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Contractors say they were told to lie while collecting Pixel 4 face scans
This summer, we learned that Google had embarked on a wide scale project to collect facial recognition data, which the company said was necessary to build "fairness" into face unlocking for its Pixel 4, which will be officially unveiled on October 15th. A new report from the New York Daily News has more details on where Google sent people to collect that data, and what they were told to do by the company that hired them as contractors for the project. The people collecting the data worked as TVCs -- the "temporary, vendor and contractors" who outnumber Google's own employees on the company's roster -- for an employment firm called Randstad. While the statement Google gave to media this summer indicated that participants signed a consent form allowing for the use of their data, including everything from infrared response to how they picked up the phone from the table, temp workers the paper talked to said they were trained to be pushy, and even lie to people about what was going on. Google told the News that it was investigating claims that "dubious" tactics were used, as the reporters cited several people who said they participated without any clear idea of what was going on or who the data was for. According to the contractors cited, they had a mandate to pursue "darker skin tones," which included pushes to collect scans from homeless people and college students -- the former because they'd be less likely to talk to the media, and all of them because they'd be willing to do it in exchange for $5 Starbucks gift cards.
Leaked Google videos show the Pixel 4's 'Motion Sense' gestures in action
After all the countless Pixel 4 leaks, you may have tuned out at this point, but for those that are still paying attention, 9to5Google has shared what it says are official marketing videos Google will release to promote the phone. The two sets of videos show the Pixel 4's Soli-powered "Motion Sense" gestures in action, as well as the new, faster Assistant the phone will include before any other Android device.
Google confirms Pixel 4 will support face unlock, touch-free gestures
Google is once again validating rumors about the Pixel 4, this time for its touch-free control. The company has confirmed that its next flagship phones will include motion-sensing Soli radar that lets you skip tracks, silence phone calls and otherwise control key phone tasks by waving your hand. Consider it a potentially more sophisticated take on the LG G8's gestures. Moreover, Soli will play a key role in one of the Pixel 4's other signature features: secure face unlock.
Google Pixel 4 leak fuels rumors of hand gesture control
Those rumors of the Pixel 4 sporting hand gesture control just became more tangible. Ice Universe has obtained photos that reportedly show the detached bezels for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL, including a rather conspicuous ovoid hole on the right side. Given that this hole hasn't been visibly occupied by cameras or other visual sensors in previous leaks, this appears to be a cutout for the Project Soli radar that would let you perform gestures without poking at the screen.
Google's Pixel 4 could track hand gestures
Project Soli is one of Google's many hardware experiments, one in which a tiny radar is used to track hand gestures. The rumor mill is churning, suggesting that Soli may find itself a home inside the search giant's next phone.
