Archive for the ‘Economy’ Category

Track where US gov bailout trillions went with augmented reality mobile app

A new augmented reality app from Layar allows Android and iPhone 3GS users to view recovery.gov contract dollars at play work in the real world.

Image above: an example of what those happy blue bailout bubbles look like, bouncing about on the thoroughly bailed-out streets of Washington, DC. My only criticism so far (I haven’t tried the apps): instead of blue circles as representational icons, the designers really should have chosen taxpayers’ tears. Snip:

Layar is an application that overlays your view of the real world with waypoints representing your favorite coffee place, the movie theatre you’re trying to find, or in this case, where some of that $787 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is going. If you have an iPhone 3GS or Android device you can install the Layar app for free and then search for “recovery” or “sunlight” within Layar to find this layer. The layer works best near large cities where you are most likely to find recovery contracts.

Recovery.gov Augmented Reality Mashup [Sunlight Labs, via Micah Sifry]

Layar Reality Browser [Layar]

How the Hell Is HTC Hurting Right Now? [Htc]

Endless hardware rumors. A dedicated fanbase. The best Android phones around. How is it that HTC, a company that people actually like, and which looks like it’s doing so well from where we all stand, is hemorrhaging profit?

Q3 financials are in, and they show nothing but pain:

Smartphone maker HTC Corp reported Tuesday an 18% drop in third-quarter net profit… The company, the world’s largest maker of phones using Microsoft Corp.’s operating system by shipments, said its net profit for the three months ended Sept. 30 fell to NT$5.76 billion (US$179.0 million) from NT$6.99 billion a year earlier.

This is worse than predicted. So OK, let’s think: What could it be? Look closely:

The company, the world’s largest maker of phones using Microsoft Corp.’s operating system by shipments

Ah, right, this. As much publicity as HTC’s Android phones get from the tech press, they’re still a Windows Mobile company at their core, a fact which is becoming more ballast than fuel. That, combined with all the money they’re spending on changing that, i.e. marketing their Android push, makes being HTC right now a pricey proposition. Pull through, guys! Then you can put Android on the Touch HD2 and we can all go home happy. If that’s not your plan, somehow, then kindly sulk off and die. [WSJ]