Augmented reality in magazines works like this: You take the magazine, find special (black and white) coded markings, hold said markings up to your computer’s webcam, and voila–you can now interact with your magazine. In this case, it involves being greeted by Academy Award winner (and brilliant actor) Robert Downey Jr., told jokes by Community’s Gillian Jacobs, and by rotating the magazine in various ways you can change the surrounding environment and clothes worn by actor Jeremy Renner. Gimmicky, yes, but neat stuff nonetheless. Will augmented reality tricks save the zine industry? That’s a debated topic that shall be saved to discuss another day. This issue of Esquire is on newsstands now.
[Via Engadget]