Nokia Point & Find Application Now Available

Remember that Point & Find Application that Nokia talked about way back in September ?

Well I’m happy to say, that the Beta of this neat Application has finally been released (for UK and USA users only). You can head on over to the Nokia Point & Find website to check out the application.

Here’s a short introductory movie for Nokia’s Point and Find app :

This first beta version will recognise barcodes and cinema posters, offering up more than we originally expected. Scan a barcode to get more product info, and in time, the best prices on a product. Movie posters will throw up the option to view a trailer and in some parts even the ability to book tickets.

Here’s a bit of the press release :

New platform enables businesses to engage with consumers in real time with relevant content

Nokia introduces an innovative service concept that enables people on the move to access relevant information and services on the internet, simply by pointing their mobile phone camera at real-life objects.  A beta version of Nokia Point & Find, focusing on movies, is now available in the UK and US. Capabilities will later expand into other services and countries.

“With Nokia Point & Find, businesses are able to target engaging experiences and calls-to-action to consumers. We believe that this first Nokia Point & Find-based service for movies will add something special to the cinema experience. Simply by pointing their camera phone at a poster for a new movie, people can watch the trailer, read reviews, and find the closest cinema where it is playing,” said Philipp Schloter, General Manager, Nokia Point & Find.

Nokia Point & Find is an open service platform on which other companies can build innovative customized experiences to drive better engagement with potential customers. Nokia is inviting businesses, content providers and agencies to discuss how the Nokia Point & Find service could help them with specific applications, campaigns or promotional activities.  Unique experiences can be created through the self-service Nokia Point & Find Management Portal, or by working with the Nokia Point & Find professional service team.

Businesses have already recognized the potential for Nokia Point & Find in their campaigns.

Casey Harwood, Senior Vice President, Digital Media at Turner Europe said: “Nokia Point & Find is an innovative new service which will enable users to point their camera phone at various Cartoon Network related objects and receive relevant show or product information direct to their handset.  In an on-demand world, this technology represents an exciting development for both content providers and consumers.”

“BODY WORLDS appeals to adventurous and curious people of all ages. We see Nokia Point & Find as an intriguing new way for people to find out about BODY WORLDS & The Mirror of Time at the O2. By integrating this technology with our outdoor advertising in London we have created not just another special promotion, but also a chance to experiment with something quite innovative,” said Nicky Hewgill, Marketing Manager, BODY WORLDS London.

“The Nokia Point & Find service marries the digital world with the physical world in a way that actually has meaning for brands and consumers. Not only does it allow consumers to engage with brands in an innovative way but provides brands ‘point and purchase’ opportunities with an on-the-go audience,” said Julian Pate, Client Partner, AKQA.

Nokia Point & Find uses advanced real time image processing and recognition technologies to link the user to digital content and services.  It also recognizes bar codes, integrates GPS positioning technology, and supports category-specific text-entry search.  When the phone is pointed at an object, Nokia Point & Find uses a variety of the phone’s capabilities including the camera, internet connectivity, and GPS positioning to evaluate the object. Then, by rapidly searching through a database of virtually tagged items, the system identifies the object and returns a set of links to associated content and services.

Companies interested in using Nokia Point & Find for their own campaigns can visit http://pointandfind.nokia.com to request further information. Nokia Point & Find’s beta release is available for download into select mobile devices in the UK and US at http://pointandfind.nokia.com as well.

The service itself uses real time image processing and recognition technologies to connect users to digital content and services. Using a combination of imagery, camera, Internet and GPS positioning technologies the app will evaluate the object in focus and return any relevant information, having cross-referenced the object against a database of already tagged objects.

Point and Find will only work on select devices at the minute which include: N82, N95, N95 8GB, N76, N81, N81 8GB, E51, E66, 6290, 6124 Classic, 6161 Classic, 6120 Classic, 6110 Navigator and 5700 XpressMusic.

No E71 or 5800 yet folks.

Check it all out over on PointandFind.Nokia.com.