Tag: microsoft

Microsoft sets sights on augmented reality glasses

| November 28, 2012

 

Microsoft Augmented RealityMicrosoft patents documents augmented reality glasses project

Microsoft has been showing a great deal of interest in augmented reality lately. The technology company appears to be ready to take its interest to the next level, according to a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent filing from Microsoft documents plans for the development of a pair of augmented reality glasses, very similar to those being developed by Google. Microsoft believes that its glasses will be more than capable of competing with Google’s Project Glass.

AR system could be used for entertainment

The patent covers “a system and method to present a user wearing a head-mounted display with supplemental information when viewing a live event.” Essentially, the augmented reality glasses will be able to provide digital information concerning whatever is being viewed, allowing users to browse this content through a variety of contextual displays. The system has immediate implications for entertainment, as Microsoft is expected to leverage augmented reality technology in gaming and video. Augmented reality glasses could be used for much more than that, however.

Augmented reality shows potential in mobile commerce

Augmented reality has gained significant traction in marketing because of its interactive capabilities. Consumers have responded well to campaigns that make use of the technology in the past, leading to growing demand for the technology today. This interest is beginning to bleed into the realm of mobile commerce, where augmented reality technology could be used to make shopping more engaging and interactive.

Microsoft aims to compete with Google and others

Google has managed to generate a large amount of hype around the prospects of augmented reality glasses with Project Glass. Microsoft aims to overcome the challenge presented by Project Glass with it own augmented reality glasses. Whether the company will succeed in its endeavor has yet to be seen, but Microsoft is not alone in its interest of augmented reality. Sony is also planning to develop a pair of augmented reality glasses that could have a wide range of uses from entertainment to mobile commerce.

 

Windows Phone 8 launches with NFC capabilities

| November 1, 2012

 Windows Phone 8 includes NFC technology

Android and iOS may hold sway over the majority of the mobile market, but Microsoft is keen to re-establish itself as a major contender with the launch of Windows Phone 8. The new smart phone, which was launched earlier this week, may not have received the same fanfare that usually accompanies the launch of an iPhone, but it has still managed to generate a great deal of buzz in the mobile technology world. Much of the interest Windows Phone 8 is receiving is thanks to its use of NFC technology.

Microsoft sees potential in NFC

Microsoft has brought NFC technology to the Windows Phone platform in order to address growing demand for the technology amongst consumers. Microsoft does not share the same concerns as Apple regarding NFC technology and believes that it can be used to provide better services to consumers. Thus, Windows Phone 8 boasts of several features that are based on the technology, such as a mobile wallet that will serve as a platform for mobile commerce.

Wallet application serves as a commerce hub for consumersWindows Phone 8

The Windows Phone 8 Wallet, as it is called, provides consumers with a wide range of services. Through the Wallet, consumers can store boarding passes for trips, loyalty rewards from retailers, movie tickets and other such materials on a single platform. This digital information can be accessed and used at any time. The Wallet is also able to store the financial information of a consumer, allowing them to make purchases for goods and services using nothing more than their Windows Phone 8.

Windows Phone 8 able to interface with Android platform

While Windows Phone 8 boasts of many features that have won favor of consumers, it is the device’s NFC capabilities that may solidify it as a favorite amongst the tech-savvy. By adopting NFC technology, Microsoft is putting the Windows Phone 8 in direct competition with Google’s Android platform. The company, however, is not keen to shut out Google in any way. In fact, Windows Phone 8 is able to interface with any version of the Android platform that supports NFC technology, allowing the two platforms to share digital information in a seamless manner.