It all works, and it works very well, but there are potential health hiccups that Nintendo is being very upfront about. The 3DS startup screen and individual games themselves all warn about long-term use of 3D graphics, suggesting as much as 10-15 minutes rest per half-hour session. We had mixed results when it came to eye-strain; although regular gameplay left us with no real issues, when playing 3D titles when moving (on public transport, not while we were simultaneously trying to drive!) we found ourselves feeling a little queasy. Snapping the 3DS shut addressed that straight away, however. Overall, while the temptation is to crank the 3D depth slider all the way to the top and “get your money’s worth,” a more measured approach pays dividends on your eyes.

Games

An 18-strong line-up of launch titles are on offer with the Nintendo 3DS, including Nintendo’s own The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart series. Meanwhile a range of third-party games are also on offer; the full list is here.

Nintendo supplied two 3DS titles, Streetfighter IV 3D Edition and PilotWings, which ironically did a good job of demonstrating that 3D graphics aren’t necessarily a must-have across the gameplay board. PilotWings was most successful, with the added depth lending exploration of the 3D environment a far more immersive feel. Pushing the slider all the way to 2D proved that, with the game feeling far less interesting once we’d experienced it in three dimensions.

Streetfighter IV 3D Edition, meanwhile, felt less in need of 3D sprucing. There’s a new 3D perspective on offer, but what you gain in graphical glitz you lose in actual playability. Played side-on, as usual, and the 3D effects don’t really add to the gameplay, though the 3DS’ graphics potential gets a decent workout and the whole thing is a neat step up over what earlier DS versions are capable of.

StreetPass

Close the 3DS’ lid and the console enters sleep mode, with the WiFi still active and looking out for friends to talk to. Walk within range of another 3DS and StreetPass automatically exchanges some basic stats: your Mii avatar, performance figures and even puzzle pieces in the Puzzle Swap mini-game. Obviously its usefulness will depend on how many 3DS owners are near you; city-dwellers will probably have more luck.

Camera, Augmented Reality and Apps

While 3D gaming on the 3DS is as complete as you’d expect, at the periphery of the mobile experience the Nintendo starts to feel like a work-in-progress. There’s no browser, nor access to the Nintendo eShop, both of which will be added later in the year in a firmware update. Similarly, for US owners a summer update will add Netflix video streaming support over WiFi, and free access to AT&T’s thousands of Hotspots.

Out of the box, though, the experience is somewhat half-baked. The 3D cameras are likely to be the biggest initial draw, a pair of 0.3-megapixel lenses on the outer lid that can snap 2D or 3D pictures at uninspiring 640 x 480 resolution. 3D focus defaults to automatic, but can be controlled manually, and there are various effects ranging from simple pinhole and low-light shots, to a face-swapping mode which overlays your own face (as seen by the internal camera) over the top of whatever you’re looking at, and a bizarre “Sparkle” mode which sprinkles bubbles, stars, confetti and other madness over the frame when you blow on the microphone.

Manual controls include some tweaking over sharpness, contrast and brightness, and there’s a self-timer which can also be triggered by noise, but there’s no escaping the generally underwhelming end result. 3D pictures are definitely 3D, but tend to look like several layers of 3D pictures sandwiched together, while 2D shots are shown up by even the cheapest of cellphone camera. The fact that 3D playback is limited to the 3DS itself doesn’t really help.

Instead, we had more fun with the bundled deck of six AR (augmented reality) cards. Placed on a table and viewed with the 3DS, five offer up 3D versions of famous Nintendo characters, but the sixth – with the question-mark – offers a selection of AR mini-games as in the video demo below. That’s when the 3DS’ twin cameras and 3D display really come into their own, though it’ll take some third-party support to give the concept legs. If developers get on board with sufficient imagination then this could well be the 3DS’ USP.

Nintendo 3DS Augmented Reality Demo:

Other apps are a little more mundane; there’s a 3D Mii Maker to create a Nintendo avatar, and they can interact with other gamers in the StreetPass Mii Plaza, along with a pedometer that uses the accelerometer to count your steps and display the total on the homescreen. Face Invaders takes a snapshot of your own face and then creates a gurning 3D AR shooter out of it, with floating heads diving around the room as you attempt to shoot them out of the sky.

Finally there’s 3DS Sound, an audio recording app which allows you to record samples using the console’s microphone and then mangle them with various effects, speed and pitch control, and other variables. You also get a basic media player, which can handle MP3 and AAC files.

Battery

The 3DS may have the biggest battery of a DS to-date – 1,300 mAh versus the DSi XL’s 1,050 mAh and the DSi’s 840 mAh – but that doesn’t add up to lengthy runtimes. Nintendo estimate 3-5hrs of 3D gaming, depending on whether WiFi is turned on and how bright the screen is, or 5-8hrs of DS gaming.

In reality, we managed just over 3hrs with wireless on. Turning WiFi off extended that a little further, but by under 30 minutes. In short, it’s underwhelming, and while DS games will last a few hours more, the 3DS still can’t keep up with a DSi or DS Lite. A user-replaceable battery would have been great, but is obviously too much to ask for, so expect to make plenty of use of the bundled charging cradle. Adding insult to injury, the 3DS isn’t especially speedy when it comes to recharging, either.

Wrap-Up

There’s no denying that the Nintendo 3DS offers a significant step up in features compared to its predecessors. The 3D flits between being a gimmick and adding a true extra layer of depth to the gaming experience, and while it’s not appealing to everybody, it does at least give the Nintendo a unique proposition among handheld consoles. Unfortunately, some of the hardware decisions undermine the overall value, like the mediocre resolution of the camera for 2D or 3D stills, and the disappointing battery life.

Value in itself is a tricky one. At $249.99 in the US and around £196.99 in the UK, it’s considerably more expensive than the $129.99 DS Lite; titles, meanwhile, are a hefty $39.99 each, and we’re yet to see the “must have” game to convince us both of the 3DS in general and 3D gameplay specifically. That will hopefully come with time, though, as developers familiarize themselves with the Nintendo’s abilities and take advantage of the 3D, augmented reality and StreetPass cleverness.

They’ll need to step up, since the 3DS’ primary competition no longer comes from Sony’s PSP and the incoming NGP. Instead it’s smartphone gaming that presents the biggest challenge, a huge – and growing – number of titles with, in comparison to each Nintendo cartridge, throwaway price tags and increasingly sophisticated gameplay. Handsets like the LG Optimus 3D and HTC EVO 3D will mount challenges when it comes to glasses-free 3D gameplay, too, and both phones have significantly higher resolution cameras than the 3DS’ VGA array.

The Nintendo eShop will hopefully bridge that gap between casual and regular gaming, but that the 3DS launches without it – and without the browser – is a gaping hole in the handheld’s allure. That should be addressed midway through the year, and then Nintendo will have to fight to bring in the sort of developer support that iOS and Android gaming has already secured. 3D video content, as the company is also investing in, will add another string to the 3DS’ bow, and further increase the value proposition.

One thing is for sure, mobile gaming is heating up, and simply being a good distraction for when you’re on the bus is no longer sufficient. Today’s gamers want not only compelling titles but a functionality long-tail that demands apps, internet support and social gaming. The 3DS isn’t quite convincing on all of those fronts, at least at launch, but the roadmap looks solid and, if those components slot into place, then we’re confident it will carve out a distinctively-Nintendo niche in the market.

The first Transformers movie used AR in their promotions. When someone ran the program and stepped in front of their web camera, the video would show the user with Optimus Prime’s head superimposed onto their own. Burger King used it as well in a promotion for their $1 burgers. You had to hold a piece of paper with a symbol on it, the program would recognize the symbol through the camera and the piece of paper would turn into a burger. You could move it around and even let you open the bun up to reveal the contents of the burger. Watch-maker, Tissot, did something similar where you print out a piece of paper and wear it like a watch, the program would recognize it and would place a virtual copy of the watch onto your wrist. You could choose whatever model or color watch and it would change instantly on your wrist and as you turned and rotated it.

Augmented Reality gives the user a much more interactive experience. While you aren’t really holding a burger or wearing a watch, it certainly is a closer experience to the real thing than any other form of advertisement can give you. Clothing shop retailers could use it to help customers find the right size or color for a piece of clothing, instead of buying multiple sizes and sending back the ones that don’t fit. This is a way for companies to engage the customers and even if they don’t actually buy the product, the experience of augmented reality will stick with them.

“What we’re trying to do with the worn-on-body applications is enable a real business functionality for it. It engages customers, it enables people to understand the product and therefore it enables them to take a step closer to purchasing the product as well,” says brand manager Lynn Murray at Holition, a creative technology agency responsible for Tissot’s campaign.

[via Pocket-lint]

Nintendo’s offerings will include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart series. The bundled AR cards – six playing-cards with augmented reality glyphs – will work in different ways with the new 3DS games. For instance, Nintendogs + Cats will be able to spot the AR cards and map puppies onto your desktop.

Of course, there’s also backward compatibility with Nintendo’s DS library of titles, barring those that demand a secondary Game Boy Advance slot.

Third-party 3DS games:

• Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM
• The Sims™ 3 from EA
• Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
• LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™
• RIDGE RACER® 3D from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
• Super Monkey Ball™ 3D from SEGA
• BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE™ from Square-Enix, Inc.
• SAMURAI WARRIORS®: Chronicles from TECMO KOEI AMERICA Corp.
• Asphalt™ 3D from UBISOFT
• Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D from UBISOFT
• Rayman® 3D from UBISOFT
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars from UBISOFT

Press Release:

Nintendo Reveals Launch-Day Lineup of 18 Nintendo 3DS Games

With More Than 30 Games Total Launching by Early June, There’s Something for Everyone

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– On day one, new Nintendo 3DS™ owners will have plenty of video games to keep them busy. Nintendo and its third-party publishing partners have made sure that people who buy a system on March 27 will be able to choose from a variety of experiences that leverage the system’s new features. A steady and diverse stream of games of all kinds will keep the fun going, with more than 30 Nintendo 3DS games total launching before the E3 Expo in early June.

“Seeing 3D visuals without the need for special glasses is just one aspect of Nintendo 3DS,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “The real test of any system is whether the games and applications draw you in and keep you engaged. Through the launch window and beyond, Nintendo 3DS delivers.”

On March 27, new Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to choose from the following Nintendo-published games, each available at a suggested retail price of $39.99:

Pilotwings Resort™, an aerial adventure featuring airplanes, hang gliders and rocket belts. Players soar above tropical Wuhu Island in 3D as they complete missions or snap pictures.
Steel Diver™, a submarine game that involves strategy and combat. The 3D visuals give players the sensation that they are looking into a miniature aquarium as they control the sub’s speed, depth and pitch, and fire torpedoes.
nintendogs™ + cats, a game that lets players interact with realistic puppies – and kittens – in a variety of fun ways. There are three versions of the software, each with different starting breeds: French bulldog, toy poodle and golden retriever. But in each version players can unlock and enjoy more than 20 different breeds.
Other Nintendo 3DS games in the works for 2011 from Nintendo include The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Kid Icarus™: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart™ series.

Third-party publishers also have a strong slate of games ready to go on March 27. These include:

Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM
The Sims™ 3 from EA
Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™
RIDGE RACER® 3D from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
Super Monkey Ball™ 3D from SEGA
BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE™ from Square-Enix, Inc.
SAMURAI WARRIORS®: Chronicles from TECMO KOEI AMERICA Corp.
Asphalt™ 3D from UBISOFT
Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D from UBISOFT
Rayman® 3D from UBISOFT
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars from UBISOFT
Nintendo 3DS also comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun games, applications and features, such as the Nintendo 3DS camera, which can be used to take photos in 2D and 3D as well as be used in other games and applications. For instance, the built-in Face Raiders™ game asks users to shoot at funny depictions of their own photographed faces, while the Mii Maker™ application lets gamers use the camera to take a picture of a person and have an automatic Mii™ character created. The system also comes with six AR Cards, which, when viewed through the outer cameras, bring to life fun and interesting animations and images. For example, when used with nintendogs + cats, users might see their puppies or kittens sitting on their coffee tables or in the palms of their hands. With Nintendo 3DS Sound, users can enjoy sound-manipulation tools or rock out with their Nintendo 3DS system while listening to their MP3 or AAC music files.

Nintendo 3DS is also able to play nearly every game in the massive Nintendo DS library, except those that require use of a secondary Game Boy™ Advance slot.

For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.

Starting today USA Today will offer a tour of Dallas Cowboys stadium with an introduction by Jerry Jones. The stadium tour will cover interior and exterior features. USA Today isn’t clear how the tour will work, but I gather that images will be in the paper and augmented reality content will be offered using the junaio app on the iPhone or Android.

The cool coverage will come on Monday when USA Today prints images of key plays from the big game in the paper. The user can then point their phone at the images and the augmented reality app will give them animated 3D sequences of the plays. This sounds really cool.

Via Android Community

“One of the main great features of the Layar Player is that you can launch the power of AR from within the context of your app,” says Gerben Klop, product manager of Layar Player. Augmented reality uses your phone’s camera, GPS, accelerometer, and gyroscope to “augment” your “reality”, place your real world surroundings onto the app itself. The feature allows the app to know where you are, orientation of your phone and your surroundings.

Along with the release of their player, three Layar Player enabled iPhone apps were launched as well – Bing sponsored “Snowboard Hero”, the popular game now has a AR feature; “Layar Trade” that allows viewers see recent projects and work from local builders; and third neighborhood improvement app that allows residents post issues, recommendations, and ideas for public spaces on the map.

The Layar Player requires a iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 running iOS 4.0 or higher.

[Via Layar]

The device isn’t the smallest. The students are calling it the TagCandy system, and it works by sticking an actual sucker into the device. Once it is there, the sensors work together with the speakers to bring a whole new experience. As soon as the candy touches your tongue, the system will then kick in, and a vibration speaker will start the sensation of your choice. For example, other than the apple mentioned above, the system can give you the sensation of drinking a carbonated drink, or even fireworks going off in your mouth.

When you bite into the sucker, bone conduction technology will give you other, unique sounds as well. The students aren’t finished aiming high, though. Their next trick is to make a sucker that doesn’t normally taste like anything, taste like whatever you want it to, based on the same technology. They envision people sharing their flavors online, too. Check out the video below to see the system in action.

[via OhGizmo!]

Occipital has recently developed a panoramic photo application for the iPhone, and in their development process, stumbled on the feature they didn’t know could be accessed. The company has set up a demo that anyone with the right hardware (iPhone 4, latest generation iPod Touch), and iOS 4.2 installed, can enjoy right from within their browser. Just head through this link with your iOS-based mobile Safari browser, and have at it. Thanks to the gyroscope and panoramic photography with the application, you’ll be having some Augmented Reality fun in no time, right from within the browser.

[via BGR]

Video demo after the cut

The app itself is free, but the translation packs are in-app purchases; right now only English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English are supported – each being $4.99 – but we’re guessing the company will add in more dictionaries as time goes on. The language packs are locally stored and don’t require a data connection, so if you’re on holiday abroad you don’t have to worry about haemorrhaging roaming charges.

There are some limitations, unsurprisingly: Word Lens only works with printed text, not handwriting, though you can get translations by manually entering words and phrases with the iPhone’s keyboard. Stylized fonts can also cause problems, and the iPod touch’s lack of autofocus might mean some experimentation with positioning is required. Still, it’s one of the most interesting – and useful – apps we’ve seen in a long while, and with the App Store crammed full of titles it’s not often you hear that.

If you’re unfamiliar with the AR.Drone experience, take a look at our Hands-on post and come on back after you’re done. Then take a look at this game. There are two roles: “pursuer” and “pursued.” The pursuer is equipped with both an automatic machine gun and missiles, the machine gun firing whenever the frontal camera detects the pursued AR.Drone, while the missiles are fired by shaking your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad. Once you hit your opponent, you switch roles, they now act as the pursuer and you the pursued.

Once your iDevice is connected to your AR.Drone, one player just has to select “create” and the color of their opponent’s color and type of hull. The second player selects “join,” the components of the first person’s flier, and the game is on! What you view through your iDevice is a view of your AD.Drone is seeing. Each game lasts between 1 and 9 minutes, roles are defined randomly at the beginning of the game, and the app will cost $2.99. Cheep! Check out the full press release below, and check out the fun preview video!

AR.Pursuit: The first game in Augmented Reality especially developed for the AR.Drone

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 18, 2010 — Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, announces the availability of AR.Pursuit, a game in augmented reality that takes advantage of the exceptional technical and flight capabilities of the Parrot AR.Drone.

Available end of November in the Apple App Store, AR.Pursuit enables players to measure and challenge their piloting skills.

The rules of the game

AR.Pursuit is a two-player pursuit game, where a player has to escape from the other one, as in the game of cat and mouse.

The “pursuer” has two kinds of virtual weapons to reach its opponent:

- Automatic machine gun: as soon as the frontal camera detects the pursued AR.Drone, bullets are automatically sent in order to slow it down. When it is hit, the AR.Drone will physically ‘react’ to the attack and the escape maneuvers will be more difficult for the pilot.

- Missiles: when the opponent is locked on the screen, the pilot of the pursuer AR.Drone has to shake his/her iPhone/iPod touch/iPad to send a missile.

When it is hit by a missile, the “pursued” becomes “pursuer” and so on. At half time, the roles are automatically reversed. The winner is the player who has the longest escape time during the entire game.

A technological first

Once the Bluetooth of the iDevice is on, each player connects to his/her AR.Drone in Wi-Fi and launches AR.Pursuit.

One of the players selects the “create” option on the main menu and indicates his/her opponent’s color and type of hull (indoor or outdoor).

The second player selects the “join” option in the main menu and also indicates the characteristics of his/her opponent. Then the game can start.

Each player can see on the screen of his/her iPhone/iPod touch/iPad what the AR.Drone is seeing. Each action, a shoot received or launched, will also be visualized on the screen via the magic of augmented reality.

Note: If the game is played with indoor hulls, players should place the colored stickers (sold with the AR.Drone) on it.

AR.Pursuit is an enthralling game that makes the most of the extreme maneuverability and stability of the AR.Drone, and which dives the players into a world where real and virtual are mingling… A first!

* Game time: 1 to 9 minutes (3 minutes by default)
* The roles of each player are arbitrarily defined at the beginning of the game.
* Game available around Nov. 26 in the App StoreSM
* Price: $2.99

The my3D was apparently created with Apple’s own input, so this isn’t some ridiculous soon-to-be-forgotten accessory. In fact, 3D content will apparently get its own place in the Apple App Store, with Hasbro inking deals with Dreamworks Animation, Discovery, Sony and Imax for film preview and trailer content.

Meanwhile there are ongoing deals with tourism boards and attractions, so you’ll be able to explore coral reefs and the Santa Monica Pier with the my3D, while gaming is also high on the agenda. The Hasbro my3D is expected to arrive in spring 2011, priced at around $30.

[via MacRumors]

Vuzix’s WRAP 920AR augmented reality glasses started shipping early in the week. The glasses are aimed at the pro market and have a giant price tag of almost $2000. Another of the Windows Phone 7 handsets came out this week with the Samsung Omnia 7 being unveiled. The handset has a 4-inch screen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 5MP camera, and 8GB of storage among other things.

HTC offered up details on what handsets running Windows Phone 7 would be landing on what carriers and the dates when they will be there. Among the handsets was the HTC 7 Surround that will hit AT&T in the US and TELUS in Canada on November 7. A lady offered up directions last week for making a very cool Storm Trooper helmet that is made from milk jugs. The helmet looks very much like the real thing and would be a great Halloween mask for a kid.

We spent some hands on time on video with the HTC 7 Mozart this week. The handset is a Windows Phone 7 offerings and looks very cool. We also went hands on with the Samsung Focus WinPo 7 handset. The thing has a 4-inch super AMOLED screen and a lot more.

A sweet steampunk Iron Man costume won a Marvel costume contest at Comic com in NYC. The thing was very cool and deservingly won the first place. We also spent hands on time with the Venue Pro WinPo 7 handset. This is a big phone with a QWERTY keyboard and a 4.1-inch screen.

A new app for Android smartphones turned up that is called Lego Mindroid. The app is designed to allow the user to control Lego Mindstorm NXT robots. Lexus unveiled the world’s most advanced driving simulator this week. The thing is on rails in a building the size of a football field and has a full-size car under the massive dome.

Some images of the Palm Pre 2 surfaced from France that shows a handset looking much like the older phone. Hopefully, this smartphone will be better than the original that didn’t fare too well in the market. We reviewed the Acer Aspire TimelineX 18030T this week. The GPU left us wanting more, but overall the notebook is very good.

Sony pulled the wraps off several of its TVs with Google TV service built in this week. The sets ranged from 26-inch to 46-inch offerings and included a cool Google TV remote with a keyboard built-in. The coolest Wii Remote ever was unveiled at Toys R Us from Lego called the Lego Play and Build remote. The thing comes with several blocks that can be connected to the front of the controller and will ship this month.

The iPhone 4 has a 82% higher rate of damage than the iPhone 3GS. That makes sense with twice as much glass to crack in a drop. TomTom unveiled a new custom printing option for some of its GPS devices. The GPS devices can be printed with images TomTom offers or the users own images that are uploaded.

Lensbaby unveiled a new optic called the Scout with Fisheye that will fit different DSLR cameras. The Scout optic is not movable like other offerings from the company. Apple is having an event on October 20 for media with a Lion behind the Apple. Presumably, the event is for a new OS version, I’m not lion.

T-Mobile has unveiled new prepaid mobile plans with voice, text and data at different price points. There are also some new plans strictly for mobile data as well. The MeeGo mobile operating system has finally come to the N900 for those that have been waiting. The N900 can be dual booted with MeeGo and the factory OS for those brave enough to try it out.

We went hands-on with the HP Envy 17 3D notebook late in the week. The notebook has a 17.3-inch screen and while too big for mobile use, the 3D effects were very nice. A man from the UK created a mobility scooter that is set to take on the world’s record for fastest scooter. The man is aiming at 70mph top speed and the scooter uses a 125cc engine from a motorcycle.

Former Apple CEO John Sculley has taken the blame for the near death of Apple on his shoulders. He gave an interesting interview about his time at Apple this week that is worth a read. A cool new projector concept for kids has turned up called KLEXL smart projector that lets kids draw on the wall without getting grounded. The projector is a concept, but I could see this selling well. Thanks for reading this week’s Week in Review!

Vuzix (PDF) has announced that the glasses are shipping, but the price isn’t for the faint of heart. Brace yourself for this, the things will sell for $1,995 and will be bundled with the Vuzix MAXimum3D software, which is a plug-in for Autodesk 3ds Max design software.

The price for UK fans will be £1499.00 / €1699.00 inc VAT. The things are expensive for sure, but they are cool. The software plug-in will allow a designer or architect to export their designs so that they appear in the real world when wearing the 920AR glasses. I guess at the pro level, if the things help you sell a single large project; they are well worth the money.

From Around the Web

NTT DoCoMo and Olympus Team Up to Create AR Glasses: Augmented Reality was a hot commodity less than a year ago, and many thought it would literally change the smartphone market. While that hasn’t happened, it’s certainly not going anywhere any time soon. In the case of the AR Walker Augmented Reality glasses, which are a work in progress from Olympus and wireless network NTT DoCoMo. The glasses use a small display and a light guide which is placed on the right temple. The idea is that you use the glasses as normal, but when you look at a key element, the augmented reality will kick in, and show you something of interest about whatever it is you’re looking at through the bottom-right of the glasses. The glasses can connect to a cell phone, which NTT DoCoMo showed off at CEATEC in Japan. Neither one of the companies would comment on a release date or price, however. [via Tech-On]

R3 Media Network

SlashGear

More Rumors About the 11.6-Inch MacBook Air Arise
Sprint Announces the New Sprint ID Packs
Logitech Revue versus Apple TV
Logitech Revue Officially Announced
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Android Community

Samsung Transform Heading to Sprint
Verizon Launching 4G Smartphones and Tablets in 2011

SlashPhone

Samsung Wave II Ditches AMOLED Display, Gets Bada 1.2
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For instance, in the digital photo frames demo the Android smartphone can recognize which networked frame is which by the picture it is currently displaying; then a P2P link is used to update that display accordingly.  In Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em robots, meanwhile, on-screen game graphics are overlaid onto a game mat which the phone’s camera recognizes.

Keen developers can download the AR SDK from http://developer.qualcomm.com/ar, where there are also more details on the Qualcomm AR Developer Challenge and its $200,000 prize-fund.

Qualcomm AR Photo Frames demo:

Press Release:

Qualcomm Announces Availability of Augmented Reality SDK

– Industry-leading, Vision-based Technology Will Enable Developers to Create New Generation of Augmented Reality Experiences –

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM) today announced the immediate availability of its Augmented Reality (AR) Software Development Kit (SDK) for Android smartphones. Offered through Qualcomm’s online developer network, QDevNet, Qualcomm’s SDK will enable a new breed of applications that delivers interactive 3D experiences on everyday objects, such as 3D gaming experiences on tabletops and interactive media experiences on product packaging and promotional items.

“Qualcomm is making it easy for developers to create interactive 3D content for the real world,” said Jay Wright, director of business development at Qualcomm. “By making the Qualcomm AR SDK available at no charge, we are encouraging all developers to start building innovative applications and services today.”

Qualcomm’s AR platform, which includes the AR SDK, uses computer vision technology to align graphics tightly with underlying objects. The approach is an evolution from current AR techniques that use a phone’s GPS and compass for mapping applications. Vision-based AR enables a fundamentally different user experience in which graphics appear as if they are anchored to real world objects.

Qualcomm’s SDK provides developers with an advanced feature set, allowing for augmentation of everyday images on printed media, as well as simple 3D objects such as boxes used for product packaging. Additionally, it supports the ability for users to interact with AR applications by simply touching real world surfaces.

First announced at Qualcomm’s Uplinq developer conference, Qualcomm’s AR platform has drawn interest from companies spanning a variety of industries, from traditional mobile developers to consumer product manufacturers and marketers. Mattel, Inc., a worldwide leader of toys and family products, was among the first consumer products companies to embrace Qualcomm’s AR platform and developed a concept application to bring Mattel’s classic Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em® game to life.

“We received a very positive response to the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em project and as a result, we are moving forward with plans to commercialize the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em game and are now exploring the use of AR in other Mattel brands,” said Andrew Cheesman, director of emerging digital technologies at Mattel.

Ogmento, Inc., another early leader and innovator in AR game development, also plans to use Qualcomm’s platform to develop commercial titles.

“Qualcomm’s AR platform and SDK provides features and performance that are critical to the game experiences we need to deliver,” said Ori Inbar, founder and CEO of Ogmento. “We see Qualcomm’s technology as a key enabler for high-fidelity gaming that will allow us to bring compelling games to market.”

The Qualcomm AR SDK is available immediately as a beta release and can be downloaded at developer.qualcomm.com/ar

The app lets the user use the webcam on a device as a mirror to try on clothing without actually having to try the stuff on. From the video demo, it appears that the clothing just sort of hovers there in the image on the screen and the user just walks forward or back until the clothing is positioned on the body correctly.

The app appears to be only for swimsuits at this time. I can see a use for this for folks that like to buy clothing online. You could use the app to try on the clothing to see if you like it before you order. You can check out the YouTube video below to see the app in action.