My colleagues and I are a bunch of (admitted) geeks.
Every day, we share links from Engadget, Gizmodo, TechCrunch and the like.
About interesting apps, techie news, digital trends or hot topics.
A few days ago, someone passed around a link to a promo video for Google Glass.
For the uninformed, Google Glass is Google’s foray into developing a wearable computer.
Unlike the alleged smart watch being developed by Apple, Google Glass is a frame you wear on your face, like a pair of glasses.
There are no lenses, per se.
Just a small rectangular surface, sitting an inch or so away from the eye, within which sits the Google Glass display.
Google Glass is very limited in its functionality.
From the video demonstration, Google Glass lets you record and playback video, video chat, get turn-by-turn directions, or send a message.
The What It Does part of the Google Glass site seems to suggest that it does a little more than this.
But not much more.
Since there is no keyboard, you’re limited to voice controlled functions.
Now, we can talk to our computers, Star Trek- like, and have them perform increasingly complex functions.
There is a little button on the side, presumably to allow the user to switch between functions.
But beyond that, it’s totally hands free.
When I first watched the video, it reminded me of a GoPro commercial.
It was all about the visuals.
But unlike GoPro, Google Glass allows you to do more than just record video.
You almost forget about the little screen in the top right corner, because your field of vision is right in front of you.
And that got me wondering…
When you’re wearing a pair of Google Glasses, are you always staring up and to the right?
Like you’re thinking about something?
“Do I look like a dork?” perhaps?
My curiosity got the best of me, and I signed up to try out the damn things.
But a happy black chick on the sign up page told me that the applications to try Google Glass were closed.
If you weren’t so cute, I’d be mad atcha.
I signed up anyway.
I doubt I’ll see a pair in the wild before they’re available for sale.
But one can always hope.
In any instance, it’s definitely got me intrigued.
What do you think?
Is Google Glass the way of the future?
Could very well be. I always envisioned a future whereas a pair of contacts allow us to interact with the world around us as well. Similar to how “Dinosaurs – Live!” works using an iOS device. Augmented reality is the future, I believe. If these Google Glasses are the next step to something similar, I’m all for it! Let’s get innovative. Let’s explore!
Augmented reality will definitely add a layer (literally and figuratively) to the real world. Things like getting directions, and being able to call up information about someone, based on facial recognition, are two incredibly utilitarian things that I can foresee.
There have already been some interesting things done with augmented reality and the impact of these technologies on the brain and how it interprets information through an AR filter.
We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds.