Augmented reality is a technology that couples physical reality with computer-generated imagery. You see it on TV all the time. One simple example is the first-down lines that sports networks display during broadcasts of football games. Augmented reality isn't limited to location-based applications, however; a number of games, browsers, Wikipedia-based apps, Twitter clients, and the like use the same technology.
One very popular augmented-reality app is . Marketed as a "real time social discovery network," Brightkite lets users "check in" at restaurants, bars, and other public places and then see who is in the area and who has been there before. Back in December 2008, the application started showing advertisements for nearby businesses in its augmented-reality view.
When they launched, the ads were fairly unobtrusive, appearing at the bottom of your phone's display. Now, however, giant logos for Starbucks and McDonald's invade your screen if you're close to one of those chains' outlets. And if you click on the logo, you get additional information about the retailer and the various products it carries. I think that these advertisements violate what Brightkite said its mission was--social networking. Does anyone make friends based on whether or not they dine at McDonald's?
If you frequently use and , you may have noticed that local businesses are now highlighted when you're getting directions. This is helpful, I suppose, if you need to stop for a gift on your way to a party or need a caffeine boost before a big job interview. For the most part, however, they're pretty distracting, especially when you're trying to navigate through an unfamiliar area.