The World of Augmented Reality Apps
The world of augmented reality (AR) apps is a mixed bag. On one hand, there are various apps which are gimmicky and quickly grow tiresome, serving no real purpose and making middling use of the potential of recent technology. On the opposite hand, many developers have made great use of this nascent technology, releasing AR apps which are useful, effective, and enjoyable.
The Not-So-Great AR Apps
There are quite a few AR apps which are inaccurate, incomplete, or simply plain useless. For example, there’s an AR app that creates a virtual tape measure that’s notoriously inaccurate and may’t be used for any type of precise measurement. Other apps virtually suspend words within the air, creating ephemeral messages that you possibly can have just texted or added as captions over a picture. Some apps even allow you to cheat at Sudoku, solving the puzzle for you while you aim your smartphone or tablet at an incomplete grid.
The Good Stuff
Despite the glut of semi-functional, questionably valid AR apps on the market, many developers have made great use of this nascent technology. Apps like Just a Line, which turns the entire world into your sketch pad, allowing you to “draw” easy line images, jot notes, play tic-tac-toe or hangman, or doodle away for fun in virtual space, are a fantastic example. This app also allows for real-time collaboration between two devices, so you possibly can swap notes or sketches or play games with a friend sharing the identical AR experience concurrently.
Educational and Informative Apps
Some AR apps are designed to coach and inform. For instance, an amateur astronomer’s app turns your phone or tablet right into a guide to the night sky, revealing the situation of stars, planets, constellations, and even tracking the real-time position of the International Space Station. Another app, JigSpace, lets you view virtual images of objects hovering before you and watch as they’re deconstructed and explained, providing you with an understanding from the within out.
Practical Apps
Other AR apps are designed to make your life easier. For example, an app that virtually places furniture in your private home, allowing you to see whether or not it matches before you purchase it, can prevent a variety of hassle. Another app creates a virtual course so that you can run, allowing you to set speed or distance challenges and track your improvements over time. You can even arrange virtual obstacle courses, difficult yourself to sprint to different checkpoints and improving agility and balance.
Fun and Games
AR apps may also be a variety of fun. Google Translate offers an AR feature that immediately translates text written in any of the greater than three dozen languages the app currently supports. Another app, Scan, lets you create floor plans you can “see” in real life by directing your phone or tablet across the room. You can create a virtually renovated kitchen, picturing your brand-new space complete with fixtures in place and people recent cabinets before you ever order a single tile.
More Cool Apps
Other notable AR apps include one which marks the situation of your vehicle after which makes it easy to seek out the automobile, projecting arrows showing the direction to show and info about your distance from the vehicle as you make your way back toward it. Another app invites you to “discover history’s treasures” right before your very eyes, allowing you to scrutinize historical artifacts, akin to ancient weaponry from Rome, an Egyptian death mask, or a Grecian urn, or view famous artworks in three (virtual) dimensions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there are various AR apps which are gimmicky and useless, there are also many which are useful, effective, and enjoyable. From educational and informative apps to practical and fun apps, the world of AR has something to supply everyone. As the technology continues to evolve, we are able to expect to see much more progressive and useful AR apps in the long run. Whether you are involved in learning something recent, making your life easier, or simply having fun, there’s an AR app on the market for you.
