Ever wanted to share a snowman in springtime, send a love letter to a stranger—or surprise a loyal customer with a gift message?

Get a load of Layar, which puts the magic of augmented reality in the hands of anyone with an idea and an iPhone 3GS or a phone that runs Google's Android OS. Its Reality Browser lets users see digital messages scattered over the real world.

The result is a second society invisible to the naked eye. Create Your Own Layar lets you build any type of message you want, then tag it to what you like: Focusing a phone on a random barstool might reveal a video left by the last person there, and random strangers on the subway could be littered with messages of unrequited love from those who adore them from a distance.

One of the coolest things about Layar is the license it gives to create e-cards of the future: Use it to encourage users to leave things like snowmen—or virtual versions of your dynamite product—on each other's porches. When someone "leaves" a digital creation somewhere, Layar can contact the recipient and invite them to see their digital gift, complete with a personalized message.

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