Tag: technology news

Etisalat Group embraces augmented reality

| October 20, 2012

 

Etisalat Group shows of augmented reality telecommunications services

The Etisalat Group, one of the largest telecommunications companies operating in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, has begun embracing augmented reality technology. The company attended the recent Gitex Technology Week 2012 event, where it showed off a new augmented reality platform as part of its digital services. The Etisalat Group has monitored the rampant growth of augmented reality and has begun to consider it valuable for consumers in the various markets in which it holds presence.

Technology may help revolutionize telecommunications

The company is currently developing a range of service that will bring augmented reality into the telecommunications industry. These service range from video conferencing, sharing of digital content, and dynamic engagement with consumers and colleagues. The Etisalat Group notes that augmented reality is growing in popularity amongst consumers because of its ability to provide them with engaging digital content. Thus, many of the services developed by the company will leverage this aspect of the technology in some way.

Applications have made consumers comfortable with augmented reality

Numerous augmented reality applications are quickly flooding the mobile market. These applications have exposed consumers to the technology, creating more familiarity and removing some of the concerns consumers have had regarding augmented reality. The Etisalat Group believes that the time is right to bring the technology into the telecommunications industry and will also be promoting its use in other iAugmented Realityndustries, such as engineering, medicine, advertising, and future sciences.

Etisalat Group pushes for government support

The company is also encouraging governments to take augmented reality more seriously. Government investments could spark significant technological advances in augmented reality and help bring the technology away from the field of novelty and into more practical use. The Etisalat Group notes that augmented reality, if used properly, could also have a major future in the burgeoning industry of mobile commerce, but only time will tell whether the technology can be effective for this purpose or not.

Augmented reality comes to South Africa

| October 19, 2012

 

Augmented reality featured on cover of Rolling Stone

Augmented reality has come to South Africa. The technology, which is acclaimed for its ability to engage consumers with high quality digital content, has been experiencing a rapid rate of growth and adoption all over the world. Augmented reality is capable of providing consumers with a dynamic experience where they would have otherwise found nothing, which is part of the reason the technology has become so popular with businesses. This week, the South African edition of Rolling Stone magazine brought the technology into the limelight by featuring augmented reality on its cover.

Cover content unlocked using Layar

The cover of the magazine, as well as some of the pages therein, are embedded with digital experiences that can be unlocked using a smart phone. These experiences were crafted with the help of Layar, one of the world’s leading augmented reality platforms. Much of the digital content that consumers can unlock is concerned with musician Anno Carstens. This content, much of which takes the form of interactive video, can be seen using the Layar mobile application, which is available for both Android and iOS platforms.

Sony’s Wonderbook also arrives in South Africa

The magazine is not the only ship that brought augmented reality to South Africa. Acclaimed game maker Sony has also launched a new title called Wonderbook in the country. Wonderbook is a peripheral system for the Playstation 3, which allows gamers to experience augmented reality content. The first title that will be associated with the Wonderbook platform comes from prestigious author J.K. Rowling and will feature that magical spells that Rowling’s Harry Potter has become known for.

Country could become a valued market for augmented reality products in the future

Augmented reality is making waves around the world. South Africa is one of the latest countries to see augmented reality find its way into magazines and games. If consumers respond favorably to the technology, South Africa may become a primary market for companies that are interested in providing digital services and content based upon this technology.