Today, I tried Amazon AR for the first time.
I'm not sure how long the Amazon AR Player app has been available or how long Amazon's provided users a way to convert their drawings on Amazon boxes into augmented reality images. However, I tried it for the first time today and my inner child was pleased.
The Box
My Dad bought some items during last week's Prime event. The white apple shape, which I later learned was a pumpkin, caught my attention immediately. I emptied the contents and claimed the box as my own.
There was a blank, white pumpkin shape on the two long sides of the box. There were also several solid, black Jack-O-Lantern and bat shapes around the larger white shape. I believe these random shapes are important for scanning the box.
Both long sides of the box also included two step instructions and a QR code to "Create your own augmented reality pumpkin:"
Draw a face on the pumpkin with a marker
Scan here to see your pumpkin come to life!
Two of the box's flaps included three step illustrated instructions:
An illustration of a hand drawing a pumpkin face
An illustration of a mobile device taking a photo of the pumpkin face with #morethanabox below.
An illustration of a pumpkin face levitating over a mobile screen.
The other two flaps repeated the text "Create your own augmented reality pumpkin #morethanabox."
Drawing My Pumpkin Faces
The box itself didn't specify how to draw a face on the pumpkin or what the app's limitations were. I didn't think to download the app first, but I should've since it provided slightly more detailed instructions than the box did.
However, the box did say to draw with a marker. I grabbed a Sharpie permanent marker and started drawing faces.
On one side, I drew a face with wonky eyes, eyebrows, lines under the eyes, triangular nose, and a buck-tooth smile. After drawing the eyes the way I did, I wasn't sure if the app would be able to 'see' the details I added.
On the other side, I drew a worried face with dual triangles for the nose. I wanted to keep this face simple with solid shapes because I wasn't sure if the first pumpkin face would be successful.
Amazon's AR Guide
I used the camera on my Samsung Galaxy S20+ to scan the QR code. It prompted me to visit the Amazon AR App's Halloween webpage.
Unlike the box, the webpage provided four steps for "AR Pumpkin Carving:"
Use a black marker
Draw solid shapes to "carve" a face on your pumpkin.
Avoid coloring in the rest of your pumpkin.
Turn on your sound to maximize the magic.
I was convinced after reading step two that my first pumpkin face wouldn't turn out right in the app.
Further down the webpage was information for getting a virtual box. I thought this was a nice option for someone who wanted to participate but didn't have one of Amazon's AR boxes.
There's also a note that states "All of our experiences are featured on boxes made with less material." In other words, not all Amazon boxes will have the AR experience printed on them. I assumed because my Dad's Amazon box consisted of a few small items, it was packaged in a smaller box that just happened to have the AR experience printed on it.
Because I'm using an Android device, I clicked the link to "GET IT ON Google Play." By habit, the first thing I noticed was the 2.5-star rating as of this morning, October 20, 2020. I didn't think much of it at the time because I wanted to try the app for myself first.
I proceeded to install the app on my S20+. It auto started the Amazon AR app. It then prompted me with the following question: "Allow Amazon AR to take pictures and record video?" I selected the option to "allow" the app to do so.
I was then prompted with a screen that read "Please use this experience with parental supervision. Be aware of your surroundings when using augmented reality." Since I'm technically an adult even though I feel like a kid at heart, I selected the only option telling the app I was "Ready to Continue."
The next screen had an orange rotating pumpkin with text that read "The Halloween Experience is 18 MB." I selected the option to "Begin Download."
The app then presented two steps for using the Halloween Experience:
Draw a face on your pumpkin with a dark marker
When ready, look at the pumpkin with your phone to bring it to life
Scanning the First Face
After the Halloween Experience downloaded, I was prompted to "move your phone slowly around the box." I laid the box on its side with the drawing facing the ceiling. The app scanned various identifiable points on the box, including the solid black Jack-O-Lantern and bat shapes.
I was then prompted with a pumpkin outline in which I needed to center my pumpkin face within. As soon as my pumpkin face drawing was within frame, the app informed me that the scan was "Complete!"
A 2D illustration of my pumpkin face over an orange pumpkin shape appeared onscreen with the question, "Does this look right?" To my surprise, it picked up the details I worried it wouldn't 'see.' While I had the option to "Rescan," I selected "Confirm" since it looked right.
The screen switched back to live camera mode and I watched as an AR version of my pumpkin face grew out of the white pumpkin shape on the box and rose into the air. Then it disappeared.
Because I was holding my S20+ face-down, I thought the app glitched out. I selected the option to "RESCAN" and tried again. The same thing happened again.
This time I pulled my camera away from the box to see the pumpkin floating a decent distance above the box onscreen. It worked!
Scanning the Second Face
I placed the box upright with the opened box flaps facing the ceiling. The pumpkin face faced me directly. I closed the app and opened it directly from my S20+. I wanted to see if anything different would happen.
The app prompted to "move your phone slowly." I was confused at what I needed to do at first, but then I realized it was attempting to rescan the box.
I was then prompted with a pumpkin outline and a direction to "tap to place pumpkin." I figured because I used the app previously it was letting me skip several steps. However, it displayed the previous pumpkin face onscreen.
I selected the option to "RESCAN," center the drawing within the pumpkin outline, and confirm the 2D illustration.
Once again, I watched as an AR version of my pumpkin face grew out of the white pumpkin shape on the box and rose into the air. It worked!
My Thoughts
Overall, I thought this was a fun thing to do for a few minutes of my time. In fact, it probably took you longer to read or skim through this blog post than it did for me to draw a couple faces, install the app, and watch my drawings 'come to life.'
I'm grateful the app didn't require me to create or sync an account. There were no in-app ads that annoyed me while I used it. Unlike some of the reviews I read online, the app never crashed on me.
The only permission I had to set was for the app to use and access the camera and image gallery. This made sense because the app relied on the camera to deliver the AR experience. I was able to take screenshots of the experience which were saved in my image gallery.
The educator in me was irritated to see the inconsistency of the steps provided. The four steps provided on the Amazon AR App's Halloween webpage were the most detailed and helpful in ensuring a successful augmented reality experience. Nowhere else does Amazon state to use a "black" marker, draw "solid" shapes, and "avoid coloring in the rest of your pumpkin."
I think it would benefit most users, especially those who haven't used AR before, to have the four steps from the webpage provided in the app. It's not uncommon for someone to skip instructions provided on a webpage to only pay attention to the instructions provided when they need it most.
In this case, most users would only pay attention to the instructions provided within the app. Unfortunately, the app only presents two simple instructions that leave out the helpful details for a successful experience.
After all, I started drawing before I scanned the QR code to discover the more detailed instructions. I realize Amazon can only include so much text on the box, so I'd recommend switching steps one and two. Encourage users to scan the QR code before drawing a face on the pumpkin with a marker.
Of course, there would be some who won't read anything other than what's printed on the box. At the very least, I'd recommend specifying a black marker in the step about drawing a face. I wouldn't be surprised if someone used their favorite color marker to find that the experience didn't work well, or at all, for them.
Since it worked for me, I'll leave a positive review with some suggestions for improvements. I was entertained for a few minutes, and that's enough given how 2020 has been thus far.
What's Next?
If another Amazon box with the AR experience comes my way, I'll grab my black Sharpie permanent marker and start drawing. I'll then use the app to watch my drawing 'come to life.'
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam
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