ZugSTAR (Zugara Streaming Augmented Reality) allows for multiple people to share an AR experience via their video stream. In essence it’s a live video conference where you can see the data (or the image) that the other person is interacting with. The rest of the web is social, and now AR is too. It’s no longer a solitary experience.

This tech has potential for numerous verticals, but for the purpose of the demo, we’ve coupled it with our existing online AR shopping application, The Webcam Social Shopper. As you can see in the picture below (via @deandonaldson), Matt is onstage in Warsaw giving the presentation. Behind him (on the large screen, which is just a duplicate of what Matt is seeing on his laptop’s screen), my colleague Aaron is in his home in Los Angeles (at 3 in the a.m. local time mind you, so props for that) “modeling” a shirt. If you look at the bottom right corner of the video area in which Aaron is standing, you’ll notice the picture in picture, where you can see Matt with the image of the shirt he was “modeling” still up. AR is now two way, and it’s social.

Think about the opportunity that this presents for just the online retail space alone. Moms can shop with daughters away at college; Grandparents can shop with grandkids in another state; teenage girls can shop together on a weeknight; men can get articles of clothing “approved” by their girlfriends/wives while on their lunch break… etc. etc.

Admittedly, this blog post is just going to serve as a bit of a teaser. In a few weeks, we’ll have more details and more to show you then just a picture, but we’d love to know your initial thoughts on the tech below.

Historically, the major challenge from a user-experience perspective has been to overcome the “Last 10 Feet” problem: How do you get the video from the PC into the TV? Of course, directly connecting the video output of a computer into the TV, essentially using it as a big monitor, is a possibility. However, this option has not been widely adopted for a few reasons, most of which are centered on the issue of making the system accessible to the whole family. First, relatively few people outside of technology enthusiasts have a spare computer to put in the living room. Also, even for those that do, having a keyboard and mouse on the couch to control the system, even if they are wireless, is impractical. The extra cables and bulk tend to be an eyesore. Moreover, computer displays on TV’s (even HD) tend to be hard to use due to the need to read tiny computer-sized writing.

PlayOn addresses these issues by leveraging the Media Center capabilities of the increasingly ubiquitous console gaming systems – XBOX 360, PS3 and Wii. All of these systems can communicate with the PC with PlayOn installed wirelessly and provide a simple menu-based system for accessing content.

MediaMall’s offering certainly makes the overall process easier and more seamless than previous efforts – but it still falls short of seriously challenging its non-PC based alternatives. Consider a basic use case: a family that wants to watch a movie. First, the entire system needs to be installed and configured – this poses a daunting challenge for people who aren’t technically-oriented, and certainly more confusing than a competitive service, such as Pay Per View through DirecTV. Additionally, the overall user experience is not nearly as smooth. For instance, a typical process for watching a movie would require booting up the Playstation, a process that requires perhaps a minute of waiting – a long time in this age of instant gratification. Perhaps worst of all, seamless playback relies on a (typically) WIFI connection. Buffering problems or other technical glitches have plagued the system. For people comparing the experience with Pay Per View, the movie absolutely must play back without interruption in order to be in the same ballpark. The WIFI issue is pernicious, as the vast majority of people have 802.11b or g based WIFI, for which the problem is endemic.

However, the main draw of PlayOn is it’s ability to stream video content from Hulu, YouTube, CBS.com, and other content based sites. Say you missed the last few episodes of 24 and you really don’t want to sit in front of your 15-inch laptop screen to view them. That’s where PlayOn’s main niche fits in as it’s very easy to connect to Hulu through the software though as mentioned previously, you do need one of the major game consoles to run it.

Overall, for people who have a technical background and an appreciation for the hurdles a system like PlayOn must face, it is a fun and convenient way of watching content on the television. But in terms of seriously challenging the closed systems of DSS and Cable TV for the dominance they hold in at-home, on demand video delivery, Internet-based systems have a ways to go.

Recently the upcoming CBS television series Harper’s Island, scheduled to air April 9th, stepped into the interactive realm to draw us curious online content hungry media suckers into its domain of mystery with Harper’s Globe. Without going into too much background, the Globe is an online supplement or prequel to the broadcast show Harper’s Island. It revolves around Robin Matthews, a recent college grad. She takes a job to digitize the islands newspaper archives as well as build a social network on the papers website. After sorting through boxes of dusty articles she comes across a story of a hack and slash maniac that made everyone squeal like a stuck pig once upon a time.

The content thus far is captivating, but what makes the Harper Globe’s interactive foray a step above past attempts to provide supplemental online content is the approach. Having launched weeks before the air of the TV series, the site presents a truly social web series. The shows cast provides fresh content on a daily basis, videos, and blog updates. Fans can join the shows social network and follow the pack in a web of murderous intrigue. Posting content, commenting and interacting with the shows characters. If that is not enough, you can even investigate a little deeper into Robin’s past on her college blog. What I dig most is that the creators of this interactive endeavor were smart enough to wrap up daily video posts on weekly basis. Slapping on a tidy bow so those who don’t have time to follow every snippet or just jump on the wagon after the ship sailed can be brought up to speed. No one likes to feel alienated, unless you feed off anger and self-pity. For better or worse, I believe for the better, Harper’s Globe is a sign of what lies ahead for today’s demanding audiences.

Now that I have given my love, I have a few bones to pick with my crow beak. First off, where is the Facebook Connect or MySpace ID? One new subscriber could mean hundreds more exposed to the CBS campaign. When it comes to community ventures outside of the established behemoth online social networks you are already strapped with a cinder block. When your looking to build online community, the last thing you want to add is more layers. What was that password again?

Before I wipe my mouth I have one last piece of meat to pick. Rule number one, be honest and genuine to your community. Begging makes me want to gag. After joining the community and consuming the content I felt the need to be an active participant. Low and behold, I found pleas on the “Fresh Start” trailer for comments on YouTube, a call for a “Comment Party”, from the Globe’s cast and creators. When I checked out YouTube I found a gaggle of spammers, the same group of viewers commenting over and over again. If the content is intriguing, if the interactivity makes the user feel like they are active participants in the story the virus will spread and the herd will follow. No need for begging, no need to create a perception of dishonesty. It stains the experience, cracking the walls of perceived reality in a blatant, dishonest marketing attempt. “…no meepers here, just me spamming cause I’m bored.” The CAKE is a LIE.

What Harper’s Globe gives fans is a new way to interact, a new way to become immersed into the Harper’s Island mystery. It is not a new idea, but it feeds the need for those who won’t settle with passive entertainment consumption, allowing them to engage, possibly even discover a clue. It is a tool for brands to increase recognition, a tool to grow and nurture your fan base, whether or not there is a season 2. Will all online video be interactive? Is Harper’s Globe next gen TV, TV 2.0? No, the future of television holds a lot more in store for its audience. For now, a little bit of heroin goes a long way.