Google Acquires North

#1

Post by caution » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:23 PM UTC

Re: Google Acquires North

#2

Post by vikramkr » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:31 PM UTC

I guess the competition for smart glasses is heating up - I imagine google thinks apple's glasses are coming soon and they take that seriously enough to want to be prepared to compete. It will be interesting to see how this space plays out. If it's anything like smart watches, the market is going to turn around with apple's entrance, and buying north now while they're suffering gives google the tech they need to enter the market again for smart glasses once apple makes them "cool."

Re: Google Acquires North

#3

Post by lachlan-sneff » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:36 PM UTC

I think this is a pretty solid acquisition by google. I have doubts that the tech from North will be able to match the tech in the "upcoming" apple ar glasses, but things will probably eventually match up, like Android and iOS.

Re: Google Acquires North

#4

Post by lordnacho » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:42 PM UTC

Cool, who here has tried Focals by North? I was thinking of getting them for everyday walking around and reading. My problem is I still don't understand what the interface is like. Can it project a screen to it or not? I'm perfectly happy to see a translucent IDE/browser window in my field of view.

Re: Google Acquires North

#5

Post by tazjin » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:47 PM UTC

lordnacho wrote: post #4

Cool, who here has tried Focals by North? I was thinking of getting them for everyday walking around and reading. My problem is I still don't understand what the interface is like. Can it project a screen to it or not? I'm perfectly happy to see a translucent IDE/browser window in my field of view.

Getting them now is probably not a good idea, because:

> The first-gen North Focals glasses won't work after July 31, 2020, but North is issuing refunds to people who bought the smartglasses

https://support.bynorth.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045128691

Re: Google Acquires North

#6

Post by ladyanita22 » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:52 PM UTC

I just can't see how these are better than smartwatches.

Re: Google Acquires North

#7

Post by TheTrotters » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:53 PM UTC

Three more to go.

Re: Google Acquires North

#8

Post by ocdtrekkie » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:53 PM UTC

Sad. I have their Myo band sitting around, but the company appears to never have gotten a solid hit. RIP Thalmic/North.

It'd be nice if Google was somehow prohibited from snapping up even more companies while under numerous investigations for antitrust during a global pandemic, but I think that attempted legislation has fallen flat.

Re: Google Acquires North

#9

Post by modeless » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:53 PM UTC

What's the rumored price? They reportedly raised $200M. Employees get nothing, I'm guessing. Well, a secure job at Google is a decent consolation prize, at least.

Re: Google Acquires North

#10

Post by 0x5345414e » Tue, Jun 30, 2020, 3:53 PM UTC

modeless wrote: post #9

What's the rumored price? They reportedly raised $200M. Employees get nothing, I'm guessing. Well, a secure job at Google is a decent consolation prize, at least.

$180M from what I read. Seems they were acquired because sales were almost non-existent and they were running out of money.