The day after we reported that Wikitude was taking its augmented reality (AR) tech beyond apps and direct to the mobile Web, we’ve gotten wind that AR platform Zappar has partnered with Penguin Books to bring a handful of classic novels to life.
The partnership will see a selection from the Penguin English Library – a collection of books that celebrate 100 of the best English-language novels – given the AR treatment with animations, video, audio and extracts directly from Coralie Bickford-Smith’s new illustrated covers.
The first books to be brought to life on your smartphone will be Moby Dick and Lady Audley’s Secret, with two further titles coming later in the year. How does it work?
First up, you’ll need to download the Zappar app from iTunes or Google Play. Locate the Penguin content from the menu, and then you’ll need to point your device at the cover of the book. An array of digital content should then come to the fore.
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You can see a demo of Zappar and Penguin in action here:
“The Penguin English Library is about celebrating the ultimate readers’ editions that can be cherished, collected, given, and kept for a lifetime,” says Nicola Hill, Marketing Director for Penguin Press. “The striking designs really elevate this series and we’re delighted to work with Zappar on an inventive way of using it to celebrate and share a fresh publishing idea.”
The last time we covered Zappar was back in March when it partnered with Moonpig to roll out video-enabled greetings cards. So it’s clear that the London-based startup has something of a penchant for bringing everyday analogue items to life.
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