Google Launches 'Project Tango' 3D-Mapping Smartphone

[Cavepainter]

Ok, I watched the video two times and cant see why? You can make games using your enviorment and see how furniture fits your home. And then what? What is the idea? What is the purpose?

Great reason to pan something new. I'm sure some caveman said the same thing about the wheel. So it rolls down a hill. And then what?

No doubt someone said the same about a transistor, and laser beams, and nuclear fission, and photographic film, x-ray technology, and about a thousand other new ideas.

Hey, that's great, Mr. Babbage. You made a machine that adds things. A "computer". So what? What are you gonna do with it?

Great thing about new inventions, sometimes they're just a little bit ahead of their time. Thats ok. Most of us like new fresh ideas. The possibilities truly are endless.

 

[doelcm82]

If I can ask my phone where I lost my keys, and it tells me where they are because of this technology, then that is awesome.

The only people that should be afraid of Google (and the NSA) information gathering are terrorists and pedophiles, so if you don't count yourself part of either or those groups there is nothing to worry about.

But honestly there must be a lot of pedophiles and terrorists out there the way people always complain about this stuff.

It's odd that you think only pedophiles and terrorists are the only ones who care about their personal privacy. It says a lot about where your head is.

 

[doelcm82]

You don't get it do you? Google are not creating a product here. They are building a technology so that others can build something. They (have) invested a lot of money (from the looks of it) into this idea, built a platform and will now release it to developers and say - here we think this is great but let's see what cool applications you come up with.

What's wrong with that? This is one of the things I like about Google. They put money into something that may never bring in real $'s just because it seems like a useful technology.

Let's see Apple do something similar with all their cash in the bank.

This isn't innovation. It's just taking Apple's "flyover" technology, and bringing it to the phone. Sort of like street view was just Google using Apple's QuickTime VR.

I'm only kidding. This does build on previous technology, but it doesn't keep it from being innovative. Google's Street View will seem hopelessly dated in a couple of years as technology like this replaces it. The video with this post doesn't do it justice. The applications for this technology (and the innovative next steps) are going to be astounding.

 

[sixrom]

What exactly does this have to do with MacRumors?

Google is too exciting, too innovative, and too important to ignore.

It's as simple as that!

 

[Traverse]

Make the software 100x faster and more accurate and you have a good artificial eye software there. Then you just need another set of hardware to interpret all these signals and vision and act on it.

The eyeball of a T-600 or T-800 right there.

Make a design and patent it, quick!!

 

[dysamoria]

Because "a quarter million" sounds so much bigger than 250,000.

 

[nikaru]

Great reason to pan something new. I'm sure some caveman said the same thing about the wheel. So it rolls down a hill. And then what?

No doubt someone said the same about a transistor, and laser beams, and nuclear fission, and photographic film, x-ray technology, and about a thousand other new ideas.

Hey, that's great, Mr. Babbage. You made a machine that adds things. A "computer". So what? What are you gonna do with it?

Great thing about new inventions, sometimes they're just a little bit ahead of their time. Thats ok. Most of us like new fresh ideas. The possibilities truly are endless.

What Im trying to say is that "Project-Tango" is just unfinished idea. Yeah, it may sound cool but Google has to offer a roadmap for the development of this idea. Right now, they just put it the hands of the developers and are the developers who must find a reasonable implication for this technology. Its just no the way I think the things must be done in this industry. The reason why google put it in the hands of the developers is because they cant come with any good idea regarding the real-world use of this technology. They clearly are out of ideas. And thats lame. You dont just develope a technology for itself. Technology itself is not enough. In my opinion, first comes the purpose, what you want to achive, and then you look how to make it real, not the other way around. Ofcourse, the community is a great inspiration for the development of many ideas, but must not be the main way to innovate. The sensor is interesting, but right now, its only interesting, nothing else.

 

[jzahran]

Nothing new or innovative here. It's based on a Primesense chip that is owned by Apple and it's no secret Apple has been working on indoor mapping for at least a couple of years. Just another copycat project.

 

[Dave.UK]

Nothing new or innovative here. It's based on a Primesense chip that is owned by Apple and it's no secret Apple has been working on indoor mapping for at least a couple of years. Just another copycat project.

Got some links to back up your "copycat project" accusation?

 

[kdarling]

Nothing new or innovative here. It's based on a Primesense chip that is owned by Apple and it's no secret Apple has been working on indoor mapping for at least a couple of years. Just another copycat project.

You shouldn't accuse Apple of copying

EVERYBODY has been working on indoor mapping for years. Some do all or most of their own research. Others buy up smaller companies to get a jump start.

Microsoft has done some cool stuff over the past few years taking images found on the net, along with their stored coordinates, and building a mosaic view of not only exteriors, but interiors as well.

Google has been adding things like mall indoor maps, and doing projects like this one to map the inside of offices and homes.

Better Android phones and tablets have added barometric sensors partly so future code could tell when you moved between floors in a building.

It's not about copying. It's just another case of the tech and desire coming together at the right time.

 

[Oletros]

Nothing new or innovative here. It's based on a Primesense chip that is owned by Apple and it's no secret Apple has been working on indoor mapping for at least a couple of years. Just another copycat project.

And it is no secret that Google, Nokia and others has been working on indoor mapping for at least 5 years. Where are the copycats?

 

[Bheleu]

Just spent $560

Google sent out invites today for half off on the Tango $512, tax increases the cost.

Never had an Android device before, hope it isn't junk. If nothing else, figure it's another Netflix device for the kids, if my wife does not latch onto it for FarmVille games, etc.