14 DAY TRIAL // Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has announced a new service concept meant to allow users to access relevant information and services over the Internet directly from their mobile phone, by pointing their device's camera at real-life objects. The new Nokia Point & Find service is now available in Beta in the UK and US, with focus on movies, but the company also intends to expand its capabilities into other services and countries.
“With Nokia Point & Find, businesses are able to target engaging experiences and calls-to-action to consumers. We believe that this first Nokia Point & Find-based service for movies will add something special to the cinema experience. Simply by pointing their camera phone at a poster for a new movie, people can watch the trailer, read reviews, and find the closest cinema where it is playing,” said Philipp Schloter, general manager, Nokia Point & Find.
The Nokia Point & Find has been developed to use real-time image processing and recognition technologies that will allow it to connect the user to digital content and services. At the same time, it also recognizes bar codes, integrates GPS positioning technology, and includes support for category-specific text-entry search.
According to the company, as soon as the user points his or her phone's camera at an object, the service takes advantage of the phone's capabilities such as the camera, Internet connectivity, and GPS positioning, so as to be able to evaluate the object. A database of virtually tagged objects will then allow Nokia Point & Find to identify the item and provide the user with a set of links to associated content and services.
The new Nokia Point & Find comes as an open service platform offering other companies the possibility to build new experiences that would be able to attract potential customers. The phone maker invites businesses, content providers and agencies to learn how the service could help them with applications, campaigns or promotional activities, and some companies already recognized the capabilities of the service.
Casey Harwood, senior vice president, Digital Media at Turner Europe said, “Nokia Point & Find is an innovative new service which will enable users to point their camera phone at various Cartoon Network related objects and receive relevant show or product information direct to their handset. In an on-demand world, this technology represents an exciting development for both content providers and consumers.”
More information on the service can be found on the Nokia Point & Find website.