Doing exactly as it says on the tin, point a Nokia device’s camera at an object and it’ll find information on it. Point your phone at real-life objects around you to find instantly relevant information and services. Using tech’s new buzzword, Augmented Reality, it’s the first ‘real world browser’ of its kind on S60 devices. Point and Find employs a clever mix of camera, GPS, your Internet connection and an online database to deliver you valuable information relevant to your surroundings. It’s currently available as a beta app, and works on heaps of S60 devices (get the full list here).
What we say
When you’re out and about in the city point your phone at a poster or object. See a poster of a restaurant you fancy the look of? Point your camera at it for links, restaurant reviews and booking information. Trundle past a film poster, shoot it with your camera for listing information, reviews and nearest cinema. Other icons within the app, include local news (BBC news and sport), entertainment (cinemas, theatre, clubs, bars), eating (restaurants, pubs, fast food), shopping (stores and supermarkets), and info about the town, such as nearest ATM, and travel (local taxis, train times, parking and hotel booking).
Saving money is also on the agenda for Point and Find with users able to scan a bar code to compare prices for a product. You’ll also receive information on the product including ingredients and recipes, as we recently tested with a Maryland Cookies poster when we visited Colchester to experience the live pilot scheme. Read our full report.
What they say
“Point and Find could mature into a very useful service – building it up into something that works even at a national level will take a lot of time and investment.”
Allaboutsymbian.com
If you only do one thing
See the world through Augmented Reality. The buzzword of 2010 and beyond Nokia Point and Find allows you to experience it first hand and for the first time on S60 phones. It’s set to take mobiles and apps by storm so get in quick and try it out.
Miscellany
With all the restaurants in the world to choose from, where would you like to eat in the world? True there aren’t any Michelin starred restaurants in Colchester, but when the app rolls out worldwide here are the Michelin starred restaurants that we’d tag using Nokia Point and Find.
Paris
Guy Savoy, 8 rue Troyon, Paris, 75017, France 3-stars held since 2003
London
Gordon Ramsay, 68 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 4HP, England 3-stars held since 2003
Rome
La Pergola, Hilton Cavalieri Hotel, Via Cadlolo 101, Rome, 00136,Italy 3-stars held since 2006
New York
Masa, Time Warner Centre, 10 Columbus Circle, New York, 10019, USA 3-stars held since 2008
Tokyo
Quintessence, Barbizon 25 Building, 5-4-7 Shirokanedai, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 3-stars held since 2008
Monte Carlo
Louis XV, Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo, France 3-stars since 2003