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Journalists Cover Microsoft, Using Macs

It’s not an easy time for Microsoft — with Steve Ballmer having to field questions about being “buffoons” and an “evil empire”  at the shareholder’s meeting (.doc) — so when they get together “the world’s most influential technology pundits and online writers” (nb: we weren’t invited) for Mobius to discuss super-secret mobile tech you’d think [...]

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The bargains include a 2.26 GHz MacBook + $150 gift card at Best Buy for $999.99 ; a 32GB [...]

Review: Voices Is Today’s Best Thing Ever, Grab It Now While It’s Cheap

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Review: Sony Walkman S540 Series Video MP3 Player

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“Sony’s S Series Walkman,” it chattered, “is a serious challenger to the iPod Nano.” Gosh, really? Perhaps the Cult had better have a look at one, then, despite [...]

Bionic Eye iPhone App Points the Way To the Nearest Hooters

bionic_eye

In a strange city and need to find the nearest Hooters? A new iPhone app, Bionic Eye, has got you covered.

Designed for the iPhone 3GS, Bionic Eye is an augment reality app that overlays information about nearby points of interest over the iPhone’s camera. Hold the camera up to the building in front of you, and thanks the iPhone’s GPS and compass, the screen is overlaid with little virtual signs that say what’s inside. It also includes virtual signposts showing the way to the nearest subway station or Starbucks coffee shop.

A demo of the app surfaced in July, when the app was called “Nearest Subway” and pointed to nearby subway stations.

It’s now available in the App Store for $0.99. Versions are available for the U.S., U.K., France and Tokyo. And as well as public transit, the app points to a range of POIs, including fast food restaurants, WiFi hotspots, chain hotels and Apple stores.

The app covers all US cities and doesn’t need an active WiFi or 3G internet connection. More than 100,000 POIs are contained in the app’s 2.9MByte database. However, information about subways in the U.S. is restricted to New York, Washington, and Chicago (and you buy the info from within the application).

Bionic Eye — U.S.
Bionic Eye — U.K.
Bionic Eye — France
Bionic Eye — Tokyo

Hit the jump for a video of the app in action.

About the author

Leander Kahney

Leander Kahney is senior editor of Cult of Mac, editor of two books about technology culture, Cult of Mac and Cult of iPod, and has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Observer in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

Email the author | Read more posts by Leander Kahney.

7 comments

    Sorry to say that you cannot buy an iPhone anywhere here in Belgium. Minimum wait : 3 months…. BAD management !

    just when I think I have seen it all, the iPhone amazes me with some new and innovative app.

    “Nearest Subway” was developed by Acrossair and not by Presselite. The former is currently available in the App Store under the title, “New York Nearest Subway.” It does not display anything other than MTA subway stops and JFK parking information.

    Yelp! already does this and it’s free.

    In the first sentence is talking about the iPhone and iPod Touch.. the iPod Touch has no camera.. so I think you can’t use this application on the iPod Touch, unless apple will release a iPod with compass and Camera..

    Right now the POIs are mainstream, but this technology is the future. Check out Agent 143’s review. Under Cover News & Hottest Tech Reviews!

    http://www.youtube.com/spygirlguide
    http://www.spygirlguide.com

    The POIs are mainstream but this technology is just showing signs of life and is on it’s way to massive developments.

    Check out Agent 143’s Tech Review on Bionic Eye
    http://www.youtube.com/spygirlguide.com
    http://www.spygirlguide.com
    xoxo

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