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Why I'm Returning Google Glass

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Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#51

Post by bensonperry »

guelo wrote: post #47
api wrote: post #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.

Glass is not an augmented reality device.

This was my experience when I tried Glass - despite knowing it wasn't AR, I still expected it to somehow enhance my experience. This isn't the case - it's merely replacing the screen in your pocket with a screen above-and-to-the-left-of-vision. I'm hoping the Glass team (or someone else) will take notice and create an AR device that can grant this experience that seems to be widely desired.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#52

Post by robg »

alxbrun wrote: post #41

I think the biggest problem is this swiping thing. Imagine Apple had released the first iPhone with a mouse plugged to it. It's a pure betrayal of the original Glass vision, where all user => machine communication goes through voice.

Voice-only is the hardest HCI problem left. Just consider the challenge as an English speaker, with 18 years of experience, of traveling from Alabama to New York to London and Wales and Scotland and Ireland to Mumbai and Kerala to Cairns and Sidney and Auckland.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#53

Post by deelowe »

arkades wrote: post #28
portmanteaufu wrote: post #4

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,…

I don't get this. The current release is meant for developers, journalists and "technologists." Google was very up front about this. It's not intended to be a consumer product. Complaining about it at this point seems akin to someone getting a console devkit and complaining there's no games available and those cost 10s of thousands of dollars.

Really, the alternative is to not get access until the thing is done or to create some sort of secret selective list for early access.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#54

Post by maffydub »

guelo wrote: post #47
api wrote: post #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.

Glass is not an augmented reality device.

Why not?

(I'm playing with it as an augmented reality device and have written a calibration library to get the display aligned with the camera - see https://github.com/matt-williams/Optometrist. I've been working on hooking this into OpenCV which I'm hoping to upload in the next few days.)

One valid answer to "why not" might be power/heat - if you run it for a long period of time, your battery dies and your hair sets on fire. ;)

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#55

Post by robg »

robg wrote: post #42
api wrote: post #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.

Call it a professional environment and I think that's where we will see the first true impact of wearable computing. Your examples are two good ones. And of course people have mentioned hospitals. Just consider every profession where a desk jockey is not the norm. That's police, firemen, first responders, military, teachers, etc. Heck, why not cashiers and even bar tenders? Then again, I'm biased. We're building and…

Also consider that in professional environs, various pros get away with all sorts of silly attire and add-ons - from scrubs and stethoscopes to other uniforms and utility belts. You look ridiculous, but you have a job to do.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#56

Post by aetherson »

guelo wrote: post #47
api wrote: post #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.

Glass is not an augmented reality device.

Totally. I kind of want to start every comment on every thread on HN with "Glass is not an augmented reality device."

I've worn one (very briefly) now, and let me be very clear: you can not superimpose labels or images on anything you see in daily life with Glass. This is a physical limitation of the hardware, and it is absolute. This hardware will never, ever, ever be able to do that.

And it's unclear to me if the hardware for Rainbows End/Halting State augmented reality will ever (or at least in this generation) exist if Glass-like heads-up-display hardware can not be successful in its own right.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#57

Post by maffydub »

ambiate wrote: post #30
lnanek2 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I've only run APKs in USB debug mode, but the main "OK glass" screen is just an Android app, which I think is started via an Intent, so I suspect you could hook this and override it.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#59

Post by samstave »

api wrote: post #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.

Medical, construction, engineering all provide a great opportunity for glass.

Re: Why I'm Returning Google Glass

#60

Post by psbp »

robg wrote: post #42
api wrote: post #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.

Call it a professional environment and I think that's where we will see the first true impact of wearable computing. Your examples are two good ones. And of course people have mentioned hospitals. Just consider every profession where a desk jockey is not the norm. That's police, firemen, first responders, military, teachers, etc. Heck, why not cashiers and even bar tenders? Then again, I'm biased. We're building and…

I think it even has potential for a desk job. Having your workflow preserved as what you actually see instead of what you happen to save would be a huge time saver for forgetful people like me.

Especially for artists, designers, and maybe even engineers. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to see what I was doing when I started to screw something up.

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