Launched September 2009 in Japan, Sekai Camera from Tonchidot Corporation was named the Best App in 2009 by Apple Japan, becoming one of the most popular apps in Japan. Now Sekai Camera has finally come to the United States. With Sekai Camera you can tag places in augmented reality with text, photo, or voice message. Just hold your phone up and see what’s around you or tag places. There are two modes in Sekai Camera and you can easily move back and forth between the by rotating your phone. In landscape mode you are in the “Sekai Camera Mode (Augmented Reality Live View)” and in portrait mode you go into “Sekai Life Mode (Life-stream View)”.

Tonchidot Corporation mentions a few things about their app: their service requires an Internet connection (3G or wi-fi), that you understand your wireless carrier’s data rates, and that you agree that you’re responsible for those charges. I think this is pretty much standard info for most iPhone apps, but maybe it has something to do with stuff in Japan. They also mention that the app works best with wi-fi and they recommend that you keep your wi-fi on.

Features of Sekai Camera:

  • Air Tag: Create and browse location-linked digital Post-its® that float in real space. See and share text, photo, voice, and web-links posted as Air Tags. Send and receive Air Shout messages that fly.
  • Air Filter: Search for the Air Tags that you are looking for by specifying time, distance and type.
  • Air Pocket: Bookmark your favorite Air Tags and put them in your “pocket”.
  • Sekai Life: Create a life-stream that shows how you and your friends have interacted with Sekai Camera in a timeline display.
  • Air Profile: Register and display your own profile as a personalized Air Tag. This virtual name-tag floats right above your iPhone for others to see – look up!
  • Air Tweet: See your Tweets as floating Air Tags, through a mash-up with Twitter.
  • Air Zoom: Just double tap or pinch in/out to zoom in/out.

Sekai Camera was designed for use on iPhone 3GS. You can download the app onto a iPhone 3G, but you won’t get the full set of features from the app. All of that said, you can get Sekai Camera FREE from the App Store.

Now, I’ve tried it out for a bit, but there is no tags around me. I’ll give it a few weeks and see what happens.

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