The Advanced Technologies and Projects (ATAP) team over at Google has today unveiled Project Tango, an innovative new piece of smartphone technology that offers genuine 3D motion tracking to mobile devices. The ambitious development, which project lead Johnny Chung Lee describes as being part of a goal "to give mobile devices a human scale understanding of space and motion," looks very exciting indeed, and with seemingly no boundaries as to where this technology could go and how it may eventually be used, a prototype kit has already been prepped for intrigued developers. Further details, including a demonstration video, can be seen after the fold.
Facebook's purchase of WhatsApp for $19 billion has taught us a lot of things, and while the focus has been mainly upon the breathtaking sums of money involved in this particular transaction, WhatsApp's swift 5-year rise, and the dogged, determined nature of one Brian Acton, the acquisition has made apparent the fact that Facebook is up there with the big boys when it comes to spending. Indeed, hitherto, it has been Google stumping up the cash to acquire large firms such as Motorola, and intriguingly, Fortune is reporting that the search giant once placed $10 billion on the table in an offer to buy WhatsApp out.
Google Glass is still very much in its infancy, but that hasn't stopped plenty of people from getting excited about the first wearable technology that lives on your face. Google Glass Explorers were the first to get the opportunity to buy Glass, and with that program constantly opening up to more and more people, there has inevitably been one or two flash-points in which those donning Google's eyewear have found themselves singled out. Google's set about making sure Glass wearers don't make themselves easy targets for such things, and it's posted a handy list of Do's and Don'ts for people to follow.
Google Glass is likely to find itself living in some pretty niche situations rather than being something we all wear while walking down the street, and one of the places we'd expect to see Glass take the driving seat is in the medical world. Surgeons in operating theaters are particularly keen on leveraging the power and features of Google's wearable technology so that they can improve the level of care they give to their patients.
Flappy Bird was recently pulled from the App Store and Google Play Store at the height of its popularity by developer Dong Nguyen, and although his reasons for removing the app appear to have been well-intended, folks have sought to cash in on the title's fame in a variety of ways.
Virgin Atlantic check-in clerks at London's Heathrow Airport have been given the opportunity to utilize the powers of Google Glass at work on a six-week trial basis. It is hoped that the wearable tech may help make the process of checking in more streamlined for both customers and agents alike, with various information regarding flights, delays, weather and gate changes available to attendants at-a-glance.
Although company executives and CEOs spend most of their public speaking time discussing affairs concerning their own business and products, it's always interesting to hear what the big names have to say about rivals. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked whether the ongoing Mac vs. Windows PC battle was in any way similar to the the rivalry between iOS and Android. This analogy is frequently used by commentators and tech fans alike, after all, but Cook completely disagrees that the two famous rivalries are comparable, and here's why.
Certain high-profile devices, particularly in the Android community, tend to have their own range of unique, exclusive features. When the Nexus 5 finally arrived late last year, users found that it contained a special custom launcher, known at the time as the Google Experience Launcher. It has since been re-branded as the Google Now Launcher, and although the Big G has reserved this implementation for its flagship smartphone, there is a way you can have this feature up and running on your non-Nexus 5 Android device.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak may no longer work at Apple, but he has acquired something of a reputation for scrutinizing products released by the company he helped to build - and not always in a good way. But while the Cupertino outfit can usually take on board the musings of the Woz with an element of seriousness, his latest suggestion will perhaps go down as the most bizarre idea Apple has ever heard. For Wozniak believes that Apple could benefit from creating a smartphone running on - wait for it - Google's very own Android OS, and while Woz's position as a co-founder means that whatever he says re Apple is going to make the headlines, it's quite staggering that he would make such a suggestion.
Google Glass has been a hot topic in the blogosphere for the best part of a year now, and although not deemed ready for consumers just yet, it's worth remembering that the product is being developed with more than just the end-user market in mind. In fact, as per a report over at VentureBeat, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) is currently assessing ways in which the face computer could be used in the ongoing effort to combat crime, and if this is indeed the case, one can envisage law enforcement agencies across the world following suit as Glass becomes more popular.
