Try augmented Esquire without buying it

November 10, 2009 in Magazine covers, technology, Trend, USA | 4 comments

So I’m told it hit the newsstands today. But why wait? I managed to have a play around with Esquire‘s Augmented Reality special simply by taking a blurry mobile phone camera picture of this webpage, downloading the app and then pointing my phone screen at my webcam. Works perfectly. And you know what? For once, it seems like they’ve actually done a gimmick pretty well. Great use of the cover star, certainly.

There’s another A-R page from the same Esquire that you can play with up here, which isn’t as interactive, but does include time-sensitive content – play it after midnight (and before morning?) and you get a dirtier joke. All of which shows a level of thought lacking in the whole e-ink fiasco, apparently in part thanks to E‘s partners in this one, The Barbarian Group.

Anyone got scans of the other three A-R pages?

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  1. Jeremy’s avatar

    Jeremy on November 10, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    Nice work, Andrew! The still looks intriguing, wil have to follow your lead and photograph the code.

  3. Samir Husni’s avatar

    Samir Husni on November 11, 2009 at 6:13 am

    Andrew
    Check my experiment with both Esquire’s AR and Colors AR issues on my blog http://www.mrmagazine.wordpress.com More cotton candy for our taste buds, but nothing to satisfy our hunger. Thanks for all what you are doing for this industry. There is hope.

  4. andrew’s avatar

    andrew on November 11, 2009 at 6:53 am

    Thanks Samir – I particularly liked the results of your trying out Robert Downey on the Colors AR system. I agree, it is cotton candy (candy floss for you Brits out there) – but funfairs are enjoyable diversions sometimes. Once a year, anyway.

    One thing worth noting about the difference between Colors and Esquire’s uses of the effect – the Esquire cover uses depth, so turning and moving the magazine creates some neat effects. It helps sustain your interest in holding up the thing, whereas Colors just seems to make your wrists ache.