Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Augmented Reality & Computer Augmented Environments

Here is a link to many resources regarding AR, but not specifically about AR gaming. The notions of AR behind these links are varied, too.
Augmented Reality & Computer Augmented Environments

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Move to Mobile Phones

There have been a number of really interesting announcements in the news this past week at CES and MacWorld, as well as a number of developments that have occurred over the past year that could offer great opportunities for us.

I put the ones that are most applicable to our research in place-based gaming together into a Quicktime presentation of a potential Future Directions of Place-Based Inquiry. It's only my initial thoughts, as I am sure there is much I missed and don't know, but it is a start that I think we should consider looking into further.

Google and Blackberry

Associated Press
Update 1: BlackBerry to Support Google Messaging
01.12.2006, 12:06 PM
BlackBerry e-mail devices will soon support the Google Talk instant-messaging and Google Local mapping programs, the handheld maker said Thursday, extending the Internet titan's push to put its services on mobile devices.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

GPS alternative launched

From CBS:
The first satellite in the EU's Galileo satellite navigation program was launched from Kazakhstan on Wednesday, a major step forward for Europe's answer to the United States' Global Positioning System.
Why is this potentially important to us?
Last year, U.S. President George Bush ordered plans for temporarily disabling GPS satellites during national crises to prevent terrorists from using the navigational technology.

Galileo is under civilian control. The European Space Agency says it will guarantee operation at all times, except in case of "the direst emergency." It also says users would be notified of any potential satellite problems within seconds.
I used to think that a national crisis was rare thing, where life would sort of change, and there'd not be a lot of location-based ARGames played. But lately it seems that the U.S. is moving to a constant state of national crisis, so it's nice that the ESA is getting an alternative in place. Let's hope the U.S. isn't successful in blocking it.