Augmented reality is becoming reality.
If you’re not yet familiar with Google’s new pet project, eyewear that brings computing to your cornea, here’s an introduction:
Like it or not this is happening. Go ahead and argue how broad the acceptance will be, but you’d better be prepared as a marketer.
To quote augmented reality pioneer Steve Mann, “There will be Apple Glass, and Google Glass, and RIM (now BlackBerry) Glass. These companies are all working on glass. I think everyone is going to be making glass. I think we’re also going to have a glass war instead of a smartphone war.”
And like it or not, employment will be part of this trend.
What will it look like?
Imagine downloading an app to your smartglasses that alerts you to jobs around town or on your drive to work. You’d specify the types of opportunities you’re open to.
Then, once an appealing opportunity crosses your path, you say, “OK glass, apply to job” and, bam, you’re now an applicant. Using your Google+ profile will make it easy. You could even investigate a company on-the-go before applying, or know which of your current friends are already employees.
For a more concrete vision, TweetMyJobs is an iPhone app that enables users to see job opportunities via augmented reality by holding an iPhone up and pointing its camera wherever there’s interest.
Here’s a screen grab:
A company called Layar powers their augmented reality technology. The job content is the same found at TweetMyJobs.
Wearable technology, augmented reality’s good buddy, is the wave of the future. With products like Nike’s Fuelband, it’s already here for many. You’re probably familiar with the buzz around Apple’s “iWatch” as well.
It’s only a matter of which device, which platform and when. The content, whether it be map information, restaurant reviews or classifieds, will only be a question of who.
