Playhouse AR

I want to start out by saying that the idea behind Omnii is very fascinating and unique, trying to create a fusion between social interactions and location-based gaming. After opening it for the first time, I was eager to try and use it to meet new people, and try new things in my first year at Cal. However, I feel that there are certain issues that hindered the app from reaching its full potential. The biggest problem with the app for me is really just the lack of users. It feels kind of awkward putting myself out there when nobody else is on the app. I feel like that rings true with my friends, who also feel less inclined to get the app because nobody is on it. I feel like Omnii thrives on an active user community - the more people involved, the more engaging and fun it becomes. But without an active user community, the app just feels hollow and empty. Secondly, I feel that there just are not a lot of things to do on the app. Of the friends that I managed to drag onto the app, enticed by the promise of missions and opportunities to meet new people, many of them (including myself) are disappointed with the lack of activities and interactions, other than just the photo drop feature. There just doesn’t feel like there is any reward, or reason to stay on the app, if there are no events, rewards, or other people here with us. Again, I really want to emphasize how exciting the idea of Omnii seems to me. I just feel like there are a couple barriers that really limit Omnii from being as great as it could possibly be, and I hope that the devs find a way to make it more interactive and embedded into the Berkeley community! :)

Omnii is honestly a refreshing twist for us college students tired of the usual social media grind. Social Map made me stumble upon nice spots right on campus that I didn't know existed! It’s casual and enjoyable, letting me see the real, unscripted lives of my friends without the typical social media gloss. Can't wait to see what cool features they roll out next!

The potential the app has is definitely that something that caught my attention initially. The app offers a different take on social media that’s designed to be more authentic and community based. Paired with Omnii’s mission and larger vision of AR integration, I’m really excited to see the feature they create to reflect this and the places they take this app!