Remember that Google wanted you to help train its photo algorithm for free? Well, now you can actually do it for cash. Google has launched an app called Task Mate, and it allows you to get paid for doing simple tasks such as taking photos, recording voice clips, and more.
Task Mate has a range of options and tasks that you can perform: there are “field” tasks that you do outside, and “sitting” tasks that you can do from the comfort of your home. You can take photos of nearby restaurants and shop windows, conduct surveys, verify translations, record spoken sentences, translate sentences, and so on.
Now, even though Google pays for these tasks, the pay rate isn’t really high. Judging from the screenshots, you’ll get $0.2 for recording ten spoken sentences, and $0.5 for transcribing 10 sentences. There is no information on how much the “field tasks” are paid, such as taking photos. I assume they’re paid a bit more, but one can only hope.
How the data will be used is kinda unclear. Google will most likely use them to improve its algorithms for search, speech, translation, and image recognition. 9to5 Google reports that the tasks you complete will “help improve mapping services and bring businesses in your local area online.”
The app is still in Beta though, and currently only available in India. For now, there’s no word when it will be launched in other countries. Also, you’ll need an invitation code if you want to sign up and start doing the tasks. To get paid, you need to register your e-wallet account or you can choose the in-app payment partner. So if you’re in India, you can find the app here and check out this Reddit post for experiences and invitation codes. And if you live elsewhere… Well, we’ll keep you up to date and let you know when and if the app launches globally.
[via The Next Web]