Google Glass

[pogo]

The Elephants In The Google I/O Room: Glass And Plus

Basically both were noticeable absentees from Google I/O. Plus has been sidelined for a while, but Glass? It seems they've at long last realised the negative effect much of the evangelism has been having, so are scaling it back while they work towards a product that can go on general sale. Which seems quite sensible. Iterate a bit behind the scenes, let the fuss die down over the explorer edition, then wow everyone with the design, features and price.

[Deckard]

Just.Not.Interested. Was originally though. How long in Beta ?

[Baggypants]

Just.Not.Interested. Was originally though. How long in Beta ?

It's weird, before the Glass came along I was well up for a HIDHUD device, now I don't want to touch one with a barge pole and all the things Google show off with glass all I can think is 'I can do that with my phone now, and that, and that...' I almost feel something turned me into some sort of luddite.

[pogo]

Anyone else seen these? Been popping up in adverts and I clicked on one to see:

http://www.net-a-porter.com/gb/en/d/Sho ... _FOR_GLASS
http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/google_glass

Designer glasses for Glass, though not from any designer I've heard of.

Introducing Glass, the smart eyewear that allows your digital life to blend seamlessly with your natural surroundings. Use Glass to take photos, find answers, get directions and enhance your now. These limited editions of Google's revolutionary smart eyewear, designed by Diane von Furstenberg, will allow you to discover a new way to see the world today.

UK based, UK prices. Look horrible to me but maybe there's a market for them.

[Darkflame]

This wouldn't be so bad except Google favors G+ posts artificially in their search rankings.

Not true.
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/22 ... h-Rankings

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, mind you, Google does have access to more information on G+ posts and they are likely to be indexed quicker when updated.

Not that that excuses any attempt by anyone to artificially downrank a business based on someone else's experiences.
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I would point out though, given the absolutely tiny number of Glass users, that overall online the anti-Glass intimidation must be far far beyond anything remotely done by Glass users. Just about every article on Glass has someone threatening to punch them. And long before anyone had Glass the press was "ever so clever" calling them Glassholes.

This is admitably an assumption on my part, but I daresay the majority of eating establishments banning them are doing so based on myths and fud spread online then any first hand experience or principle stand on privacy. I am sure none of them have their own CCTV cameras, of course.

[Deckard]

No-one wants to wear glasses bar people who need them and a few hipsters with clear glass in them is really their fundamental issue - how can you persuade me to wear glasses ? How big a return will you give me to and let's me brutal here to make myself less attractive and have the faff of another device to charge or lose and where am I going to wear them ? In Bristol I asked at my favourite library, cinema and restaurants - all barred

[pogo]

Reuters: Google Glass future clouded as some early believers lose faith

Sounds like they're never going to go on sale to consumers: everyone is focussed now on business applications for them, with Google selling them at half price to firms. Consumers don't have to miss out on the savings though: apparently they go for a similar discount on eBay.

[Deckard]

almost two years ago,I started this thread and still no proper release - says it all really

[Darkflame]

no consumer release.
I've always maintained the first market for ar hmds is going to be business/medical related.

let's me brutal here to make myself less attractive

Not everyone cares about how attractive they look to others, however.
Trying to make them a fashion statement is a mistake at this point, but that doesn't mean there's no market.

Go for a good cost/function equation here, not a form/function one. That rules out some market, but it makes another easier to get - I don't really care if someone I am walking past finds me unattractive - that's their problem.
What is my problem, however, is how much I spend on a device and what it can do for me.
Does wearing this thing give me sufficient increase in efficiency or enjoyment of daily life? does it let me do new things I couldn't before?
At the moment I think Google could significantly increase functionality, as there's now numerous competitors products that look more interesting by that benchmark.

[pogo]

Not everyone cares about how attractive they look to others, however.

Not everyone but almost everyone cares about how they look. You know this because when someone doesn't care about how they look it's blindingly obvious, and usually gets them categorised as decidedly odd.

The problem for Glass has always been getting critical mass so they become generally accepted. As happened with phones. Not long ago it would have been a faux pas to get out your phone and stare at it in many social events – at the pub or restaurant for example. Rather like getting a book out to read. Now it's much more widely accepted mostly as almost everyone does it, or at least almost everyone has a smart phone or tablet and uses it not just for calls.

It looks like that will never happen with Glass. They've given up on getting broad consumer acceptance for this device, perhaps realising it's just too much of a challenge. Maybe in a few years when they are either much much cheaper, i.e. more like Bluetooth headphones that aren't a major expense. Or when the technology advances to the point where you don't need a phone, and they stop being expensive phone accessories. Google might have long exited the market by then though. They might still make the software but as Android is open source other firms could make their own version for their own glasses. It doesn't really need Google.

[Deckard]

And again where am I allowed to wear these ? No where I regularly go,in my life atm , cinema, library, gym or favourite restaurants as I have asked in all of them. I need a phone, I possibly need a watch I certainly don't need tech that I can't use as an ordinary consumer doing standard life stuff. For me atm it causes far more problems than it solves and the imminent arrival of some half decent wearable band tech has sealed its fate for the consumer I feel.

[pogo]

Wall Street Journal: The Next Version Of Google Glass Will Have Intel Inside

(WSJ is usually paywalled so this is probably a better link).

Since a full consumer rollout for the next Glass hardware update seems unlikely, Google could just as well be using it as an experimental platform for its own x86-based software. This also might be a good way of keeping relations with Intel rosy (which Google certainly wants to do for the long-term health of its Chromebook platform) without giving them a major smartphone or tablet release.

Which sounds plausible, certainly the first part about just trying out another platform. After all it's not as if there's a large installed base of apps which will suddenly stop working. And you never know maybe with entirely new innards it will gain such a jump in performance that it becomes able to do interesting things, and/or attracts new developers.

edit: Ars has a bit more: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/12/ ... e-in-2015/

[Deckard]

Just perhaps with it being free, a months battery life and an occulous beating virtual display mode built in I might be interested otherwise I have as little interest in this product as the Xbox One is currently getting in Japan

[Darkflame]

Short artical here no paywall;
http://www.businessinsider.com/a-new-ve ... 15-2014-12

Tech press;

This thing is dead!!!!

Net week;

OMG! This thing isnt dead! Everyone be shocked

occulous beating virtual display mode built in I might be interested

wait, a oculous beating quality VR thats also a optical transparent AR? And is portable/low power enough to take with you?
And then you only might be interested?

wow. tough customer

[pogo]

A real Glass competitor?



Notice the name on the side. Sony, who of course have a VR device for the PS4 also in the works. Except there’s no indication when that’s coming out, but you can try these out at CES today.

It’s not actually a Sony consumer device. More Sony are selling the display technology to anyone who wants to build a head-mounted device, and this just a concept, though a working one. It looks pretty clunky but that should improve in any final product, which should also come in something other than white.

The difference is it’s clip-on which solves the problem of fit, of the half the population that need glasses using it, and arguably makes it less geeky as you can use whatever glasses or sunglasses you like. It makes it easy to take it off without taking off your glasses (though you can keep it permanently attached if the glasses are only there to support the device). Wi-fi as well as Bluetooth so it will work on your home LAN or with public Wifi, it doesn’t need permanently tethering to a phone.

It’s not a telephone but as this is just a concept someone could make a phone using Sony’s display, or add a high-end camera and lots of storage to compete against GoPro.