The meshing of mobile, digital information, and real-world images has taken off.

Whether you are an avid mobile fan or not, it’s hard not to notice the buzz around augmented reality. Need more examples? Run a quick search on the word “Augmented Reality” and you’ll likely get millions of results - literally. 

Back in July 2009, I first blogged about an AR mobile app called Augmented ID. Initially conceived by a Swedish design company called TAT, Augmented ID uses mobile face detection to “recognize” individuals, what social networks they’re connected to, as well as other personal information they are willing to share. If you’re wondering whether this app reveals too much personal data, don’t be. The app requires both participants to use the mobile application in order to work. Users have the option of setting specific limitations on what can or cannot be viewed.

Today, the new and improved “Augmented ID” is known as Recognizr. Although the mobile app is not yet available for wide-spread use, Recognizr is expected to be available within the next couple of months. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly looking forward to taking this app for a test drive!

Want to see Recognizr in action? Check out this video…




» Click here to get additional TAT news and updates.

Keys, wallet/purse, and mobile device…

You guessed it, these are three most carried items that we never seem to leave home without. But, how did we get to this point?

Let’s pause and rewind…

The first commercially automated cellular network (the 1G generation) was launched in Japan by NTT in 1979.  Fast forward 30+ years and we are now living in an era where “mobile as the 7th mass media” is dominating all other channels (e.g., print, recording, cinema, TV, internet, etc).  In less than 30 years, we have gone from Motorola’s 1lb “brick phone” to smart phone devices that can now do virtually anything you can imagine, and then some.  It’s the dawn of a new era and there’s no sign of slowing down.

Back to present day,…

“Mobile is in fact, the fastest-growing Trillion-dollar industry in the economic history of mankind. That is why Google, Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Dell etc are all interested to get in. The fastest-growing Trillion-dollar industry ever.”

- Tomi Ahonen, Mobile Consultant & Best Selling Author

Mobile devices have become the single most important carried accessory people cannot seem to live without.  Are you surprised?  According to a poll conducted by Synovate in 2009, most people would rather lose their wallets than their mobile device.  In another independent survey, 40% of respondents said they would rather lose their wallet than mobile phone.  With mobile adoption advancing at unprecedented rates, it’s difficult not to notice the changes taking place around us. In the not so distant future, you may even be able to leave your wallet and keys behind. In many countries, mobile devices are already being used as a payment system, where the use of SMS (text-messaging) is the mechanism for authorizing purchases. We have witnessed the mobile channel being used quite successfully through the “Text ‘Haiti’ to 90999 to donate $10” campaign.  According to mGive, the world has contributed over $37 million via text message donations for Haiti. This is beyond a mobile fad - it’s simply amazing.

Technology (in moderation) can be a wonderful thing.  With such a powerful device in the palm of virtually every working professional, I often wonder why we (employers/recruiters) are not doing more to leverage this technology within our industry. As with most “new” things, I suspect it’s fear of the unknown. However, I’d like to know what you think.

Do you view mobile as a fad or the future?

Moving forward, I plan on spending much more time focusing my discussions around the mobile space, i.e., mobile recruiting, mobile marketing & SMS, mobile site optimization, and other mobile-related technologies, etc. I invite you to spend a little time browsing the site. Who knows, you may find something that interests you.

Need help building a mobile recruiting solution, site, or want me to speak at your conference? If so, feel free to email me. However, if you simply want to connect to me, there are many ways to do so. Here’s a good place to start…

See you in the cloud!

Thanks to Google, QR technology is finally getting the long-over-due mobile marketing spotlight it deserves.

Earlier this year, I talked about the creative way in which Editoras Online integrated QR technology and Twitter to create a stunning viral-marketing campaign.  Now, Google fans across the country may soon have an opportunity to interact with QR technology through Google’s latest endeavor called Favorite Places.

What is “Favorite Places”?  Well,  according to Google:

Over 100,000 businesses were identified as Favorite Places. The list was determined based on the popularity of a business’ Local Business Center listing, as determined by how many times Google users looked for more information about a business, requested driving directions to get there, and more. Google users “decided” based on their actions, and we sent the decals.

What exactly does this mean for the average consumer?

The good…

It means that the most popular (i.e., searched) businesses across the U.S. may soon be equipped with a window decal containing a unique bar code, known as a QR code.  So, what’s the big deal?  Well, a major benefit of integrating QR codes into print ads is convenience.  QR technology is all about pointing and scanning, which eliminates the need to type in lengthy URLs.   Bottom line, it’s simply a faster way to deliver relevant content to a mobile device (e.g., reviews, ratings, special promotions, or store coupons if a particular business is offering one).

The bad…

Unlike the ubiquitous nature (and advantage) of using SMS, QR codes reach a limited audience.  For now, users with smart phones that have good quality cameras, and have previously located, downloaded and installed the QR software will get the desired results. There are many free and paid QR readers available on the market.  Some of the newer mobile devices have QR readers installed or bundled as part of another application.

Want to add a QR reader to your mobile device? Here are some common QR readers to consider:

• 2dSENSE
• Barcode Scanner
• beetagg
• kaywa reader
• neoreader
• QRApp
• QuickMark
• ScanLife
  

Google’s move towards integrating QR codes is yet another example of how mobile technology can be used in everyday real-life scenarios. Although QR technology may not appear as “hip” as image recogition, it’s still a valuable technology that we should not overlook.

Check out the video below for a demo of “Favorite Places on Google”…

Lori Fenstermaker, have you heard of her?

If not, you should take a closer look at Lori’s profile because she’s helping to drive some cool innovation in the mobile recruiting space. In case you were unaware, Lori is the creative mind behind AutoSearch, a desktop and mobile app that was specifically designed to enable recruiting professionals to easily source for new talent online.

Lori’s Story…

I had the opportunity to speak with Lori directly. I was particularly interested in asking what inspired her to create the AutoSearch mobile application. Like many of us, Lori took a class on internet recruiting to become better acquainted with how to create and leverage Boolean searches for prospecting new talent online. What Lori very quickly realized was that she was spending more time and energy constructing search strings than actually connecting with candidates. She was convinced that there was a better way. She wanted to make the process of searching for prospect candidates less complicated. The result: AutoSearch for the iPhone.

Key features of the AutoSearch iPhone app:

» Click here to expand image view.

AutoSearch offers users a very simple platform for conducting recruiting (sourcing) searches via the mobile device. Here’s how it works:

» Step 1: AutoSearch landing page.

» Step 2: Users are prompted to enter their primary key search terms and location preference. (Note: At the moment, there is no save search feature. I believe creating one would certainly help with addressing a valid OFCCP concern of searching for candidates while using a mobile device. While the save feature is not available on the AutoSearch app today, my understanding is that they are planning on incorporating this function into a future release.) Refer to screen-shot in step 2.

» Step 3: AutoSearch is pre-configured to run your search query against multiple sites including Yahoo’s search engine, Linkedin, Twitter, Zoominfo, and Jobster. (Note: AutoSearch uses Yahoo exclusively and does not currently run any searches across Bing or Google.) Refer to screen-shot in step 3.

» Step 4: The search results are rendered in a consolidated format, making it easier for the user to scan the results. Refer to screen-shot in step 4.

I have used the iPhone AutoSearch app on several occasions and have found it to be very intuitive and easy to use. AutoSearch delivers what it promises and makes mobile recruiting simple. You don’t need to be a “Boolean Expert” to obtain your desired search results. However, to get the best results, it is helpful to include all your critical keywords when entering the details in the search field. This will help reduce the amount of search “noise” you get back in the final results. Keep in mind, the app is still in its early phase so expect that it will continue to evolve and get better as more people use it.

AutoSearch is currently selling for $4.99. You can download a copy by visiting the iTunes store. If you want to learn more, or want to stay current with what’s new, you can follow AutoSearch on Twitter or become an AutoSearch fan on Facebook.

Finally, here’s a video that demonstrates what AutoSearch has to offer…

(*Disclaimer: The views expressed on this post are solely mine. I was not paid to endorse this product.)

Keys, money, and mobile device - these are the three most common things people never leave home without. While we may occasionally run out of the house without our wallet or keys, we almost never leave the house without our mobile device. Why is that? Well, if you really stop and think about it, our mobile device is more than just a phone; it’s our lifeline to the world. Let’s face it, mobile is our second shadow, always-on, and rarely does it ever leave our side. It fills a void. It provides us the ultimate sense of security, comfort, and most importantly it keeps us connected to the people who matter most.

According to a survey on The Future of the Internet III by Pew Research, the following were predictions about technology and its roles in the year 2020:

- The mobile device will be the primary connection tool to the internet for most people in the world in 2020.


- The transparency of people and organizations will increase, but that will not necessarily yield more personal integrity, social tolerance, or forgiveness.


- Voice recognition and touch user-interfaces with the internet will be more prevalent and accepted by 2020.


- Those working to enforce intellectual property law and copyright protection will remain in a continuing arms race, with the crackers who will find ways to copy and share content without payment.


- The divisions between personal time and work time and between physical and virtual reality will be further erased for everyone who is connected, and the results will be mixed in their impact on basic social relations.


- Next-generation engineering of the network to improve the current internet architecture is more likely than an effort to rebuild the architecture from scratch.

Today, we see a lot discussion around topics such as mobile marketing, mobile advertising, mobile search, SMS services, barcode technology, mobile video, augmented reality, touch screen technology, location based services (LBS), and the list goes on. However, I believe we are still only scratching the surface of what mobile has to offer. Who knows what the next 10+ years of mobile innovation will bring us. I am not sure about you but I’m certainly excited.

Isn’t it time to rethink our perspective on mobile? Still need inspiration? Watch this video…

Why all the hype around Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality (AR) is generating buzz as the “next killer mobile app” and for good reason. The trend in augmented reality is gaining greater momentum, which is evident by the many new vendors entering this space. Take a look at Wikitude, IBM’s Seer app, TwittARound, Wildlife Fate Campagin, or the cool AR + 3-D campaigns by Hyperfactory, etc. and you will quickly understand why there’s so much hype around this new technology. Whether you are shopping, searching for the nearest restaurant, gas station, or job-hunting on-the-go, AR has the potential to offer a little something for everyone.

Want to see more of what the future holds? Check out the latest video by Layar…

There’s a lot of buzz around this thing called Semantic Search, and for good reason. The real goal behind semantic search technology is to essentially enable the retrieval of accurate information via concept or meaning match. Semantic search doesn’t replace the traditional web but has the power to enhance it. I don’t deny that today’s major search engines do a good job at answering most search inquiries. However, the great hope with semantic search is that it may one day be able to go beyond the keywords that we type, and find exactly what we mean. This is good news if you are a recruiter and in the business of search. If your job is tied to sourcing on the web, hop over to Boolean Black Belt with Glen Cathy and check out his fantastic post on Semantic Search for Sourcers and Recruiters. One look at his site and you will quickly see why I believe Glen Cathey is a search rock-star.

Oh, and of course, definitely make sure to grab a copy of the amazing whitepaper authored by Shally Steckerl and Bryan Starbuck (CEO of TalentSpring). You can download a copy of their whitepaper on semantic search by clicking here. If you’re on Twitter, and like their whitepaper, make sure to follow @Shally and @BryanStarbuck and let them know your thoughts!

Here’s a great video explaining Semantic Search (in plain English). Enjoy!

Mobile technology is changing the way we live and work.

In Japan, a new generation of job-seekers are using a company called Otetsudai Networks to secure part-time work. While contract staffing is nothing new in the U.S., Otetsudai has come up with an interesting solution to hiring temporary resources. Otetsudai Networks is a GPS (location-based) job finding mobile service that matches part-time employees with potential employers.

How does the GPS service help Job-seekers?

Job-seekers subscribe to the service by completing a mini-C.V. detailing their core skills and expertise. The job-seeker have the option of getting job updates by taking a “GPS reading” on their phone. The candidate’s information is added to the pool of available candidates shown to prospective employers. Once a new opportunity becomes available, the job-seeker is immediately notified on their mobile device of potential employment opportunities within their proximity.

How does Otetsudai’s service help employers?

The service particularly caters to businesses seeking to hire immediate resources with specific skills. Once an employer signs up for the service, they can send requests for immediate help to the Otetsudai Network. Whether the employer is seeking someone for an hour, or all day, Otetsudai sends a list of available prospect candidates within the employer’s immediate proximity. The list shows each candidate’s qualifications, how other employers have rated their work and exactly how far away they are. Employers seeking immediate help will typically receive a list of half a dozen or more people within a few minutes.

As location-based services (LBS) increase in popularity, it’s not hard to envision a day when U.S. companies begin leveraging this technology as a method for staffing its temporary workforce. Although still in its infancy, Layar offers an augmented reality app that provides job-seekers a way to identify new opportunities by scanning what’s around you. It’s simply a matter of time before we see U.S. companies adopting the Otetsudai model of leveraging GPS to help mobilize a ready-made talent pool.

Does this still sound too good to be true? Watch the video below…

Check out Erik’s video on Social Media…

You can follow Erik Qualman on Twitter, or jump over to his site Socialnomics for more details.