We published about Junaio Augmented Reality mobile browser when metaio, the developer, launched the v 2.0 in March at SXSW. From the press release, we know that Junaio 2.5 features an “improved graphical user interface, easier channel navigation and pinpoint geographic filtering”.
The core concept of Junaio is the “channels”: to help people browse location-based content more efficiently, metaio organised it in a simple category structure: News, Culture, Shopping, Games, Travel or Food , for example, it helps users to find the closest and best rated restaurants (just like Yelp but with 3D addition)… inside this category structure, companies and corporations can create their channels to offer their augmented reality (AR) content. Check out our previous article to see examples and pictures.
Currently, major brands and developers are partnering with Junaio to build innovative ad campaigns combining location-based content and augmented reality: print ads can be enhanced with multimedia content, games or special deal offers, and 3D virtual models can be “glued” onto real objects or products (see picture, right).
The most recent example is shown in the picture (right): the GSM Association has designed an ad campaign for the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Feb 2011) using the new AR browser capabilities. Placed in various newspapers and magazines, the GSMA print ad will trigger a 3D App Planet circled by satellites when watched using Junaio’s viewer. The 3D graphic can be clicked to display information about the MWC conference.
New features include:
- offers a choice between location-based and object-based functionality
- users can save favourite channels
- personal channel history monitoring
- user tutorial
- “Featured Picks” related to the user’s location (see picture, left)
- redesigned interfaces for ease of use
- keyword search by content channel or channel name
- view screens simplified with unobtrusive buttons
Junaio claims to be the “the world`s most advanced mobile Augmented Reality Browser”, I am certainly not sure about that since I did not take the time to compare it properly with its best known competitor: Layar. Mobile Augmented Reality is getting more traction these days, thanks to location-based services growingpopularity and more powerful graphic accelerationtechnologies available for mobile devices.
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About the author: Eliane Fiolet is the co-founder and editor of Ubergizmo.com where she writes about smart devices, web applications, design and usability. In her parallel life, she owns a Corporate ID design business that helps companies create great brands. Prior to opening her own agency, Eliane worked for a top design firm, Minale Tattersfield Design Strategy, where she created identities for Fortune 500 companies. She also worked in the video game industry as a designer for an award-winning adventure game. Eliane holds a master degree in visual communication and design from the “Art Décoratifs” college and she majored in mathematics and physics in high school. Follow the author on Facebook, Twitter