The world’s first mobile ‘Augmented Reality’ web browser has been debuted on mobile phones in the Netherlands. Augmented Reality displays real-time digital information on top of an on-screen image from the mobile phone’s camera. By pointing the mobile phone’s camera at real-world objects, a user can see search results such as houses for sale, popular bars and shops, jobs, healthcare providers and cash machines highlighted on their mobile’s display screen.

The browser is called Layar and has been created by SPRXmobile. It works on Android-powered mobile phones that include a camera, GPS and a compass. A UK launch is planned for later this year.

We've introduced a new 'Opinion' section to our website. In the first of our opinion pieces, James Rosewell writes:

I note with interest Barclays mobile on-line banking home page extolling the safety of mobile banking whilst claiming it’s as secure as their non-mobile equivalent. This is on the same page that recommends customers use Opera Mini to access Barclays mobile on-line banking.

Yet following the link to the operamini.com web site and looking at the help section we can read Opera’s answer to the question “Is there any end-to-end security between my handset and — for example — paypal.com or my bank?” and the answer is “No. If you need full end-to-end encryption, you should use a full Web browser such as Opera Mobile.”

James Rosewell writes: I note with interest Barclays mobile on-line banking home page extolling the safety of mobile banking whilst claiming it’s as secure as their non-mobile equivalent. This is on the same page that recommends customers use Opera Mini to access Barclays mobile on-line banking.

Yet following the link to the operamini.com web site and looking at the help section we can read Opera’s answer to the question “Is there any end-to-end security between my handset and — for example — paypal.com or my bank?” and the answer is “No. If you need full end-to-end encryption, you should use a full Web browser such as Opera Mobile.”