Augmented, really?

As seems to be almost constantly the case we are currently riding the wave of the next big thing which in this case is Augmented Reality or AR.

AR is all about making reality a bit more real and as a marketing tool it definitely has possibilities. The technology that exists allows you to ‘augment’ your surroundings using various mobile devices. For example your phone will work out where in the world you are and then tell you about the things around you, current sales offers in the shops, available appointments at the hairdressers, shows at the theatre etc. A bit like an all-terrain, pop-up service.

So what will the AR future bring? It is anticipated that you will be able to point your phone at a person and instantly have access to their on line presence, facebook page, professional website and so on which will potentially make networking a doddle.

All of which leaves us with a couple of pertinent questions:

1) Do we need it?
2) Will it catch on?

The first question has demonstrated its irrelevance throughout the history of technology and can therefore be studiously ignored. As for the second I’m going to stick my neck out and say yes, when information has value you can’t afford to miss any of it.