Google launches 3 new experimental photography apps

Polycount

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If you're the type of person who can't resist the urge to record silly, interesting or otherwise entertaining moments in your life whenever they arise, Google just launched a few apps that might pique your interest - Storyboard, Selfissimo! and Scrubbies.

Also read: 10 Tips for Good Smartphone Photography

Eccentric names aside, these apps are part of Google's new photography "appsperiments" initiative. Put simply, "appsperiments" are a creative way for Google to see what their users are interested in and then expand upon (or eliminate) the apps at a later date. According to Google, this project is partially inspired by Google's "Motion Stills" app, which "converts short videos into cinemagraphs and time lapses" through the use of experimental rendering technologies.

The first app in the line-up, Storyboard, is an interesting one. Users can upload their own video clips to the app and allow it to automatically select what it deems to be an interesting group of frames and turn them into one highly stylized comic strip. Currently, Storyboard is only available to Android users.

The second app called Scrubbies is restricted to iOS users at the moment. The app allows you to become a video DJ of sorts. The app works by recording the speed and direction of left or right two-fingered swiping gestures, allowing you to create a short looping video with the result.

The final app in Google's photography experimentation arsenal is Selfissimo!, an app that simulates your own personal photo shoot. The app encourages you to "strike a pose," automatically taking a black-and-white photo whenever you stand still. Selfissimo! is available to both iOS and Android users.

Though these apps might seem like little more than silly diversions, it's clear that Google has taken the project seriously. According to Google Researcher Alex Kauffmann, the apps "rely on object recognition, person segmentation, stylization algorithms, efficient image encoding and decoding technologies" to function properly.

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Yes, we need even more selfies on top of the billions that are already generated. Or at least NSA does.
 
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