Video: Hallmark’s Augmented Reality Cards

Augmented reality is the new “It Girl” of social technology. It can be a weird concept to grasp until you see it in action. In a nutshell, augmented reality merges a real-world environment with a digital environment, creating an augmented life experience.

Hallmark is using augmented reality to enhance their greeting cards. At the Social Media Club of Kansas City breakfast on February 5, attendees received their latest line of Valentine’s Day cards. To use the card features, I went to the Web site listed on the inside cover and followed the instructions. It involved downloading a plug-in. Then, I held the paper card up to the Web cam to make the features work. I think this is a neat way to merge tradition with technology.

The possibilities are exciting and challenging. Read how it was used for Avatar action figures in this article from the New York Times. Sure those are just toys, but think about using augmented reality in situations like touring a historical landmark, eating at a restaurant, hands-on education and even covering news.

You: I still don’t get it.

Me: Watch this video. This is an example of augmented reality.