People all around the world share their adventures using Mobypicture to all their social networks. From their mobile phone they easily upload photos, video and audio to their friends on networks like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, their blog and numerous other social sites and services.

Why build a layer on top of MobyPictures API
Remco: The Moby layer lets you explore the latest picture and video postings of other Moby users nearest to you. You can view the content through the mobile phones’ camera in Augmented Reality, or on a map and there is a List view. Clicking the content gives you more info (comments etc.) and options; the routing how to get to the spot where the picture was taken and a link to the content on the Mobypicture website, where the user can get more info and leave a comment themselves.

In which way is this layer an added value for the services of MobyPicture
Remco: The layer proposition is a powerful solution to engage visitors of events and exploration of brand related content, bringing realtime experiences to like minded people instantly.

What can we expect in the near future from TAB worldmedia
Remco: Today we  launched the first brand extension of the Moby layer for Rabobank Tour de France. This branded Mobypicture layer is part of the MobyNow solution, the social media content aggregation platform Mobypicture recently launched as a managed service helping publishers and brands to regain control of the social media conversation.

The Branded RaboNow layer lets you explore the content around you in augmented reality. Showing you the latest photo and video Mobypicture postings and Twitter updates of the Rabosport Cycling teams and those of the Press and all Fans, nearest to you. The Layer shows all the location tagged content of the realtime platform Rabosport Now.

Mathys  van Abbe, founder of Mobypicture, comments: “The branded Mobypicture Layer solution enables brands to become part of user experiences in realtime. It’s contextual, value added and non intrustive.”

This week, Walt Disney launched the augmented reality outdoor campaign for the new ‘Prince of Persia’ movie. The campaign is built upon Layar, through a special Prince of Persia layer connected to outdoor posters, in which you can play, win and share.

The layer is created by TAB Worldmedia, the first company that combines outdoor advertising with the possibilities of the Layar platform. We talked to TAB Worldmedia’s founder Remco Vroom about the layer and outdoor advertising.

Remco: “The thing is that when you see the filmposter you want to DO something with it. To stimulate that moment of anticipation, we now offer an extra augmented experience.”

As you are near one of the ‘Prince of Persia’ outdoor posters and open the layer, the beautiful movie-character Tamina speaks to you and explains that you should watch the trailer and enter the augmented reality game to answer 3 questions. If you answer all questions correctly, you earn 50 Movie Minutes.
Remco: “Plus we built in an AR cinema finder, which is very neat considering that we integrated a layer in a layer. Also, we created the option to share the layer via Twitter.”

How did the idea to connect outdoor advertising to Layar originate?
Remco: “I have a background of 14 years in Advertising so when I saw the creative possibilities of Layar I was immediately triggered by it. The step to connect the geo locations of 2 dimensional ads to this new 3 dimensional world on your phone was very obvious. (in retrospect)”

We understood that the ‘Prince of Persia’ is the first step in connecting Augmented Reality to outdoor advertising, created in a limited amount of time. It’s a starting point of working towards richer and richer Augmented Reality experiences in outdoor advertising.

What do you expect in the future of Augmented Reality vs outdoor advertising?
Remco: “Great things will happen soon… that’s all I’m saying ;-)”

Next to this exciting statement, TAB Worldmedia has a message to all developers:
Remco: “If you are interested in entering this market please contact us to find out more about the creative and commercial possibilities. We facilitate this service for media networks like JCDecaux, CBS Outdoor, Hillenaar (Clearchannel), Brouwer & Partners, Librium TV and many others.”

Enough said, it’s time to find a ‘Prince of Persia’ poster in your surroundings: open up the layer -by searching for it- and experience the Prince of Persia yourself. If you’re geographically not able to find the posters, you can launch the layer through the QR code.

Note: Due to some technical issues, the newest layers are not yet added to the Catalog yet. We are working on it and will add them when possible.

>>>>
HQ sent you to Amsterdam to investigate the murders of several Third Echelon agents. They were your friends… The name of the suspect is Sam Fisher. Its your job to find him.

In town, HQ leads you from point to point while briefing you on missions. Overcome the challenges and solve the puzzles along the way. Follow the clues to Sam’s secret hide out. Be prepared for surprises…
<<<<

Do you want to play Splinter Cell: Conviction in the streets of Amsterdam? We do.

This is the first time a major game developer like Ubisoft uses Layar to launch a new title. With the Layar platform they have created a unique and engaging AR game. The objective is to introduce and promote the launch of the latest release of Spinter Cell for Xbox. Its a prime example of how the capabilities of the Layar platform and the reach of the Layar Browser can be used to create an engaging and fun experience to promote a multi million dollar game.

The Splinter Cell AR game was developed by marketing agency Blutarsky and Layar developer Muzar.org using Layar’s Augmented Reality platform.

Game play
As an agent of the Third Echelon you are in direct contact with HQ. At specific locations in Amsterdam HQ will provide you with instructions. These are your missions. To complete a mission you need to fulfill a task. When a mission is completed successfully the next location is revealed guiding you through town. This is all designed in style of the console game. The game play is in sync with the console version. Its about being smart, waiting for the right moment and solving the puzzles, all within the Layar Browser.

[caption id=”attachment_8412” align=”alignnone” width=”187” caption=”Mission briefing: Look for clues on the street”][/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_8399” align=”aligncenter” width=”179” caption=”Find the location of the murders”][/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_8400” align=”aligncenter” width=”179” caption=”BOOM!”][/caption]

The past weeks 3 new international layers and 22 country layers have been launched. With 69 international layers, Layar is serving content in every country worldwide. On top of that more and more countries are plugged in with local, country specific content. This week Thailand’s and Russia’s first country layers have been launched. We talked to Howard Ogden from AugmentReality.co.uk and Irena Harseeva from ARdoor, who have been developing the MTS layer and the Estate Russia Dom.ru layer. Why build layers for Russia?

Howard: “MTS is a long standing client of JWT International, JWT International was one of the first agencies to get involved with Layar from launch, introducing brands such as Mazda early on to the possibilities of Layar. I started working with JWT International and MTS building the Russian layer back in late 2009. We had to geo-code their entire shop and distribution outlets across Russia, including all of the MTS wifi hot spots - no small task! We have created a great looking layer  in

Russian, that as Android and iPhone expand across the country will pick up momentum and we hope will help MTS offer more to their customers.”
Irena: “AR Door is an official Russian partner of Total immersion (France), the biggest software solutions provider with a proprietary technology that has been developed since 1999 - Augmented Reality. Unfortunately augmented reality based solutions are not yet popular in Russia. AR Door are the first to provide such technology in this country. What are my expectations? Well, I’m absolutely sure that Layar will be as successful and popular as it proved to be worldwide. … I have no doubt about Layar’s great hit on the Russian market in the nearest future.

What do you expect from Layar and your content layer in Russia?

Howard: “As far as we know this is a first in Russia, certainly a first of this scale and a service not offered by any other network provider in Russia. JWT Internationals Moscow office is rapidly growing and I hope that this partnership between our companies will continue to grow. We are currently working on a large scale project with JWT International Amsterdam to launch a new 3D layer early next month and I see a great future in cooperation’s of this nature between agencies and their existing clients and developers.”
Irena: “Layar proved to be an extremely successful project, launched only in 2009 but managed to get over 1 million users by now. I think this statement shows clearly its great potential. Why exactly for Estate Russia Dom.ru? Well, no doubt, using Estate Russia Dom.ru layer significantly eases the process of searching property. Whatever you are, you are able to define the search for relevant information about real estate in particular area just using your mobile phone.”

About the layers

MTS is one of the worlds largest telecoms companies, ranked 71 last year in the worlds most powerful brands by Millward Brown and the Financial Times. Based in Russia with operations across CIS and 87 million customers.
Dom.ru provides an extensive data base of approsimately 75,000 real estate units. Besides it proved to be a very reliable real estate agency.