360 Panorama: view augmented reality panoramas in Mobile Safari
We've talked about 360 Panorama before -- it's a cool app that lets you capture 360° panoramic photos in real time by just moving your iPhone around in a circle. The $0.99 app (available here) has been out for a while, but keeps receiving amazing updates that improve its functionality and wow factor.
Now the wizards at Occipital have figured out a way for you to view those panoramas as if you're actually standing at the site where they were taken. You simply open up Mobile Safari on an iPhone 4 (or any other gyroscope-equipped iPhone running iOS 4.2), point to a URL where the photo is stored, and then move the phone around. The gyroscope is detected by the browser, and then your movements control where in the panorama you are looking. The standard reverse-pinch gesture lets you zoom into a panorama, while pinching zooms out. All using HTML 5 and thanks to a recent update in iOS.
If you have an iPhone that supports iOS 4.2 and has a gyro built in, go to this site in Mobile Safari to see how the panorama viewing in Mobile Safari works. It's pretty cool!
Share
Categories
We've talked about 360 Panorama before -- it's a cool app that lets you capture 360° panoramic photos in real time by just moving...
Add a Comment
or you could just put the phone in your pocket and spin around in a circle looking at a real panorama
December 21 2010 at 7:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis is augmented reality (with is the augmenting if the real world with generated graphics, information, or sounds).
You might be able to call it virtual reality - but even that is a stretch.
That should have read - this is *not* augmented reality
December 21 2010 at 10:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySadly, my iPhone 4 is still running 4.1. I'm waiting on the untethered 4.2 jailbreak.
December 21 2010 at 12:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe latest iPod touch *does* have a gyroscope.
I have this app. It's cool but mostly as a toy / demo. The exported panoramas are really low resolution and the stitching can be improved quite a bit.The website linked in this article with the Central Park panorama unfortunately uses Flash on the desktop. On the iPhone, it's choppy to the point of being unusable. Inside the app itself you can move around the panorama very smoothly.
Actually it'll use HTML5 on the desktop, too, if you're in Safari (and soon, Chrome, once Chrome supports it) and it should be super smooth. If only every browser supported the 3D effects we need :)
December 21 2010 at 11:55 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyGreat! Looking forward to it. I really like how you can email Panoramas and view them inside the program.
December 21 2010 at 1:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThanks for the heads up. Looks cool.
.. but "on an iPhone 4 (or any other gyroscope-equipped iPhone"
Is there any other *gyroscope-equipped iPhone*??
Unless you have jury-rigged one yourself, I believe the iPhone 4 is the *only* gyroscope-equipped iPhone.
Deals of the Day
more deals- Refurb Mac Pro Xeon Quad-Core 2.8GHz Workstation for $1,150 + $38 s&h, more
- Used Apple iPad 32GB Wi-Fi Tablet for $200 + free shipping
- Apple iPod nano Multi-Touch 8GB MP3 Player for $100 + $8 s&h
- Cases for New iPad at HandHeldItems: Extra 20% off, $2 credit, from $3 + $3 s&h
- $15 Apple iTunes Gift Card for $8 for new Saveology customers
- Retro 80's Case for iPhone for $11 + $2 s&h
Software Updates
more updatesFeatured Stories
more stories
Popular Stories
TUAW (or The Unofficial Apple Weblog) is a website devoted to tips, reviews, news, analysis and opinion on everything Apple.
11 Comments