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Royal Mail

Royal Mail launches “intelligent” stamp

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

September 3, 2010 | 2 min read

The Royal Mail is not an organisation known for its 21st century practices but the nations number one deliverer of mail is adopting technology in one unlikely arena, stamps.

Affixed to an envelope this hi tech passport to the letterbox does not appear unduly remarkable but eye the four square scrap of paper through the lens of a smartphone and a different picture emerges.

With the Junaio image recognition application, available on iPhone and Android, the phone can read the image presented and navigate the browser to a related webpage.

The stamps are branded as part of the Royal Mail’s latest ‘Great British Railways’ theme and will redirect keen browsers to a video recitation of the poem ‘The Night Mail’.

It is the latest manifestation of the craze for augmented reality which gadget fans unimpressed with staid old reality are sure to lap up.

The Royal Mail's Philip Parker said: "This is the first time a national postal service has used this kind of technology on their stamps and we're very excited to be bringing intelligent stamps to the nation's post.

"Royal Mail's special stamps mark key events and anniversaries in the UK's heritage through a programme which aims to be both educational and informative.

"Through intelligent stamp technology, our stamps will open up to a whole new world of information, interest and fun to collectors and the millions of people who will receive them on letters in the coming months alike."

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