Tango Stories June 21, 2018
Before ARCore, Google’s augmented reality efforts were based around Project Tango and devices that required specialized cameras and sensors. That platform had several dozens apps and Google is now making its first-party Measure app compatible with ARCore.
Tango Stories December 15, 2017
While ARCore made its first big consumer debut with AR Stickers on the Pixel and Pixel 2 this week, Google announced today that its original augmented reality project is shutting down. Tango will no longer be supported next year and given the advantages of ARCore, this moving is not all too surprising.
Tango Stories September 7, 2017
Google’s Tango platform for augmented reality is a neat idea, but even after years of development, it’s only available on two devices — the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and the ASUS ZenFone AR.
In an attempt to bring AR to more users, Google recently announced ARCore, which should allow for similar augmented reality capabilities without the need for specialized hardware, and thanks to the developers at Signal Garden, we have our first look at what it can do.
Tango Stories August 22, 2017
Tango is Google’s first step into augmented reality which uses highly sensitive cameras and sensors to scan its surroundings. The latest Tango-enabled device is the Asus ZenFone AR which is meant to get the AR platform into more consumer hands. Unfortunately, our review of the handset finds that it likely has more flaws than anything else for most people, especially with a $600+ price tag.
Does the ZenFone AR offer enough to get you to use Tango or are you more interested in using other mobile AR technologies?
Tango Stories August 10, 2017
Lenovo Phab2 Pro: Year old Tango-enabled smartphone will not get Nougat upgrade
Google officially brought it’s Tango AR program to the public late last year with the release of Lenovo’s Phab2 Pro. Now, less than a year since it hit shelves, Lenovo has revealed via its support website that the company has no plans to upgrade any of the Phab2 handsets to Android Nougat…
Tango Stories June 27, 2017
Digital reality has been a big deal for the past couple of years, both virtual and augmented. Google has its foot in both of these areas, and for the longest time, I thought its AR development Tango was the more impressive. Then Apple showed off iOS 11 with ARKit…
Tango Stories May 29, 2017
Google Tango is an impressive technology, but to date, it’s been impractical for the majority of users. The first Tango device was a very overpriced tablet, and the second was a ridiculously large phone. At CES, ASUS unveiled the first Tango phone worth your hard-earned dollar, the ASUS ZenFone AR. Now, we finally know when it will be available for purchase.
Tango Stories May 1, 2017
Google Tango had a strong start this year with a new device from Asus and the promise of new apps in 2017. Aiding in the latter’s development, Google announced today that the AR platform will soon be natively integrated with the Unity game engine.
Tango Stories January 9, 2017
Google Tango is being used at the Detroit Institute of Arts for a richer museum experience
Google Tango brings augmented reality to the masses by putting all required cameras and sensors to make the experience possible directly into a smartphone. This mobility then allows for organizations to incorporate AR into the world around us. The Detroit Institute of Arts is now using Tango to bring new life to their exhibits…
Tango Stories January 5, 2017
Google‘s Tango is taking off. Following the firm’s announcement circa the series of forthcoming dedicated apps, a new blogpost is revealing a partnership with German car manufacturer BMW is set to bring AR models of its electric vehicles straight to your phone…
Tango Stories January 4, 2017
Google Tango first hit the consumer market with the launch of the Lenovo PHAB2 Pro last fall, and today marked the announcement of the second Tango-enabled device with the new ZenFone AR.
But one thing that has been holding Google Tango back as of yet has been the lack of compelling applications that take advantage of the Tango hardware. Now, Google says that dozens of Tango-enabled apps should be hitting the Play Store over the next few months.
Tango Stories December 10, 2016
A few years ago when Google announced Project Tango, it was something impressive, allowing our devices to see the world around us with detail they never could before. However, it felt like something so futuristic that we’d never see it. Then, Google released a 7-inch Tango developer kit to show off the tech. It was cool, but expensive and not at all aimed at consumers.
Then, in early 2016, Google and Lenovo announced plans to release the world’s first consumer device running Tango, and needless to say, we were pretty excited.
Now, that device is here ─ the Lenovo Phab2 Pro. I’ve been using this giant, powerful, impressive phone for the past several days, so let’s answer the question, who should actually buy it?
Tango Stories November 30, 2016
Lenovo launched the Phab2 Pro earlier this year (actually, it just recently started shipping) as the first Android “phone” to have support for Google’s Tango. I say “phone” because the Lenovo Phab2 Pro is basically a 7-inch tablet with cellular radios. Now, however, it looks like Tango might be coming to an actual phone in the form of a new module for the Moto Z…
Tango Stories November 14, 2016
Lenovo was the first manufacturer to launch a Google Tango-enabled smartphone (it became available publicly just a couple weeks ago, actually), but now it looks another OEM is about to enter the fray. According to a Digitimes post (which you should definitely take with a grain of salt, as usual), ASUS is planning to launch a Tango-enabled phone at CES early next year…
Tango Stories November 1, 2016
With immense potential for augmented reality, Tango will likely play a big role in Google’s future amibitions and products. It should then come at no surprise that the Tango team is now a part (via UploadVR) of the company’s larger VR division.
Google has today released its Tango platform out into the world, and the first phone to get the new AR capabilities from Google is Lenovo’s Phab2 Pro. We first told you about the Phab2 Pro when it was announced at a Lenovo event back in June, and now it’s finally available online and at retail for $500…
Tango Stories October 19, 2016
There’s now a Tango app on the Play Store for finding the best AR-enabled experiences
Lenovo’s Phab2 Tango phone went official earlier this year, but we haven’t heard much about Google’s phone-based AR platform since. Now, the Mountain View company has listed an app called Tango on the Play Store, which makes it easy for those with Tango-enabled devices to find Tango experiences…
Tango Stories October 5, 2016
Early this year Lenovo revealed that it had been working with Google to develop and release the first consumer device with Google’s Project Tango. Later in the year, Lenovo announced that the device would be releasing during the summer, only be to delayed yet again, apparently to November…
Tango Stories June 11, 2016
In this week’s top stories: We breakdown the best Android phones you can buy right now, get a closer look at upcoming Android devices including the OnePlus 3, Galaxy Note, and Project Tango devices, and give you the latest app news and updates alongside our picks for the best 5 Android apps you should download this month. expand full story
Tango Stories June 9, 2016
As the consumer electronics world inches closer and closer to the end of the “Smartphone 1.0” era, manufacturers and technology companies in general are working hard to try and figure out what’s next.
We’ve heard about bendable and extensible devices from Samsung and modular ones from the likes of Google and Lenovo with Project Ara and the Moto Z family respectively, but these two companies have also teamed up to bring another brilliant piece of tech to a consumer-ready product…
Earlier this year at CES 2016, Lenovo announced a special partnership with Google to build and release the world’s first phone with Project Tango. Today at Lenovo Tech World, the company released all the details surrounding the phone, named the Lenovo PHAB2 Pro. Here’s what you need to know.
Tango Stories June 7, 2016
Lenovo is just a few days away from officially announcing its first Project Tango smartphone, made in collaboration with Google. Earlier this week we heard that this device would be called the Lenovo PHAB2 Pro and that it would come with a massive 6.4-inch display, but today we’ve got two new images of the device (via @Onleaks) showing us the design in full for the first time…
From new Moto devices to Project Tango, Lenovo will have a full lineup of announcements this Thursday at Tech World 2016. Now, a new render has surfaced highlighting the thinness of the Moto Z, while a Bluetooth certification points to low-end devices also set to carry the Moto name.
Tango Stories June 5, 2016
Earlier this year at CES 2016, Lenovo officially announced their partnership with Google to bring Project Tango to a consumer ready device. Now we’re just days away from the official announcement, and infamous leakster Evan Blass has chimed in with some new details about the device…
Tango Stories May 14, 2016
In this week’s top stories: Google’s upcoming standalone Android VR headset, OnePlus 3 leaks, Galaxy Note 6 gets a release date, and we take a look at official accessories for the Galaxy S7 Edge, new apps, & much more. Head below for the usual roundup of links to all this week’s most shared stories and video.
Tango Stories May 12, 2016
Google is planning on tapping into its Project Tango technology to offer superior interior 3D mapping of buildings and a new revenue stream through virtual reality apps using the platform, Bloomberg reports.
Tango Stories May 9, 2016
Lenovo announced today that it will be bringing its second annual Tech World to San Francisco on June 9th. As well as bringing together some industry leaders to discuss the latest developments in virtual reality, smart connected devices and cloud technology, Lenovo will launch some new products. One of them will be the first consumer Project Tango-equipped Android smartphone.
Tango Stories February 3, 2016
‘Cardboard++’ might be Google’s internal name for a Cardboard & Project Tango smashup
Update 2: People familiar with the matter have said that this isn’t an internal codename for a future project, but rather just referencing the concept of iterative “++” in programming.
Update: Taylor’s LinkedIn profile has been updated to redact mentions of Cardboard++: “In January I began working with the Cardboard team.” Previous version can be seen in a screenshot below.
We know that VR has become much more central to Google’s ambitions lately, but what exactly might the company be working on? According to some evidence scattered across the web, one project in the works might be called “Cardboard++,” a collaboration between the Project Tango augmented reality team and the Cardboard virtual reality team…
Tango Stories January 27, 2016
Google and chipmaker Movidius have announced a partnership to bring low-power computer vision to mobile devices. The chip maker has worked with Google in the past and is responsible for powering Project Tango devices.
Tango Stories January 7, 2016
At CES today, Google and Lenovo announced a partnership to bring the first consumer Project Tango device to the market. The Lenovo-made smartphone will be the first Project Tango offering that consumers will have the chance to try. Google touts that Project Tango transforms your smartphone into “a magic lens that lets you place digital information on your physical world.”
You can now reserve a Project Tango developer kit from Intel for $399
Windows 10 has a feature that can unlock a computer with a face in lieu of a password. The so called Windows Hello takes advantage of Intel’s RealSense camera and technology. Today, Intel is releasing a smartphone developer kit that has RealSense cameras, and also support for Google’s Project Tango…
Tango Stories August 19, 2015
Google and Intel have developed what looks like the ultimate augmented reality smartphone, combining Google’s Project Tango tech to map and track 3D environments with Intel’s RealSense camera sensor, which isolates and scans 3D objects within those environments.
Engadget reports that the two companies have so far produced a developer prototype of the smartphone, with a consumer device expected to be released further down the line. While there will doubtless be serious applications for the technology, it’s augmented reality gaming that is likely to get the most attention … expand full story
Tango Stories August 4, 2015
Starting today, the Project Tango Development Kit tablet is available to purchase in the Google Store — beyond the United States — for developers in South Korea and Canada. And on August 26th, it’ll be available in quite a few more places: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. expand full story
Tango Stories May 29, 2015
Google’s Tango tablet
Earlier this week, Google made its Project Tango tablet available to everyone via the Google Store for $512. While many expected this price drop and public availability to lead to a successor at Google I/O, the company kept quiet and didn’t address its Tango initiative. Nevertheless, Qualcomm this evening has taken the wraps off of its own Tango smartphone platform powered by the Snapdragon 810.
Tango Stories May 27, 2015
Google’s Project Tango initiative was originally introduced last year alongside a tablet with “advanced vision capabilities.” Until today, the tablet had only been available with an invite, but now the device is listed on the Google Store for anyone to purchase (via Android Police). Google dropped the price of the tablet for invitees to $512 earlier this year and that’s also the price for which the device is available on the Play Store.
Tango Stories April 10, 2015
Project Tango is still being sold on an invite-only basis, but some users are now receiving an email offering the tablet at half-price. The developers’ kit was previously being sold at a somewhat-steep $1,024, but is currently being offered to some invitees at a “Special Price” of $512. (Once again, I’d like to take this opportunity to appreciate the clever prices that Google has picked for the kit.)
Tango Stories April 1, 2015
ATP head Regina Dugan with some of her 100-strong team
Google’s mobile-focused research group, Advanced Technology and Projects (ATP), gives projects a maximum of two years’ work before they are killed, adopted as official Google products or sold to outside companies, reports the WSJ.
The deadline was created by former DARPA head Regina Dugan in an attempt to counter the normal tendency of companies to grow less nimble and more bureaucratic as they grow in size, said Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt.
Product cycles slow down as a company gets larger. All of us believe we could execute faster […]
We like this model because it puts pressure on people to perform and do relevant things or stop. I’ve spent an awful lot of time on projects that never end and products that would never ship.
The company is ruthless about killing off projects which don’t deliver notable results, said Dugan, who was hired by Google in 2012, and it doesn’t always let them run as long as two years … expand full story
Tango Stories January 30, 2015
Google has announced that Project Tango, the 3D mapping tech currently formerly in development in the company’s Advanced Technology and Projects division is moving on to a home of its own.
The Google+ post announcing the change didn’t provide specifics about where exactly the Tango tech will be moving, but it seems the company is pleased with the progress it’s made so far and is willing to invest some additional resources to continue the work.
Tango Stories January 16, 2015
Next-generation drones will go where you point your smartphone and never crash, say ex-Google X engineers
Drones are a lot of fun, but making them to exactly what you want them to isn’t always easy, and a fair number of them are damaged or destroyed in crashes. Skydio, a startup formed by ex-MIT and Google X engineers, is hoping to change that by turning your smartphone into a ‘magic wand’ controller, reports TechCrunch.
To demo its auto-pilot system, it’s built a drone “magic wand” that lets you direct a drone by simply pointing your phone where you want it go. That means you don’t need the traditional, clunky dual joystick drone controller.
Today’s drones use cameras to allow you to shoot photos and video, and feed the video back to your phone or controller. What Skydio does is use that same video feed to construct a 3D map of the surroundings and feed it to the drone’s flight controller, so it can automatically avoid obstacles.
The team demonstrated the technology by flying a radio-controlled aircraft at speed through an underground parking garage, and a drone through a cluttered office–seen in the above video.
Some of today’s drones have ‘follow me’ functions aimed at those into action sports like mountain biking and skiing, but Skydio believes that using 3D mapping will allow a drone to perform this kind of function far more intelligently, using its awareness of the terrain to ensure the best possible coverage of your heroic endeavors.
The team plans to partner with drone manufacturers, and recently raised $3M in seed capital to create the custom hardware to pitch it to drone makers.
Google is taking a different approach with its Project Tango 3D interior mapping technology, which uses a grid of infra-red emitters to map its surroundings.
Tango Stories December 17, 2014
Project Tango popped up on the Play Store last month, but it has since sit there unavailable for purchase for anyone except those who registered for the device development kit at I/O. These lucky humans got access to the “Add to cart” button shortly after it showing up on the Play Store, but until today, that seemed to be the only way to purchase the device. Now, it appears certain developers are being invited by email…
Tango Stories November 13, 2014
Earlier this year Google announced the Project Tango tablet with “advanced vision capabilities” that would be coming at an undisclosed date in 2015, with a development kit coming near the end of this year. Now, as noted by Android Central, the tablet has finally popped up on the Google Play Store. It’s not showing on the store’s Devices page just yet, but the listing is accessible if you have the link.
At the moment shoppers won’t be able to buy the prototype tablet which includes an NVIDIA Tegra K1 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It also comes with a motion tracking camera and integrated depth sensors.
Tango Stories August 19, 2014
Have you been wondering what makes Google’s 3D mapping Project Tango tablet tick? The tinkerers at iFixit have managed to get their hands on the device and performed a little exploratory surgery on the device in the name of science. According to the DIY repair site, some of Project Tango’s entrails resemble Microsoft’s Kinect motion tracker, which kind of makes sense.
Tango Stories July 7, 2014
Robots aboard the International Space Station will soon be equipped with depth sensing smartphones courtesy of Google. The space-ready handsets will be from the search giant’s Project Tango initiative that uses 3D image tracking technology to map their surroundings. The phones with hitch a ride on a cargo spacecraft scheduled to launch on July 11th and will be the eyes and ears of NASA’s Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES).
Tango Stories June 26, 2014
During a session at its I/O developer conference today, Google announced that it’s partnering with LG to build a tablet that’s part of its Project Tango program to release to consumers next year. Google earlier this month announced that it was releasing a prototype Tango tablet, but only for developers. The version made by LG will be intended for consumers, and presumably, cheaper than the $1024 developer version.
Tango Stories June 23, 2014
Google’s annual I/O conference is only two days away but leaks and rumors leading up to this year’s show have been going strong for quite a while. In an effort to brace ourselves for Mountain View’s latest contributions to the tech world, we’ve decided to discuss what we might be seeing in the next couple of days. While some of these items are a given, others are a mix of rumors and speculation. There’s no guarantee that everything listed here will be announced during I/O, but we eventually expect to see these projects from Google at some point in time. That being said, here are some things that we might see this year in San Francisco.
Tango Stories June 5, 2014
Google has just announced a official development kit for its Project Tango. The tablet is incredibly powerful, packing an NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor and 4GB of RAM. It’s also got 128GB of storage under the hood. There’s also all kinds of sensors, insulting motion tracking cameras, integrated depth sending, and LTE. There are three cameras on the back of the device for motion tracking, too.
Tango Stories May 23, 2014
Google’s Project Tango 3D interior mapping technology, which will shortly be appearing in a tablet, is also taking to the air. A team from University of Pennsylvania led by Professor Vijay Kumar are using a Tango-equipped smartphone to enable a quadrocopter to navigate the interior of a building … expand full story
Tango Stories May 22, 2014
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.
