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Augmented Reality for SketchUp

The first time I saw Augmented Reality in action, I wondered if I’d accidentally fallen through a wormhole on the way to work; it’s the kind of thing you’d expect to see on Boba Fett’s BlackBerry. AR is downright futuristic.

In the 3D modeling sense, AR involves combining a live video stream with a 3D model to create the illusion that the model is a physical object in the real world. All you need is a webcam (the ones that are built in to many laptops work just fine), a 3D model (SketchUp takes care of that), a printed-out paper “target” and a piece of AR software that can put everything together. This video shows AR in action:

And here’s an illustration that shows the setup:

A simple Augmented Reality setup for SketchUp, using an external monitor to show the video output.

Thanks to an Italian outfit called Inglobe Technologies, SketchUp users have been able to ride the AR wave for a while now. They’ve just released version 2 of their AR-media Plugin for Google SketchUp. Three great things about this shiny, happy piece of tech:

It’s available for both Windows and Mac OSX.
It’s available in three flavors: Free (Personal Learning Edition), Professional Lite and Professional.
I was able to use it, which means that it can’t be that hard to figure out.

Start out by grabbing the Quick Start Guide; you’ll find the relevant links about halfway down the plugin’s webpage. Follow Steps 2 and 3 to download and install the software; the free Personal Learning Edition will let you see how everything works without spending any money. After that, achieve instant gratification (my favorite kind) by skipping ahead to Step 6 in the Quick Start Guide: “Creating your first Augmented Reality Scene”.

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Where has Google shipped their Chrome notebooks?

Earlier this month, Google started giving away thousands of their “CR-48″ test notebooks loaded with an early version of Chrome OS, their lightweight operating system that will officially debut next summer.

The netbook can’t yet handle the Google Earth plugin, so we’ll have to look at that in the future if/when it becomes available. However, when free laptops are being sent out it tends to gain a lot of attention, and thousands of people have been keeping a close eye on this unofficial CR-48 tracker created by “A. Gamer” to see when some might be coming to their zip code. I’ve personally been referencing the tracker quite a bit to check on potential shipments for friends and family.

A Google Earth user named Jesse Belcher then worked with the folks behind the CR-48 tracker to visualize all of the laptop shipments in Google Earth and the result is pretty cool:

You can view that data on his website using the Google Earth Plug-in, or download one of his KMZ files to view it in Google Earth.

The notebook has a few major shortcomings (the lack of the Google Earth Plugin being one of them), but it’s really a fairly impressive device. I wrote up some early thoughts about it on my personal blog a few weeks ago if you want to see more about what I think of it.

They’re still accepting applications and giving away more of the laptops, so sign up here to apply for one if you haven’t already.

For those of you that were lucky enough to receive one already, what do you think of it? Do you think Chrome OS will be a viable alternative in the future?

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Buddy on The Upside Down Frown

“I just like to smile.
Smiling’s my favorite.”

–Buddy the Elf
from the film, Elf (2003)

Sales smiles…

Last year around this time, I got interested in the business of Christmas and the reason we celebrate it.

It surprised me.

Something called Saturnalia came first.

If you’re interested, you can read more about it here on my personal blog. As I look back at it now, I can see hints of my most recent booklet, Love Your People.

In regard to today’s quote, I thought I’d share a favorite picture of mine that illustrates how much of a difference a smile can make…

I took it during Super Bowl XLIII from my TV.

Which receiver would you rather have lunch with?

_____

Glengarry Glen Ross fans: Saturday Night Live’s seasonal take on the classic scene, “Coffee’s for closers.” Only worth the time if you’ve seen the film or actual scene more than twice (4.5 minutes).

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5 Great Chrome Web Store Apps + Maps

Last week we opened the Chrome Web Store, an online marketplace where users can discover thousands of web apps, extensions, and themes for Google Chrome. With millions of people already using Chrome, the Web Store is a great platform for developers to generate both exposure and revenue for their applications.

Many of these Chrome Apps are utilizing our Geo APIs. Here we’ve highlighted 5 great Chrome apps using Google Maps API.

TripTrace

TripTrace organizes all the important places that you’ve been to or think you might want to visit; perfect for local exploration or vacation planning. Photos, events, and news are merged with your personal address book, check-ins, bookmarked web pages and more.

Wikihood

Wikihood World Browser gives users with a unique way to browse and discover knowledge. By organizing Wikipedia articles geographically, users can quickly find information about a given location on the map. Wikihood makes browsing even easier by providing a short synopsis of an article on the left side when the article’s geolocation is selected on the map.

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs is a great GPS management tool. Users can visualize, organize, edit, and share GPS data collected from any GPS enabled device (including Android devices!). Breadcrumbs is also integrated with the Google Earth API for 3D visualizations.

Delta Embark

Whether you’re planning your next vacation, trying to find a restaurant on your next business trip, or just looking for some travel inspiration this Chrome optimized travel guide is a delight to use. Travel planning made fun and easy, brought to you by Delta Airlines!

Weatherbug

Don’t be late to Grandma’s this holiday season! Weatherbug let’s you view your weather and get the latest local current conditions, forecast, traffic information, and more for thousands of locations around the world.

To learn more about adding your apps to the Chrome Web Store, check out our developer documentation about apps and the store.

Posted by Carlos Cuesta, Maps API Product Marketing Manager

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Directions, the way you want them

We recently released advanced options for getting public transit directions on Google Maps, helping you customize your route based on your personal preferences.

We work hard to provide the right results to get from A to B, but sometimes riders have their own preferences. For example, you might not mind a longer journey if it means fewer transfers; or you may prefer traveling by bus or train, rather than subway, to have views of your route. You can now specify these preferences and alter your route results by clicking the “Show options” link below your destination: