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Why I'm Returning Google Glass

internetevolution.com

21–30 of 135 posts

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#21
post #9

Let me be the first to say: if you don't want it, feel free to sell it to me (seriously, email in my profile). I tried some out when I was visiting the Bay Area and I did think they were amazing and magical; YMMV. edit: The author mentions that he wasn't interested in developing an app for Glass anyways; I thought that was half the point of the Explorer program (unless you're a skydiver/ballerina/whatever who can pro…

The TOS probitis reselling, loaning or transferring.

I don't think a TOS can override first sale doctrine on the physical hardware, can it?

Or was the initial "purchase" actually structured as a rental or lease?

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#22
post #6

One wonders if the tablet (or small tablet) isn't really just the last good form. We've spent decades building towards it. Time to stop and enjoy. (That and make tablets cheap enough to be ubiquitous)

Not even slightly. I don't think there is one last good form. The future is a variety of devices. Despite the rise of tablets, I still code using a desktop machine with multiple monitors, and I wouldn't ever trade it for a tablet.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#23
post #5

I'm actually wearing Glass for my last day too. First off, I do not have toys to communicate with Glass. I realize that Glass is too early. There are not enough data dumping devices available at decent prices. Withings, vehicle data, health data, all the things people try to keep private. That kind of data is what would be useful with Glassware. The lack of a SDK and depending on RESTful services. I want to toy with…

The Android SDK works fine with it. Turn on debugging mode on the Glass and code away. Sensors are no problem: http://neatocode.tumblr.com/post/49807659612/secret-sensors-...

Google even flat out stated at Google IO that the upcoming GDK will just be the Android SDK plus extra classes you compile against.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#24
post #9

Let me be the first to say: if you don't want it, feel free to sell it to me (seriously, email in my profile). I tried some out when I was visiting the Bay Area and I did think they were amazing and magical; YMMV. edit: The author mentions that he wasn't interested in developing an app for Glass anyways; I thought that was half the point of the Explorer program (unless you're a skydiver/ballerina/whatever who can pro…

The TOS probitis reselling, loaning or transferring.

Google reps have stated you are allowed to "gift" it to someone else when you pick it up, though. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would privately gift you some money back.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#25
I've been wearing glass for a while now and am active in development (see http://openglass.us), there are a few select groups of people I'd recommend it to at this point: developers (it's a fun/simple/exciting platform to write for), researchers (just like with the kinect, it makes it much easier to reproduce experiments), people who are constantly running around town while being in contact with others (business/sales people), who drive all the time (much safer/easier than a phone), who would use a gopro on a regular basis (sports), and who travel often (in the US due to mobile data).

At this point that's really it. If you sit at a desk all day you're going to have a bad time with the notifications, "oh great I got a notice on my face a minute after my phone buzzed and my laptop notified me". They work much better when you are active, out and about when even picking up your phone is a chore. If you already know your way everywhere you go (you don't travel) then one of the best features, directions, is lost on you.

This applies to the current device/software/apps, part of what we are trying to do with OpenGlass is push it past being a "beeper on your face" because that only applies to the segment of people to whom getting notifications faster than you do with your phone matters. Once they allow devs to push to the Play store (coming soon) it'll be a much more compelling product for end users. I think it'll ultimately be an amazing product, it's just the current feature list targets what I see as limited audiences.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#26
post #6

One wonders if the tablet (or small tablet) isn't really just the last good form. We've spent decades building towards it. Time to stop and enjoy. (That and make tablets cheap enough to be ubiquitous)

I've never found a use for a tablet myself. My phone is fine for Kindle reading and anything else I'd use a tablet for. Past that I use my Macbook Pro Retina which is barely heavier than a tablet anyway and has a nice keyboard. Glass/watches are handy because they don't have to be taken out like a phone/tablet/laptop.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#27
post #5

I'm actually wearing Glass for my last day too. First off, I do not have toys to communicate with Glass. I realize that Glass is too early. There are not enough data dumping devices available at decent prices. Withings, vehicle data, health data, all the things people try to keep private. That kind of data is what would be useful with Glassware. The lack of a SDK and depending on RESTful services. I want to toy with…

Glass Development Kit which allows apps to get real-time access to sensors is coming later this year.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#28

The first paragraph says it all. > "Yesterday I made the call to return my Google Glass. After months of anticipation, a trip to New York, and several weeks with the device, after much deliberation I decided the device wasn't ready for prime time and my $1,500 would be better spent elsewhere." He shelled out for a beta product and was disappointed when it was, well, a beta product. More than that, even -- it was a be…

While I get this sentiment, in fairness, I think the reason we expect people not to be underwhelmed by beta testing is because it's beta testing. If you ask people to shell out $1500 for the privilege, you've now raised expectations - they're not just beta testing, they're buying a significant luxury good.

I get why G charged - when you get people to invest in an item, especially by weeding out the less-passionate, you bias them towards strong positive responses - but they did cross "beta testing" and "luxury goods" wires.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#29
I actually think industrial applications might be the hidden killer app for augmented reality. Imagine walking around a power plant and seeing your environment annotated: last inspection time for each inspection point, what is flowing through each pipe and its current pressure, etc. Construction sites could be truly amazing.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#30
post #23
post #5

I'm actually wearing Glass for my last day too. First off, I do not have toys to communicate with Glass. I realize that Glass is too early. There are not enough data dumping devices available at decent prices. Withings, vehicle data, health data, all the things people try to keep private. That kind of data is what would be useful with Glassware. The lack of a SDK and depending on RESTful services. I want to toy with…

The Android SDK works fine with it. Turn on debugging mode on the Glass and code away. Sensors are no problem: http://neatocode.tumblr.com/post/49807659612/secret-sensors-... Google even flat out stated at Google IO that the upcoming GDK will just be the Android SDK plus extra classes you compile against.

OK, now you have got me interested. I really have not heard anything about this. You may have just made my week. I was getting quite depressed about the money I wasted.

I can only run APKs on Glass while in USB debug mode? There is no way to actually execute the program again without being in the debugger, correct?

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