With many high-end mobiles coming with features and apps that we would have scoffed at as impossible even a couple of years ago, we sometimes wonder whether the thing in our hand can ‘also be called a mobile phone'.
Let's start with Google Goggles. Just point the camera at any place or object. You will get the details about it in seconds. Goggles is an augmented reality product from Google. My friend excitedly discovered that it found the ISBN details of one of his books and even provided links to some vendor sites! He even tested Goggles with a picture of the Taj Mahal shot from an unusual angle, but Goggles was bang on target.
There are many other augmented reality apps, but Goggles is the most visible because, yes you guessed it right, it is from Google. The other apps (most of them require GPS) include Wikitude (places), Layar and TweepsAround (that shows the tweeters near you).
There are apps such as Shazam and Soundhound that help you find details of the song you are listening to, again within seconds. You have to fire up the app and allow it to listen to the song. The source could be anything — even your own voice. The apps take a few seconds to record the song and a few more to find and tell you the details.
There are also apps such as Satellite AR that claim to tell you what satellites are hovering above you! Google's own Sky Map tells you the constellation above. Just point your mobile's camera above. That's it!
There are several barcode apps that tell you all about the product by scanning — no prizes for guessing — the barcode. Many of them also double up as QR (quick response) scanners of Web sites and download links.
If you have a nice picture of some landmark for your child's school project but cannot recall the name of the place, just use Google Goggles!
There's just one catch: Most of these apps are available only for mid- and high-level phones.