Virtual Tags

Virtual Tags is an augmented reality tagging application for the iPhone. Virtual Tags uses the built-in phone camera to visualize, in the form of hovering clouds, text posted in the same location. Virtual Tags was released on December 19, 2010 and the latest update released on March 2nd, 2011.
The Application
According to the description on iTunes," Virtual Tags is a 12.3 MB iPhone application Rated 4+ (application contains no objectionable material), which allows to attach a message to a given place so that future visitors can see it in an augmented reality experience popping up on their screen from where it was left. It requires iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS or iPod Touch with a video camera."
Developers Fabrizio Bartolomucci states: "Virtual Tags is best used in the open or anyway where there is a strong GPS signal or other localization service, like all other applications of this kind, not to have one's messages appear away form one's position and been unable to see those nearby posted by others. This application was created for a very wide range of uses like posting messages where there is physically no place to write them, where it is not allowed or simply not practical."
Credits
Virtual Tags was created by Fabrizio Bartolomucci, a current programmer in a wide range of languages.
The graphic was curated by Sara Ceracchi and the musical effects by Roberto Fiorucci.
Reviews
The applications has been generally praised for its freedom of use and novelty, some critics were moved to the registration procedure. Among those evaluations Common Blog says "Virtual Tags is an application for iPhone was born in Italy easily, as the name implies, is based on the post-it to hang virtually to the city.On the bench you have exchanged your first kiss? In the ice cream you ate the best ice cream of your life? That there remained square in the heart? Take a note and share it with whoever you want, or directly with everyone."; Slap Start has it "Making no effort to fight the inevitable, is Virtual Tags. Virtual Tags is an iPhone app that brings augmented reality to your phone. Specifically it’s an app that allows you to leave virtual tags anywhere in the world. These can be left behind for others to enjoy, in blissful naivety of the coming oppressive regime. The virtual tags form clouds, which can be clicked on by others to display the messages left behind by others." and Killer Startup: "Virtual Tags is a platform that enables people to post geo-referenced messages. Users of this iPhone application can leave messages in any place that they have been to, and these will be readable by any person who has also got the Virtual Tags application installed. The messages themselves will be shown as a hovering cloud over any real life object that the iPhone is aimed at, and they will be readable the moment the cloud is tapped on.".
Present Defects
The application does not fully support landscape mode, nor total Retina display. The application suffers, as most other apps of this kind, of the not perfect reliability of GPS information and of the other sensors. Consequently artifact might move in unexpected ways. The app also shares the usability problem connected to having to hold the iPhone in front of oneself in order to view the augmented reality objects.
Free service for other apps or web sites
As stated in its website, the application further provided, by means of its php backoffice, a free http access to the data of the application allowing to present them alternatively either in other applications or web sites, as a well as a quite powerful single signon support system sharing users and credentials with the application.
The Competition
Motion X GPS allows to show in an augmented reality framework specific features envisioned by the contents providers. FourSquare and Gowalla allow to attach messages to specific locations. Manistone allows to also post georeferenced messages.
Tips for Best Use
Even if the application gives some feedback in the form of the number in the badge if it was left in background, this modality could have very adverse effects on the duration of the battery and so many users could prefer to quit the application instead of putting it in background. In this way they will no longer have the possibility of receiving any cue about the messages even passing near them. Consequently users might prefer to put their messages near other messages or in very well know locations.
Dependencies
The application allows to post messages even when there is no internet connection, but a very good GPS positioning or other localization service is essential to position the messages in the intended locations. Moreover a Camera is compulsory for the application to be installed.

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