Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

Google Glass is already dusted. It occupies the very centre of an 'uncanny valley' when it comes to wearable computing. It's simply too creepy to have people walking around with a HUD and and camera next to one eye. And coming from Google no less.

Should have positioned it more as something you wear for outdoor sports, or for specific activities (I know they tried a bit)... but as an everyday computing/sensor device it fails the cultural/social challenge.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#5

Post by jsoffer » Wed, Mar 05, 2014, 12:32 PM UTC

What Glass needs is understanding the need to keep the feet on the ground and realizing that scifi oriented marketing can only go so far. As exciting as "look and feel as a borg" may sound in PR releases, it's useless long term on doing real practical things. Sell it as the more mundane souped up camera it actually is and it could do a lot better.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#6

Post by antihero » Wed, Mar 05, 2014, 12:42 PM UTC

Creepy as hell, but if it could use face recognition and give you data about people that would be some next level stuff.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#7

Post by bad_user » Wed, Mar 05, 2014, 1:11 PM UTC

panacea wrote: post #4

A lazer? Google Glass is already dusted. It occupies the very centre of an 'uncanny valley' when it comes to wearable computing. It's simply too creepy to have people walking around with a HUD and and camera next to one eye. And coming from Google no less. Should have positioned it more as something you wear for outdoor sports, or for specific activities (I know they tried a bit)... but as an everyday computing/senso…

Given your tone, I do wonder whether this is something you observed or something that you wish to happen.

Personally I find the applications for a HUD to be endless, given enough time and polish.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#8

Post by tommorris » Wed, Mar 05, 2014, 1:12 PM UTC

Grindr Real Life Edition.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#9

Post by bertil » Wed, Mar 05, 2014, 1:15 PM UTC

From comments here, reactions and the obvious fact that none of the killer apps listed use the eye-level camera, I have to assume that putting that tiny hole next to the eye was a big mistake. People go used to cameras pinholes (because those go in your pocket) even their webcam (because they control it) but that one… doesn’t see to go.

Narrative (formerly Memoto) develops a similar pinhole: a clip-on camera meant to be worn all day long. It offers a lot of the benefits that people list (record keeping for legal or personal archives); they might need a button to snap, but they face none of the backlash Google has, while they record a lot more. Their product is much easier to ignore, because it doesn’t sit on your face.

Google could rapidly solve that by adding in the angle of Glass a collapsible pane, a tiny plastic shield that would swipe away & reveal, then back in front of & hide the pinhole; it could even act as a button for most of the camera action.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#10

Post by bad_user » Wed, Mar 05, 2014, 1:17 PM UTC

antihero wrote: post #6

Creepy as hell, but if it could use face recognition and give you data about people that would be some next level stuff.

You're going too far.

How about labeling players with their names at a soccer/football game? I'm not that much of a fan, but watching live soccer games is fun and unfortunately I can't recognize the players by their shirt number or field position like die-hard fans can. And this takes away some fun from being on that stadium.

Or how about labeling points of interests when walking around in a foreign city? Speaking of which, Google Maps's walk directions could be interesting on Glass.

Also, I have a bad memory so related to what you've said - I tend to forget names, so it would be awesome if the HUD showed me the name of the person I'm talking with. I wouldn't need much, just their first name.

Basically it doesn't have to be an all creepy all invasive thing. With enough time and polish this could be useful and for tasks that don't intrude on people's privacy. With a red led signaling whether the camera is recording or not it would also take away the fear of talking with somebody wearing glasses. And after all, those glasses aren't the only way you can sneakily record somebody.