Most likely to win the creativity contest: meet Jake, Pixel's biggest fan
One Bay Area boy is Pixel’s biggest fan. Using cardboard, markers and creativity, Jake Orchanian designed and built a Pixel 3 costume to wear for Halloween this year. Not only was his design astonishingly accurate—Android weather widget and all—but in addition to building his custom costume, Jake has also built out his life plan: he plans to go to college and work at Google someday.
We recently invited Jake and his family to Google’s Mountain View campus, where Jake and I sat down to talk about design, his Pixel costume, Google career goals and how to get started in the tech industry.
Max: What do you like about the Pixel 3 that inspired your to dress up as it for Halloween?
Jake: I love all of the camera features, especially Top Shot. Night Sight is pretty cool too. I especially love the screen size and the fingerprint scanner. Plus, it has unlimited phone storage.
Max: If you came to work at Google, what would be the first project you’d start?
Jake: I would work on a product, maybe the new Pixel phone, or the Pixel Slate, or Pixelbook. When I see a Google commercial, I’m in awe. I even follow the Google Youtube channel!
Max: Wait, how old are you?
Jake: 11 years old.
Max: Okay, so let’s see, maybe you would be working on the Pixel 15. Now that 2018 is coming to an end, are you already planning your Halloween costume for next year? Any hints for us on what it will be?
Jake: I’m thinking about being the Android logo next year!
Max brought a few sketches and the interior models of the phone to show to Jake while we were together.
Jake: What did you study in college in order to work at Google and a designer on Pixel?
Max: I studied Industrial Design, which is different from engineering. I always had an interest in creating and building things when I was younger.
Jake: What is the hardest part about your job, and what was the hardest part about designing the Pixel phone?
Max: One of the hardest things to figure out is what we’re going to make next. We’re always putting in new features and creating a new look and feel. When we try to figure out what to do next, we’re essentially creating the future. We hope to design something really great that millions of people will love. When you work in product development you’re always thinking about what to do tomorrow. It’s really a fun discovery process for the entire design team.
Jake: What do you do on an average day at work?
Max: On any given day, the team is doing sketches and drawings of products. We use lots of computer tools and software, like CAD software, to sketch and build models and designs. Once we make the models, we discuss as a group to figure out what is the best model and best design.
Jake: Why do you like working at Google?
Max: For me, the great part about working at Google is that is it such a wonderful place for a curious minds. We are always wondering what the next big thing is, and what we can invent and bring to the world that will make people’s lives better. This discovery process makes it really fun to work here.
Jake: What is your favorite feature on the Pixel phone?
Max: I’d have to say the camera as well. I think all of the camera features are so cool. Especially Top Shot and Wide Angle Selfie.
We’re looking forward to seeing what Jake creates next!
To wrap the interview, Jake and Max used their favorite feature—Pixel 3’s camera—to take a selfie, before Jake and his family got a tour of our Mountain View campus.
