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Project Tango: Google developing tablet with ‘advanced vision capabilities’, release around I/O in June

According to a new report out of the Wall Street Journal, Google is currently developing a new tablet that features “advanced vision capabilities.” The report claims that the company plans to produce 4,000 prototypes of the device as early as next month and release it shortly thereafter, before Google I/O at the end of June. Although, we’ll most likely hear a lot about it at I/O, with it perhaps even being the free giveaway to developers.

The tablet will feature a 7-inch display and have two rear-facing cameras with infrared depth sensors and software that can “capture precise three-dimensional images of objects.”

The tablet is being developed as part of Google’s new Project Tango program, which focuses on devices with advanced 3d space and motion sensors. The program released a prototype smartphone in February with sensors that are allegedly similar to the ones that will be found in the company’s tablet. Google says that these sensors can be applied to tasks such as improving navigation for those who are visually impaired, providing step-by-step directions within buildings, and offer more immersive video games.

The tablet will apparently not be released to the public, but rather strictly to developers. Google hopes that developers will use the tablet to make applications that are useful for consumers and that could also be used with its Glass product.

Samsung is also rumored to be working on virtual reality devices, and seeing that Facebook recently acquired Oculus VR, it seems likely that it too is exploring the field.

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