Mashable

The Wall Street Journal confirmed on Tuesday that Google plans to bring a tablet computer to market with Verizon Wireless. The device does not have a name or operating system yet but Verizon’s CEO said in a statement,”We’re looking at all the things Google has in its archives so that we could put on a tablet to make it a great experience.” This new tablet will create competition with Apple's iPad device, and the iPad 3G just hit stores with AT&T as the exclusive wireless carrier. It will be interesting to see what Verizon and Google produce to one-up Apple.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Vanity Fair’s June issue will debut in iPad form. The app will be available in Apple’s App Store for $4.99, the same price as the glossy newsstand edition. Future editions will be priced at $3.99. This collaboration could create a resurgence in print media, with more magazines and periodicals expected to follow suit and create an iPad app. The issue will feature the same ads as the print edition, as well as special ads from six advertisers, including Microsoft Bing, Aveeno and Clinique. The special ads contain features like how-to videos and Facebook Pages, and can be viewed in vertical mode. Additionally, advertisers were also able to add links to their regular print ads for a “nominal fee,” according to publisher Edward Menicheschi.

Augmented Reality

According to Dr. Pence, the term Augmented Reality is a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are improved by virtual computer-generated imagery. Augmented reality research explores this as a way to expand the real world. Professor Greenberg’s iPhone application showing the distance between our location and the mountainous areas close to us, and Dr. Pence’s illustration of the NFL’s “1st and 10” line are excellent examples of Augmented Reality. Mainstream media has taken to this new trend, and we are seeing Augmented Reality everywhere. Advertisers are using it to their advantage, artists are using it to evolve their work and take their art to the next level, surveyors and engineers are using it to simulate planned construction projects, and even educators are using it to keep their students engaged and interested in their studies. There is also free software that we can download to contribute to this trend. Dr. Pence’s discussion did not just end at technological advancements in GPS and cell phones though. Now our military has HUD technology that allows us to see miles ahead. He also pointed out that we are working on having an HUD planted on our eye just like a contact lens. Overall, Augmented Reality is already implemented in out everyday lives and over time, I believe that we continue to technologically advance and change the world that we live in.