Goolge's Project Tango was publicly revealed almost two years ago and aims to bring augmented reality to phones by enabling devices to be able to sense where they are and what is around them.

As we explained then, see Google Moves Into 3D With Project Tango, the project derives from Motorola's Advanced Technology and Projects group, which wasn't sold to Lenovo along with the rest of the Motorola Mobility assets that Google acquired in 2011. Now Google is partnering with Lenovo to bring the product to market.

As yet there's no prototype but Lenovo's Jeff Meredith said it would be no bigger than 6.5 inches, be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors and would integrate a fisheye, an RGB, and depth sensing camera. 

Intel demoed its Tango phone last August and now this device has graduated to being available for pre-order, priced at $399, by developers in the United States. Although no shipping date has been specified there is a choice of three colors: white, gray/black, or gray/blue.

This device is the Intel RealSense Smartphone Developer Kit which integrates the long-heralded Realsense camera technology and from the spec Tango appears to be a secondary feature.

 

 

Google has had Project Tango Tablet Development Kit available for some months, see Project Tango Tablet Hardware And SDK Announced, and has now opened an App Incubator for submitting proposals for gaming and utility apps so that when the Lenovo phone ships there will be something for customers.

The deadline is February 15 and the terms and conditions don't really encourage submissions. Among the terms you agree to are: 

• Submitter acknowledges that Google is engaged in extensive development in many areas and products and that Google in the course of business may receive or independently conceive numerous similar or identical submissions that may now, or in the future, be developed.
  
  
• Such development will not entitle submitter to compensation or attribution.
  
  
• Submission of proposal does not obligate Google to enter into business discussions or even respond.

Even so the prospect of being first with augmented reality may persuade some to risk their ideas and hope that Google plays fair.

 

 

More Information

Project Tango

Reserve Intel RealSense Smartphone Developer Kit

Project Tango App Incubator