Author: Amanda Giasson

Augmented reality app for children makes shoe charms come to life

| September 18, 2014

Kids with Crocs can interact with AR-enabled Jibbitz charms using a smartphone.

Augmented Reality company, Zappar, has teamed up with Crocs, the makers of the popular rubber, slipper-like shoes, to provide children with an interactive experience via Jibbitz shoe charms, which use AR tech that is activated through a smartphone app.

Via mobile technology, the charms can be transformed into interactive pets and games.

There are four different Jibbitz charm packs for girls and boys. After purchasing a charm pack, the next step is to download the free AR app that has been created by Zappar. Using the app, children can use the camera lens of a smartphone to enjoy different activities with the charm. For instance, they can play with and pamper a kitten playing “Pet Salon”, take customized photos in “Fairy Land”, engage in “Battlefield” a paint ball tank game, or play “Racing Car’ a racing game.

Caspar Thykier, the CEO and founder of Zappar said that “Crocs is a great partner to showcase Zappar content in new and fun ways.” He added that “This ground-breaking new range of Jibbitz is an excellent example of the ways in which children’s charms are becoming more interactive. Add a bit of magic to your shoes by turning them into a game, whenever and wherever.”

The senior director of global licensing, Jibbits, and the children’s footwear division at Crocs, Matt Lafone, also commented on the partnership with Zappar, saying that the company is always on the lookout for fresh ways to create interactive moments for children and Zappar has enabled them to do that.

Children respond well to augmented reality, a technology that is also showing promise as an effective educational tool.

AR technology has been featured in museums and is appearing more and more in schools. In addition, this type of technology is also being used in school textbooks and has gained positive results.

Due to the fact that augmented reality is interactive, it has the potential to really capture a child’s interest and enhance learning experiences. The Jibbitz AR charms are available in the United States and the United Kingdom via Corcs stores and at Crocs online.

Android One smartphones launched in India

| September 17, 2014

Google’s new mobile devices will cost just over $100.

At the beginning of the week, Google unveiled the first smartphone from its “Android One” initiative in India, a plan which is intended to increase sales in prime emerging markets by introducing mobile devices that have quality software and are low in cost.

Google is aiming to provide mobile users in developing economies with online access in an affordable and reliable way.

After launching its phones in India, by the end of the year, the company intends to expand Android One to the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries in South Asia and will expand to even more countries in 2015.

Google has teamed up with Acer Inc., Panasonic Corp. and HTC Corp. to develop more devices under its new platform. The company is aiming to better the software and hardware quality with Android One, to give handset manufacturers a framework.

At the India launch event in New Delhi, Google’s senior vice president who oversees Android and Chrome units, Sundar Pichai, told reporters that “When (handset companies) look to make a phone, they will get a menu. They can put together a device in a much quicker fashion, knowing we’ve already tested the software.” Pichai also said that “The pace at which users are adopting the Internet is unprecedented.” He added that “Almost all of this growth that is happening in India and the world is due to mobile [phones].”Android One from Google launched in India

Android One will give Google greater control over its operating system in emerging markets.

At present, India and other emerging markets have many cheap smartphones, which run diverse and, to some extent, customized versions of the Android OS. The trouble is that all of these different Android variations make the mobile devices subject to glitches and it makes it difficult for Google to have any control over its platform. With Android One, however, all of the software upgrades would come right from Google, which gains it more control over the operating system, providing users with service that is consistent.

In India, there are a minimum of 80 smartphone brands. Analysts say that if Google wants to compete it is going to have to do more than release a low-cost device. One of the ways Google intends to stand out from the competition is it is working on customizing web content, so it is better suited to a wider range of Indian consumers. Android One smartphones support seven Indian languages. In addition, Google is working on giving users the ability to watch YouTube videos without the internet, as accessing the web can be unreliable and expensive in the country.