Category: Augmented Reality Technology

Have Google Glass Basecamps been closing their doors?

Upon the initial launch of the wearable technology, three locations opened in the US, but they may closing down.

Back when the first limited release of Google Glass occurred, the company opened up what it called “Basecamps” in three cities in the United States, which were New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

These were, in essence, popup stores that gave Explorers a place to gather and discover the devices.

The Google Glass Basecamps provided a location in which the first users of these devices (nicknamed “Explorers”) could meet, learn more about what they can do with this wearable technology, and obtain other forms of tech support. It also provided Google with the opportunity to create a direct interaction with the users of these mobile devices. These unique store locations were considered to be an important part of the future of the technology.

A recent Phandroid report has stated that Google Glass may no longer have any Basecamps at all.

Google Glass may no longer have basecampsThe post from Phandroid stated that the locations where the Basecamps had previously existed have now been shut down. This comes at a time in which a growing number of reports are beginning to draw attention to the decreasing interest that these wearables seem to be maintaining. While the storefronts were meant to be a central hub for the people who had forked over the hefty $1,500 to become Explorers and become a virtual guinea pig for this new tech, it doesn’t look as though they will be playing much of a role anymore.

That said, at the time of the writing of this article, Google had yet to release a comment with regards to the shuttering of the physical store locations for their augmented reality glasses. Some have speculated that the stores are simply being relocated. No official information is available, as of yet, with regards to the closers.

While it doesn’t necessarily mean that this is the beginning of the end for Google Glass, many are commenting about the timing of this move. Google has recently stated that it is committed to the tech as well as to make sure that it is offered to consumers at a more affordable price. As of yet, it is too early to know whether or not this will actually happen or what form it will take.

Augmented reality used by Microsoft to recreate out of home ads

The AR technology is converting bus shelters into an exciting mobile gaming experience.

Microsoft has been making a number of large and important moves into mobile technology and now it has combined the experience with video games by bringing augmented reality into out of home advertising locations such as bus shelters.

The company has outfitted three bush shelters with AR experiences to promote its Sunset Overdrive video game.

The bus stops are located in London, England; San Francisco, U.S.A.; and Melbourne, Australia. These shelters have each been outfitted with special augmented reality technology that brings the viewer right into the digital environment of the video game. From a distance, these ads look as though they are traditional digital screens. However, when viewed more closely, the AR technology makes it appear as though the figures that are moving around are actually going to leap right out of the screen.

These augmented reality ads are supported by the Empowering Media agency, and Clear Channel Outdoor.

Augmented Reality - Bus ShelterThe displays were created by Grand Visual, which is a company that creates digital out of home advertising experiences. This is not the first time that the company has worked with augmented reality and has incorporated it into its advertising. It is a company that was behind a number of high profile outdoor advertising experiences using AR, motion graphics, and color recognition, such as those from Pepsi, Heineken, and Tropicana.

The Xbox One video game being marketed through this effort, Sunset Overdrive, was created by Insomniac Games and is meant to be the first installment of a franchise of shooting games that will place the player in a fast action situation in which they will battle mutant attackers. This innovative form of advertising makes it clear that Microsoft is serious about its efforts to stand out within a video gaming marketplace that is considered to be quite heavily saturated.

While it is likely that this augmented reality advertising technique will draw lots of attention for the video game, this campaign is truly interesting for the impact that it is likely to have in upcoming outdoor ad display trends.