Hallmark Introduces ‘Augmented Reality’ Greeting Cards for Valentine’s Day

Hallmark introduced a new line of greeting cards today using what’s come to be known as augmented reality. The greetings cards, while fully functional as traditional cards, offer a unique and innovative experience by allowing the recipient to use the card as a platform for a 3D animated sequence come to life right before their eyes.

Disney fans may recognize this as the same technology that Disneyland pushed heavily last summer with the Fantasmic! Dragon and the Become a Villain game.

Launching just in time for Valentine’s Day, the line currently consists of ten variations including licensed properties such as Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Scooby Doo and, of course, Disney Princesses, with more expected to be introduced in the future. The cards will retail for $2.99 each except for those that include sound, which will retail for $5.99 each.

Using the card itself as a target, the recipient downloads an application from Hallmark’s website that allows them to use their webcam (required)  to recognize and use the card as a stage on which they can view the animation and hear the sounds on their computer screen. As the recipient moves and turns the card, the animation responds, offering a full 360 degree view.

The video below, from Hallmark, shows many of the licensed cards in action, including the one Disney Princess card which features characters from Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.

This YouTube video, also from Hallmark, offers a better demonstration of how the technology works and shows just how in control the recipient is with how the animation is virtually displayed on top of the card.