Yesterday, Yelp released an updated iPhone application. I probably wouldn't have noticed, except that I visited the app store to download the new Facebook application that everyone was in an uproar about and it told me there was a new version. So I downloaded it, checked the notes to see if it added the ability to post reviews directly from the app (Still no? Come on, Yelp!) then closed the app.

I had pretty much forgotten about it until I saw a tweet a few hours later on Twitter from another local Portland chap, Marshall Kirkpatrick of ReadWriteWeb, titled "Yelp brings first US augmented reality to iPhone." That caught my attention right quick! I clicked on the link, and couldn't believe what I was reading. Apparently, there's a hidden feature in the new Yelp app that allows people to unlock an "augmented reality" (defined here) function. What, what, what?

As some readers may know, I've been babbling about augmented reality on my blog for the last few weeks. It's a fascinating technology that I believe has a TON of potential, if used correctly. From what I understood, Apple wasn't allowing the release of AR applications until the next iPhone software update.

The technology is here, and I guess by including the function in a release of an application update, developers are able to basically sneak it in. Hey, whatever works, right?

Shake it, shake it, shake it!

According to the article, you've got to shake your iPhone 3 times in order to activate this hidden feature. Boy, did I feel silly sitting there shaking the crap out of my phone. I was almost to the point of thinking this was all just a rotten joke being played on me when -- low and behold -- a little message appeared on my screen.

It read something like, "The Monocle is activated. Yelp thought reality is boring, so we augmented it and added a button to the upper right hand corner of the application window."

Clicking this "Monocle" button brings up the camera function within the Yelp app and allows you to view the world with the addition (or augmentation) of Yelp reviews layered over what we know as reality. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.

So, what does this have to do with real estate?

If you attended Connect SF this month, you may have heard Yelp Chief Operating Officer Geoff Donaker discuss the fact that thousands of real estate professionals have been reviewed on Yelp. It's the ultimate in transparency, and it's where our industry needs to head, whether we like it or not. Now hold that thought.

Enter a Swedish company called TAT (The Astonishing Tribe) and its "Augmented ID" product. Basically, it's a facial recognition system combined with social networking profiles. I won't go into much more detail here. You can watch the video on the company's blog. It's pretty amazing.

Connect the dots!

See where I'm going with this? No? Let's say I'm an agent. I take a photo of myself using my iPhone. By uploading that image into my profile, I activate a feature that allows anyone else to use the Yelp Monocle to access reviews my past clients have left simply by pointing their iPhone (running the Yelp Monocle) at me just as we are able to do for businesses now with this new release.  Assuming the reviews are positive, my face is now possibly one of my best marketing pieces.

Like I said earlier, the technology is already here, and as scary as it may sound to some people, I think the transparency that it can create will help push us closer to where we need to be as an industry.

Jeff Bernheisel is the Marketing Coordinator at Inman News.

The lives of its residents and the landscape of the New Orleans real estate market forever changed when Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast four years ago this month. Read an Inman News report: "New Orleans: 4 years after Katrina."

Inman News wants to hear from real estate professionals who live and work in the Gulf Coast region and continue to work with Katrina refugees and returning residents.

Those who left to live in other areas and those who have rebuilt, moved within the region, or are just now returning still face many tough decisions on housing, particularly given the state of the U.S. economy. Send us a note at future@inman.com if you'd like to share your story.

Inman Community Manager Daniel Rothamel will share "10 Ways to Market, Connect, and Convert to Sales" during the latest Inman News webinar, scheduled at 10 a.m. PST (1 p.m. EST) on Thursday, Aug. 27.

The online marketing webinar is free for Inman News Premium Members, and is part of a series of "Future Agent Tool Box 2.0" webinars.

Click here to register.

Upcoming webinars in this series include: "Tools in the Age of Hyper-Connectivity to Take Your Business to the Next Level" and "Blogging, Video, Social Media: Excite Your Clients with Cutting-Edge Communication." View some previously recorded webinars here.

Flickr photo by jepoirrier.

Connect Create, a developer challenge held during Real Estate Connect SF, has received TONS of buzz.

You've also been asking, "who won?"

Real Estate Webmasters and Diverse Solutions - the two teams remaining after a couple last-minute cancellations - both created amazing applications in just 48 hours. (Click here to read an Inman News article about the competition.)

The Real Estate Webmasters team created what might be called a "build your own IDX search" application that allows a broker or agent to customize their own search experience in a simple drag-and-drop interface. Display preferences can be set (e.g., map search vs. list search) and a host of content options from other sites (e.g., the Zillow data via the Zillow API) can be added into the mix.

You can view a demo of the front-end here.

The Diverse Solutions team undertook what they called “an experiment in transparency” with an application called Agent Scouting Report. The app – based on data from SoCal MLS – ranked agents based on their transaction volume, performance (e.g., average days on market, list to sale ratio) and tenure in the MLS. Consumers could use the app to find the most experienced, best performing agents in their search area and in their price range.

You can read more about the app on the Diverse Solutions Blog.

OK, regarding the winner ... we have decided that since these two teams battled it out as a pair, and since both applications were so strong, they will share the grand prize.

They will each receive a $500 Zappos Gift Certificate and two free passes to Real Estate Connect 2010.

Thanks again to both teams for their awesome work!

Next time you're sitting in the coffee shop waiting for your client to show up, don't start up a new game of Brick Breaker to pass the time.  Do something constructive.  Be smarter than your competitors.  Get the latest Real Estate headlines from Inman News!

Now, if you're an Inman Premium Member, you can visit m.inman.com on your smartphone and instantly see all the latest news from Inman.com optimized for your mobile device, on your schedule instead of ours.  Of course, if you prefer reading the news while sitting at your computer enjoying some quiet time, we'll still be sending out our daily headlines twice a day.

Either way, you'll be able to get the latest news no matter where you are.  Just another advantage of being an Inman Premium Member.

See related article, "Real estate techies burn midnight oil."

See related video, "Connect Create."

Inman Real Estate Connect San Francisco 2009 got off to a great start yesterday.  With even more attendees than last year's event, each room is filled with folks excited about learning, networking, and the real estate industry.

The first half of the day was filled with the workshops.  Each of the workshops experienced packed rooms of folks eager to learn and hear about the innovation sweeping through the real estate industry.  Attendees walked away with heads spinning from all the information packed into the workshops.

The afternoon saw the start of the main conference, including the opening address by Inman News Founder and Publisher, Brad Inman.  Later in the afternoon the audience was treated to what has become a staple of Inman Connect SF-- the always interesting discussion with Craigslist Founder, Craig Newmark.  

The exciting first day was wrapped-up with Cocktails at Connect, a premiere networking and social event where attendees get to share ideas, business cards, and a few drinks.  

Many of the people I spoke with said that the hallways and sessions are filled with more energy and optimism than ever before.  Attendees are excited not only about the event itself and connecting with other passionate professionals, but also what Connect SF '09 is all about-- the bright future of the real estate industry.

For more stories and interviews from the floor, head on over to the News page.  You can also follow all the social media buzz by checking out our Connect SF '09 social media dashboard.

These Inman News columnists will meet with attendees during a "Meet the Inman Writers" session at the Inman News Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco this week. The session will run from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, in the Palace Hotel's Ralston Room.

1. Kris Berg
2. Teresa Boardman
3. Gahlord Dewald
4. Joseph Ferrara
5. Marcie Geffner
6. Robert Hahn
7. Tara-Nicholle Nelson
8. Bernice Ross

Editor's note: Don't forget to use the #icsf hashtag in your blog and social networking posts, and with online photos and videos to feature them on Inman's live social media site: http://inman.socialapproach.com.

Inman Real Estate Connect San Francisco 2009 is only a few days away!  The entire event is kicked-off by the start of Blogger's Connect on Wednesday morning.  We've got an awesome schedule lined up for Blogger's Connect, and it is sure to be an information-packed event.

I know that some of you out there really wanted to attend, but couldn't make it.  Don't worry, we've got you covered! 

For the first time ever, Blogger's Connect will be broadcast LIVE on Inman.com.  The live-stream of Blogger's Connect is available to Inman Premium members.  You can find the live-stream here on Wednesday at 8:30am PST.  

This first-ever live streaming of Blogger's Connect is being provided by the guys at Dakno Marketing.

The live-stream is available to Inman Premium members only, so if you're not a Premium Member yet, this is just one more reason why you should consider upgrading now!

And when you're done watching the Blogger's Connect Live Stream, you can catch all of the happenings at Connect SF '09 by checking out our social media dashboard.  The dashboard provides central access to all the tweets, pictures, and blog posts about Connect SF '09-- LIVE.