Wikitude Drive is a light-weight navigation system which uses AR to draw turn-by-turn driving instructions directly onto the live-video screen of Android mobile devices. The award-winning application does not need any maps, but instead overlays the desired route onto the camera view of the mobile device. Of course, Wikitude Drive comes with all the regular navigation device features, such as voice commands, points of interest, night and day mode, saved addresses, and for situations such as night driving, it is easy to switch between the Augmented Reality view and the traditional 3D view.

Currently available on Android, check here for supported devices.

For as little as 9.99 Euro or GBP the online navigation software can be purchased in the Android Market. Download it today and experience the Augmented Reality way of navigation, you’ll never have to take your eyes off the road again!

Wikitude, the world’s very first Augmented Reality (AR) browser, is now offering companies, agencies, developers and individuals the opportunity to sell their location based content to Wikitude’s iPhone and iPad2 user base.

The vast majority of the content on Wikitude is free and this will remain unchanged in the future. However, due to an increased demand for the application to sell premium content “…we are now introducing a ‘try & buy’ content sales concept” says Andy Gstoll, Wikitude’s Chief Marketing Officer. As an industry first, users do not need to buy a black box, they can preview the content before actually spending money. Starting with travel premium content from tripwolf and cityseekr, Wikitude plans to expand to other verticals and AR experiences. With this update for the iPhone and new launch for iPad2, Wikitude is inviting developers and content owners – large or small – to offer their content with the opportunity to monetize their Augmented Reality World.

Although not offering the above premium content functionality just yet, Wikitude’s latest Android version 6.0 has just been launched as well. This significant update comprises a completely redesigned user interface focusing on the user’s ability to personalize Wikitude according to lifestyle and preferences. “We have listened to the Wikitude community carefully”, says Andi Hauser, Wikitude’s CIO and Android lead. “An 18 year old college student is obviously interested in different content than a 30 year old professional or a parent”. Wikitude now has the ability to be customized and therefore morph like a chameleon according to the user’s tastes and preferences. Wikitude 6.0 for Android is also the first mobile client reflecting Wikitude’s new branding and logo.

About Wikitude (Mobilizy GmbH)
Mobilizy is an early pioneer in mobile augmented reality (AR) and the creator of the internationally renowned Wikitude World Browser for iOS, Android, Symbian and Bada devices. Wikitude has been voted “Best Augmented Reality Browser” by the readers of Augmented Planet for both 2009 and 2010. Mobilizy engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. www.wikitude.org

High resolution images Wikitude 6.1 for iOS:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wikitude/sets/72157626246782947

High resolution images Wikitude 6.0 for Android: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wikitude/sets/72157626377669882/

Wikitude’s new logo is available here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wikitude/5571196416/

More information about Wikitude: www.wikitude.org

Wikitude Social Media Channels:
http://www.twitter.com/wikitude
http://www.facebook.com/wikitude
http://www.flickr.com/wikitude
http://www.youtube.com/wikitude

Editorial enquiries:
Bernhard Lehner
bernhard [at] i5comm.com
Phone +43 664 439 86 09

About Wikitude / Mobilizy GmbH
Mobilizy is an early pioneer in mobile augmented reality (AR) and the creator of the internationally renowned Wikitude World Browser for iPhone, Android, Symbian and Bada. Most recently Mobilizy has launched Wikitude Drive, the first AR navigation application with global coverage. Wikitude engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. www.wikitude.org

Wikitude Social Media Channels:
http://www.twitter.com/wikitude
http://www.facebook.com/wikitude
http://www.flickr.com/wikitude
http://www.youtube.com/wikitude

Speed, personalisation and intuitive handling are the key ingredients of the Wikitude World Browser for the iPhone. As soon as the app is started, all available points of interests (POIs) in your surroundings are shown. The corresponding details of the POIs are subsequently downloaded in the background – a procedure that noticeably increases the speed of the app.

Of the more than 1000 Worlds available in Wikitude, the user can drag his favourite Worlds to the Home Screen, making them easier and quicker accessible in the future. The user is also able to rearrange these Worlds, very much like rearranging Apps on the home screen of the iPhone.

A search-function located in the top area of the Home Screen enables the user to perform a full-text-search through all available Worlds. The personalised search-function can also be moved to the Home Screen itself. “Sushi” fans or “WiFi” hunters for example will love this feature.

All delivered information is available in three different ways: in Augmented-Reality-View (information is overlaid on the real-time camera view, augmenting reality so to speak) as well as on a map or as a list. With the flick of one finger the user can move between the different options. While viewing the app in the list-mode or map-mode a small yet very useful compass needle points towards the next point of interest.

Wikitude: where reality and computer based information fuse
Wikitude obtains its current location via the Smartphone’s GPS signal, connecting the real world with the digital world. If the iPhone is aimed at a specific area, all information available about objects within the camera’s view is shown. A current study from ARChart has shown, that the market potential for these types of Augmented Reality Applications is estimated to be 2.2 Billion USD by 2015.

Mobilizy’s current software-products are Wikitude Augmented Reality Browser and Wikitude Drive. Wikitude Browser aggregates content and information from thousands of sources (e.g. Mobile Coupons, YouTube, Flickr, Wikipedia and many more so called “Worlds”) in the camera-view of a Smartphone. Wikitude Drive is an augmented reality based navigation system.

About Wikitude / Mobilizy GmbH
Mobilizy is an early pioneer in mobile augmented reality (AR) and the creator of the internationally renowned Wikitude World Browser for iPhone, Android, Symbian and Bada. Most recently Mobilizy has launched Wikitude Drive, the first AR navigation application with global coverage. Wikitude engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. www.wikitude.org

More information about Wikitude: www.wikitude.org

Wikitude Drive Social Media Channels:
http://www.twitter.com/wikitude
http://www.facebook.com/wikitude
http://www.flickr.com/wikitude
http://www.youtube.com/wikitude

Editorial enquiries:
Bernhard Lehner
bernhard [at] i5comm.com
Phone +43 664 439 86 09

Every year at Augmented Planet, the Augmented Reality community votes for its favorite Augmented Reality applications. Similar to last year, the race was on again for Wikitude, Layar and Junaio. Having won the category of “Best Augmented Reality Browser” already in 2009, Wikitude was able to retain the crown in 2010.

Martin Herdina, Mobilizy’s CEO comments on the success: ‘Here at Mobilizy we are proud and excited about retaining Wikitude’s crown for the Best Augmented Reality Browser in 2010. We dedicate this award to our community, which keeps providing the support and the feedback we need to continuously improve our products. Stay tuned – Q1 will bring even more exciting features and partnerships to strengthen Wikitude’s perception by our community and the readers of Augmented Planet.

“We have come a long way building the Wikitude ecosystem and are glad that we have created a platform where content providers and developers can enable their innovative AR ideas and concepts. We can’t wait for all the new AR experiences, which our ever growing valued developer community will create in 2011″, says Andy Gstoll, CMO at Wikitude.

Augmented Reality browsing is still a very new concept. Similar to browsing the Internet, people can browse the reality with smartphones. Augmented Reality is a fantastic concept to make this happen, overlaying the reality, as seen through the smartphone’s camera, with additional information.

‘Augmented Reality browsing is still so new, that nobody really knows for sure what people really like. Winning the People’s Choice Award “Best AR Browser 2010” is a wonderful confirmation that people love our concept of Augmented Reality browsing. We’re continuing our quest to improve Wikitude to have interesting, local, high-quality content Worlds, an intuitive user interface, and a flexible eco-system and API, that gives developers many options to contribute.’, says Philipp Breuss-Schneeweis, founder of Wikitude.

A glorious 2010 filled with awards

The Augmented Planet’s Readers Choice victory rounds up a series of many prestigious awards Wikitude was able to claim in 2010. Other highlights last year were the World Summit Award for Mobile Content in Abu Dhabi, The Galileo Master at the European Satellite Navigation Competition and of course the Global Championship at the Navteq Global LBS Challenge. More detailed information on Wikitude’s awards can be found here.

About Wikitude / Mobilizy GmbH

Mobilizy is an early pioneer in mobile augmented reality (AR) and the creator of the internationally renowned Wikitude World Browser for iPhone, Android, Symbian and Bada. Most recently Mobilizy has launched Wikitude Drive, the first AR navigation application with global coverage. Wikitude engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. www.wikitude.org

More information about Wikitude: http://www.wikitude.org

Wikitude Social Media Channels:
twitter.com/wikitude

facebook.com/wikitude

flickr.com/wikitude

youtube.com/wikitude

For media requests please contact:

Bernhard Lehner

bernhard [at] i5comm.com

Phone +43 664 439 86 09

Please read the complete story at Augmented Planets’ Readers Choice Awards 2010 Winners.

With Martin Herdina the further global expansion of Wikitude will be under the responsibility of a successful entrepreneur and experienced Internet manager. Before the foundation of fatfoogoo in January 2007, Herdina gained broad experience as Product Management and Marketing Director at Qpass, a US-based company specialising in infrastructure for electronic payment transactions. Prior to that, Herdina, who swims, climbs, skis and travels in his spare time, had been responsible for strategic product management in executive positions at T-Mobile and UCP AG.

Martin Herdina says about his new responsibility at Wikitude: “Augmented reality is an exciting technology with a host of opportunities for many different market segments. I am very happy to join the successful team at Mobilizy and to turn augmented reality, a key theme in the future, into a useful aid for millions of smartphone users and an integral part of everyday life.

Wikitude: reality and computer-aided information merge

Via the smartphone’s GPS signal, Wikitude transmits the user’s current location and thus merges the real world with the digital. If you hold your iPhone over a certain point, it displays additional information about the objects in the camera image display. According to a recent study carried out by ARChart, the market for this type of mobile augmented reality applications alone will offer a potential of 2.2 billion USD in 2015.

The latest software products by Mobilizy are the Wikitude augmented reality browser and the Wikitude Drive app. The Wikitude browser integrates information from various sources (e.g. YouTube, Flickr, Wikipedia and many other “worlds”) in the camera view of the smartphone. Wikitude Drive is a navigation system based on augmented reality.

About Wikitude
Wikitude is an early pioneer in commercial augmented reality and the creator of the Wikitude World Browser, which is one of the first practical augmented reality (AR) mobile applications available world-wide. Wikitude engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. Wikitude is one of the leading innovators in developing new methods and applications for data acquisition and exchange in the emerging market of mobile augmented reality. http://www.wikitude.org

Media Contact:
i5comm for Wikitude
bernhard [at] i5comm.com
Phone +43 664 439 86 09

„Wikitude Drive“, the Augmented Reality navigation system made by Mobilizy www.mobilizy.com is the big winner at the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) 2010. It has been crowned „Galileo Master 2010“ as well as the GSA Special Topic Prize as best application for EGNOS, which improves positioning to 1-3 meter. 354 projects from 44 countries have been submitted to the contest. The Galileo Master went to Austria for the first time.

Wikitude Drive - not yet live, already a legend

The award ceremony of the European Satellite Navigation Competition 2010  (ESNC) took place in the Munich Residence, former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs in the center of the city of Munich, Germany. The ESNC is an international idea competition, looking for navigational concepts that harness the increased accuracy and reliability provided by Galileo, Europes Satellite navigation system.

The Augmented Reality (AR) navigation system Wikitude Drive convinced an international jury from DLR (German Aerospace Center), Navteq, ESA (European Space Agency), GSA (Global Navigation Satellite System – Supervisory Authority), and T-Mobile.

„The Galileo Master confirms, that Wikitude Drive is a revolutionary navigational concept. In future, hardware and software will be optimized for AR. Bigger screens, better processors, positioning on meter level with EGNOS, and real time POI data, will make AR navigation a killer app. Following a line, as if it has been painted onto the street, however only visible through your smartphone display – this is Augmented Reality!“, says Philipp Breuss-Schneeweis, founder of Wikitude/Mobilizy and developer of the first available Augmented Reality application Wikitude World Browser (live in fall 2008).

Wikitude Drive is the first AR navigation system for Android with global maps (see Wikitude Drive info page at ESNC). The system works by attaching your mobile phone on top of your dash board looking at the road. The application then overlays video captured through the camera with driving instructions. This allows users to literally drive through their phone, watching the road even while they are looking at directions.

Wikitude Drive will be available in the Android Market starting end of October 2010.

Wikitude is taking home a nice trophy in the shape of a satellite (top right)

„I see huge potential of AR in mobile devices and navigation. Navigation on „the last mile“ (i.e. where is the next restaurant?), adding POIs (points of interest) and LBS services lead to a new experience of mobile content. Mobile games will profit from Wikitude just as driver assistance systems. It’s going to be exciting when live content and social networks are embedded into reality. Wikitude Drive plus POIs, LBS, and gaming offer exciting business opportunities.“, says Thorsten Rudolph, Managing Director of AZO (Anwendungszentrum Oberpfaffenhofen), which has been founded by the German Aerospace Center in 2004 as incubator for the grows markets navigation, satellite, mobile communication, and geoinformation.

About Galileo

Galileo is a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) currently being built by the European Union (EU) and European Space Agency (ESA). Galileo is intended to provide more precise measurements than available through GPS (down to the metre range) including the height (altitude) above sea level, and better positioning services at high latitudes.

Wikitude winning the "Galileo Master 2010"

About EGNOS

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Europe’s first venture into satellite navigation, improves the open public service offered by the USA’s Global Positioning System (GPS). As a satellite navigation augmentation system, EGNOS improves the accuracy of GPS by providing a positioning accuracy to within three metres. By comparison, someone using a GPS receiver without EGNOS can only be sure of their position to within 17 metres.

Wikitude Drive high resolution images:

http://mobilizycom.easycgi.com/dl/WikitudeDrivePhotos_LG_Optimus.zip (15MB)

http://mobilizycom.easycgi.com/dl/WikitudeDrivePhotos_Nexus_One.zip (10MB)

About Mobilizy:

Mobilizy – the company behind Wikitude – is an early pioneer and one of the leading innovators in mobile augmented reality with in-house development of location-based services and AR experiences for smart-phones.

Mobilizy is a leading innovator in mobile Augmented Reality. Flagship product is the Wikitude World Browser, which is the first available mobile Augmented Reality browser worldwide. Point of interests can be searched by current position and viewed on a map, list, and on an Augmented Reality (AR) camera view. Wikitude is available for Android, iPhone, and Nokia 5th and 3rd edition.

Mobilizy’s AR technology is also used in White Label Products (IBMSeer at Wimbledon 2009 and 2010, Red Bull Hotspot Viewer, Lonely Planet Compass) but also for AR navigation as demonstrated in WIKITUDE Drive. Mobilizy won numerous awards for their products, e.g. „Global Champion Awards Navteq LBS Challenge 2010“, „Nr 1 Augmented Reality Browser “ (Augmented Planet).

###

The start-up Mobilizy develops mobile applications in one of the future large areas of the mobile industry, Augmented Reality. After closing first strategic partnerships and receiving numerous international awards for the company’s innovation power, the Venture Capital funding is the next
milestone for Mobilizy.

Vienna – 14 Oct 2010: Gamma III fund, managed by the local early-stage investor GCP Gamma Capital Partners, leads the investment into the Austrian mobile software developer Mobilizy GmbH. This only couple of months after Gamma III successfully sold its Internet investments FatFoogoo and 123people. The Lower Austria based tecnet fumds alongside Gamma III as co-investor.

Mobilizy is perceived as global technology leader in the space of Augmented Reality (AR). The AR platform enables the user to receive additional information about the world around him by overlaying real-time data on top of the camera view of a mobile device. The technology is applicable among others in the tourism or navigation industries. Following its flagship product WIKITUDE WORLD BROWSER, Mobilizy introduced the second one recently which is WIKITUDE DRIVE – the AR version of a traditional navigation device. Numerous international and national awards – among others the recent coronation as the Global Champion of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge 2010 – underpin the global innovation leadership.

“We’re pleased to have Gamma and tecnet on board as investors and partners who share our passion of providing a completely new user experience”, says Philipp Breuss-Schneeweis, Mobilizy’s founder. “Together we will push product development, closing large international distribution partnerships as well as focussed market penetration.”

“With a global market size of USD 2.2bn in 2015 for mobile AR apps and Mobilizy’s comprehensive AR platform, we have a promising set-up”, says Paul Weinberger, investment manager at GCP. “It is going to be exciting to meet this global challenge with such a young and dynamic team.”

„We are convinced that Mobilizy is on the right path to become a global top player in this area“, completes Doris Agneter, Managing Director of tecnet.

GCP Pressemitteilung | 2

For further information contact:
GCP gamma capital partners – The VenturePreneurs
Paul Weinberger, Principal
p.weinberger@gamma-capital.com
www.gamma-capital.com
Tel: +43-1-513 10 72

Mobilizy GmbH
Phillipp Breuss-Schneeweis, Founder
philipp.breuss@mobilizy.com
www.mobilizy.com
Tel: +43 662 45 45 55

About Mobilizy GmbH
Mobilizy is a global leading developer and provider of Augmented Reality applications for smartphones. The application together with GPS, compass and web access enables the user to receive additional information about the world around him via the mobile device’s camera – in the form of real-time information overlays. The technology is applicable among others in the tourism or navigation industries. Following its flagship product on the market WIKITUDE WORLD BROWSER, Mobilizy introduced the second one recently which is WIKITUDE DRIVE – the Augmented Reality version of a traditional navigation device. Numerous international and national awards, among others the recent coronation as the Global Champion of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge 2010, underpin the global innovation leadership.

About GCP gamma capital partners AG
GCP gamma capital partners – The VenturePreneurs is a leading Venture Capital Advisor with offices in Vienna and Bratislava. Founded in 2002, GCP has EUR 80m funds under management in three Venture Capital funds (iLab24 MFAG, gamma II Beteiligungs-AG and Gamma III SICAR (GCP as Advisor)) as well as in the mezzanine investment activities of the 2008 launched GMP Gamma MezzoPreneurs and the GCP Fund-of-Funds GIC Gamma Investment Corporation AG. GCP is focused on equity and equity-like investments (equity and mezzanine) of technology oriented and family businesses. GCP is backed by a broad base of institutional and private investors, both domestic and international. The portfolio of the funds managed by GCP encompasses numerous dynamic growth companies in technology related
sectors.

Press contact GCP:
Dr. Oliver Grabherr
GCP gamma capital partners AG
www.gamma-capital.com
Mobile: +43-1-513 10 72
o.grabherr@gamma-capital.com

About Tecnet Equity NÖ Technologiebeteiligungs-Invest GmbH
Tecnet Equity NÖ Technologiebeteiligungs-Invest GmbH is a Venture Capital fund focussed on innovative, technology oriented businesses. Tecnet finances industrial technologies, information and communication technologies, life science, material science and environmental technologies.

“This award confirms once again that we have created a unique navigation product that has the potential to revolutionize pedestrian as well as in-car navigation industry. Wikitude Drive is changing an 8,000-year history of map-reading by augmenting route directions directly onto the real road,” says Philipp Breuss-Schneeweis, founder of Mobilizy.

Wikitude Drive is the world’s first fully functional mobile AR navigation system with global coverage. It is a light-weight navigation system that uses Augmented Reality to draw turn-by-turn driving instructions directly onto the live-video screen of your Android phone. Wikitude Drive is scheduled to launch in October 2010.

“After a one year development period, it is a great feeling to receive this industry recognition and to see the results of all the hard work. I cannot wait to see this product in the Android market,” says Sebastian Höbarth, lead developer of Wikitude Drive.

High-resolution images

Wikitude Drive Website

The Austrian start-up company Mobilizy, best known for its augmented reality (AR) browser Wikitude builds AR powered Compass City Guide apps for Lonely Planet.

Places of interests such as restaurants, hotels and sights can be viewed by just looking at the live camera feed of your smartphone, thanks to Wikitude’s AR technology. The applications are available for 25 popular European, Asian, and North American cities.

“The Lonely Planet Compass City Guides are a great example of how Augmented Reality can enrich our everyday lives. Lonely Planet’s commitment to innovative digital products is truly unique and we are obviously very proud of the fact that Lonely Planet appreciates our know how and leading AR technology “ says Andy Gstoll, CEO of Wikitude.

“We’re extremely excited to launch our first application for Android phones” said Lonely Planet’s Travel Editor Tom Hall. “We believe we’ve created a new way for travellers to access Lonely Planet’s unrivalled destination content, from must-see sights to the latest restaurants and bars. As the application can pinpoint your location you can easily find what’s close to you and make sure you don’t miss a thing.”

Lonely Planet’s Compass Guides and Phrasebooks are available for $4.99 USD from Android Market (available on all Android powered phones) and will work on all major Android phones back to the very first model, the G1.

Related Link: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mobile/android/

About Wikitude
Wikitude is an early pioneer in commercial augmented reality and the creator of the Wikitude World Browser, which is one of the first practical augmented reality (AR) mobile applications available world-wide. Wikitude engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented reality experiences for smart-phones. Wikitude is one of the leading innovators in developing new methods and applications for data acquisition and exchange in the emerging market of mobile augmented reality. http://www.wikitude.org

About Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the leading global travel information company. It is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travellers. Lonely Planet covers the must-see spots, but also encourages travellers to get off the beaten track and understand more of the nature, culture and environment in each destination.  Lonely Planet currently has more than 360 writers, researchers and photographers and produces around 500 trustworthy and inspiring books, innovative downloadable digital guides, an award-winning website, wireless applications and cutting-edge television programmes. Lonely Planet was founded after Tony and Maureen Wheeler left London and hit the road in search of adventure in 1972. They travelled overland across Asia and landed in Australia where, due to incessant questions from would-be travellers, they compiled their journey notes and stapled together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Lonelyplanet.com

Media Contact:
i5comm for Wikitude
bernhard [at] i5comm.com
Phone +43 664 439 86 09