As we move into different types of media, one of the most confusing is Hyper Media.
A few years ago, Hyper Media was an entirely technical term used by computer programmers to identify the linking of information using code. This is a core of the word “hyper” – which is used in terms like hyperlink or hypertext: which is when words link to something like my twitter account for Barry Hurd.
For another spin on the definition:
“Hypermedia, a term derived from hypertext, extends the notion of the hypertext link to include links among any set of multimedia objects, including sound, motion video, and virtual reality. It can also connote a higher level of user/network interactivity than the interactivity already implicit in hypertext.”
But wait… the term Hyper Media is evolving (like everything else on the web!)
The real world and digital world are now linked. This is mostly through the use of several trends:
- The creation of digital profiles
(Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin)
- The migration of real world data to online
(bills, ticket sales, invitation lists)
- The utilization of online contact lists
(email, friend networks, associations, employers)
- The usage of wireless browsers
(laptops, cell phones, mobile gadgets)
Technically speaking, using things like a Twitter handle or having personal website (like barryhurd.com) – has transformed us to become hyper-people (which is entirely different than just having too much sugar in your diet.)
BASIC EXAMPLE ONE
When you have a business card that has a twitter username such as @barryhurd , most of the general population now has a cell phone that is capable of experiencing “more of Barry” than what is immediately standing right in front of them.
BASIC EXAMPLE TWO
A person turns to Google and “Googles me” to immediately find out more information. In this instance, my name has become the technological “code” required to access a variety of different information sources.
EVOLVING AND COMBINING
Hypermedia is now becoming more present in our lives thanks to powerful handheld devices and widespread wireless access (wi-fi, 3G/4G), spawning hundreds of different applications using augmented reality to bring hypermedia into an easier to understand platform. For many applications, this means using tags or visual markers that can be identified by a camera and then find additional data on the web.
The FOX smash hit Avatar released an entirely new line of toys that offers additional “toy” experiences using a web cam
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’340′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JWk_JIE3Ow[/pro-player]
LEGO installed store kiosk that allowed children to view boxes and see animated constructs based on the LEGO parts contained within.
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’340′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGu0N3eL2D0[/pro-player]
Have you seen any interesting applications of hypermedia and augmented reality?