Augmented Reality may seem like a passing fad but due to its remarkable capability as a marketing tool we will likely continue to see it used more and more.
We’ve found a few free useful applications that use Augmented Reality to help users in different ways as well as some awesome ways advertisers and marketers are using it to create a new engaging experience.
We’ve all got them. An unnecessary amount of plastic cards strewn about in our wallets and on our key rings. We keep them because they allow us to save money when shopping in particular stores or because they act as proof of membership. But what if there was a way you could store them all in one place?
If you live and/or work in a city like New York, you more than likely eat, sleep and breathe public transportation. But nothing is worse than showing up to the subway station only to find out that there is no service on your line or that since there is an accident in the tunnel your bus is now 2 hours behind schedule.
Luckily there are a slew of applications out there that can help with dilemmas such as these—most of which wont cost you a dime.
Application: HopStop
Platforms: iPhone, Android, PDA, SMS
HopStop is a great application to help you getting from point A to point B. It is perfect if you are new to a city or just visiting because it provides users with simple, easy-to-follow directions as well as allows you to customize your trip. Just plug in your start and end points and then you can specify which mode of transportation you prefer (subway/rail, bus, taxi or walking).
Meeting up with friends who lack the cool technology you possess? It doesn’t matter if you’ve got an Apple iPhone or a Motorola Startac because HopStop allows you to receive directions via SMS. You can even look up directions and send it in a text message or email. The app also lets you save your trips so that you may access them underground when you have no signal. Since its launch in 2005, HopStop has expanded to over 30 major cities around the world and is available in 9 languages.
Application: NYC Mate
Platforms: iPhone, Android
DenseBrain has developed a handful of helpful applications to help you master your city’s (5 major cities as of now) public transportation systems. NYC Mate is focused on NYC and our complex subway and bus systems. Not only is the app’s interface really sleek and easy-to-use but the maps are extremely clear and easily read.
NYC Mate provides a ton of maps that can be downloaded easily, and no matter which service you use, odds are you will find a map that can help you. From Long Island Railroad maps to Metro North Maps, you can even find bus route maps for Manhattan and the surrounding Burroughs. When it comes to the subway and rail maps you can find out even more information by touching a station. Here, you can find details about train times as well as receive directions to the station itself. Most importantly, users can check the ‘alerts’ section for any service changes they may encounter on their commute.
Application: Roadify
Platforms: iPhone, SMS
Roadify is a cool example of game-ifying the mobile transit app. Like, the previously mentioned applications it too provides users with maps and schedules for buses and subways but it also does a lot more. This application allows its users to help each other out by providing information to one another. For example, users can ‘Give’ a subway, allowing them to alert other travelers of problems on a specific line so that they may make a change of plans if they need to. The more a user ‘Gives’ the more ‘StreetCarma Points’ they acquire. They can then pool their points by creating teams with each other. According to Roadify’s website, some of the business teams let you turn these points in for deals or discounts.
Maybe you prefer driving into the city opposed to taking mass transit. If that’s the case, Roadify can also help you find the closest parking garage as well as provide their hourly rate. One cool feature that taps into the community aspect of the application is the ability to give a parking spot to someone. Users can just hit ‘Give a Spot’, pick the location of the spot on the map (garner 5 StreetCarma points) and then everyone can see the available parking space until someone else claims it. Approaching the transit application in a new way, Roadify provides useful information for travelers and as their user-base grows the app can only get better.
Application: Uber
Platforms: iPhone, Android, SMS
This application differs slightly from the previously mentioned ones in that, it doesn’t provide schedules and maps for all kinds of transportation services but rather, it allows users to order a car on the fly, from their cell phone. You can either text Uber your pick-up address or pinpoint your location on a map (using the iPhone or Android application) and they will dispatch their closest driver. Once you’ve done that, you will receive a text message from your driver with an estimated arrival time as well as another message from them when the car has arrived. All you have to do next is hop in and let the driver know where you are going.
No cash for a tip? No problem. When you register with Uber you also register a credit card and tip is always included in your fare. This service started out in Palo Alto and San Francisco but has recently made its debut in New York City. By making ordering a car as simple as opening an application or blasting off a text message, Uber has the potential to become huge nation-wide.
With all of these tools at our disposal commuting has become much less of a headache and as technology evolves and cities embrace it these tools will only become better.
Photoshop is a great tool, especially when it comes to playing pranks on your friends. Unfortunately, everyone isn’t as skilled with it as others. But no worries, in honor of Free Friday we’ve found a way you can dupe your friends without the use of fancy software.
Head over to PhotoFunia.com and let the Photo-doctoring fun begin. Choose an effect you like as well as the photo you want to use. It’s that simple. Some photos require a little tinkering but there are a ton of cool effects available to use. You can also navigate over to the Lab section (tab at the top) and browse even more ways to alter your photos.
Don’t forget to check out the iPhone and Android apps available for free as well. This way you can create hilarious photos on the go.
How often do you find yourself surfing the web (for work purposes of course) and stumble upon an interesting article that you just don’t have time to read? We do it all the time, so we understand your pain. Luckily there are a ton of apps out there that help improve your productivity by allowing you to save articles you find for later reading and since it’s Friday that means we’ve found a free one just for you.
Read It Later is our favorite because it has an app for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and you can even access your saved articles on the go from their WebOS which is accessible from almost any mobile device. Just download the app for your particular device, get the add on/extension for Firefox, Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer and when you find something on the web just add it to your reading list and boom! You can now read it later from your mobile device, even if you are offline.
Here in NYC we are always in a rush and with the huge amount of information on the web who has time to read it all? Check it out, we are sure you’ll love it.
