Vibe with a shark on your phone through this AR experience from Nat Geo and Verizon

Posted by Aldo Pusey on Monday, May 27, 2024
I think that, at this point, we can say that Shark Week is a tradition. I mean, if it wasn’t National Geographic wouldn’t have started Sharkfest back in 2010. But I don’t mean that as a critique: the more we can get of these terrifying silly, vicious serene predators, the ohmygod better.

Because all of these specialists keep trying to convince me that sharks don’t pose an actual threat to my existence. And with time I’ve started to believe that. Sure, I’m still not ready to visit Cape Town and feed real life sharks (and check if my heart explodes or not), but I am always game for some proper AR action!

So if you fear love sharks as much as I do and want to get your sea vibes checked up before you get your yearly dose of beach-time, then you might want to take a look at this AR Sharkfest experience brought to you by National Geographic and Verizon.

Are you ready kids? I can't hear you! But that's probably because we can't communicate under water.

So, the best thing about this is that you don’t need much in order to check it out. You don’t need one of the best phones on the market to run it and you don’t need AR glasses in order to get through it, though plugging in a pair of Rokid Max glasses will make it a bit more fun.

Oh, and this is not a virtual reality experience, so you don’t need something like the Meta Quest 2 or a PC either. All you need to get started is to scan the QR code from the image above or navigate to this website from your phone.

After you do that, you are going to need to find a wide, empty area. And then they will ask you to step into a cage for a truly jeesuschrist wonderful time. In all honesty, the entire thing is basically a curated selection of videos, highlighting some of the deadliest cutest species of sharks. It's the presentation: the menu itself, that makes for the AR part. 

While I wouldn't advise you to hold your breath for this experience, it is still something neat that is absolutely free. And most importantly: it is educational and may help you overcome your irrational fear of sharks. Because sharks likely don't pose a threat to your health at all. Probably. Maybe. We'll see. Hopefully not soon. 

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Stan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.

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