Tag: augmented reality google

The startup that began its life with the search engine giant is leaving its parent company.

The internal startup at Google, Niantic Labs, which is best known for having developed the augmented reality game app called Ingress, is going to step out on its own to become a company unto itself.

The announcement was made by Niantic Labs, this week, having first been mentioned on its Google+ page.

The announcement explained that Niantic Labs intends to head off on its own so that it will bring its “unique blend of exploration and fun to even bigger audiences.” That said, just because it won’t be a part of Google, anymore, it doesn’t mean that the two companies won’t be continuing their relationship. In fact, the creator of the Ingress augmented reality game app has already named Google as one of its prime backers and collaborators, “along with some amazing new partners.”

Aside from Ingress, Niantic Labs has also developed another mobile augmented reality game app.

Back in 2012, Niantic had initially launched a mobile app that it called Field Trip. That application was created for Android device users. It functioned by assisting them in being able to discover nearby places of interest. Not long after, it put out its first version of the Ingress AR technology based game. In that app, players choose to be a part of one of two different factions, through which they are supposed to explore locations in the real world and help to claim them for their side.

According to the announcement from earlier this week, that game has already been downloaded over 12 million times by users of Android and iOS based mobile devices. Moreover, it has managed to bring over 250,000 people to attend various types of events that have been held worldwide.

Earlier in 2015, the developer also put out another augmented reality game app called Endgame: Ancient Truth. That app continued on for a number of months and linked in with the broader science-fiction based Endgame universe, including the books that were written by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton. The future plans of Niantic Labs, free of Google, are not yet publicly known.

The Glass features will now include a “listen to” option added to its standard voice commands.

It has now been announced that Google Glass, the wearable mobile augmented reality product form the tech giant, will be including music among its standard voice commands.

This gives wearers the ability to use their voices to complete many tasks relating to listening to music.

The hope is to help to further expand the benefits of these augmented reality glasses, allowing the wearer to listen to music based on voice commands. However, it will also allow the wearer to be able to search for songs, browse through various playlists that have been saved, and stream music that is available at Google Play.

This has further enhanced Google Glass far beyond only augmented reality capabilities.

To be able to access songs and other features through these wearable augmented reality devices, users will be able to link them to their Play accounts. This will give them the ability to stream music as well as the view playlists and song recommendations that are based on the tunes that they have previously listened.

The headphones which will allow wearers to change the use from visual, such as augmented reality, to private listening are not a cheap product. The Glass, itself, currently comes with a price tag of $1,500, for the Explorer Edition, which has been available on a limited basis since April. By the end of the month, the headphones will be $85. That transforms the eyeglasses into a full audio experience that is voice controlled.

Beyond this new standard feature, Google Glass also provides a unique wearable computer experience, similar to a type of smartphone in the form of glasses. It allows for augmented reality, capturing photos, recording videos, chatting, looking things up on the internet, and obtaining directions.

According to Ed Sanders, the Google Glass director of marketing who spoke about this new feature beyond augmented reality, “With these new features, we’re now building a great music experience on Glass, whether you’re a classical music professor, an acclaimed sound engineer and hip-hop producer, or someone who wants to listen to their favorite tunes anytime, anywhere.”