Google introduced Starline in 2021 with the goal of making video calls less weird and awkward. It's essentially a very complicated video conferencing booth that uses cameras, depth sensors, and three-dimensional imagery to approximate face-to-face conversations between two remote participants. A suite of cameras even track both participants' eye movements and adjust the view on the other side to enable the two people to make eye contact. Our reporter tried it and found that it does a good job creating the sense that the other person is sitting across from you, making the resulting interactions feel very realistic. Others who have tried it say the same. Google has been testing the setup internally and is now preparing to set up Starline booths in offices outside the company. Chances are you won't be able to use Starline quite yet, unless you happen to work with one of the companies Google is partnering with in the US. (Salesforce, T-Mobile, and WeWork, to name a few.) It's also not...
learn more