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Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

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Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#31

Post by lordCarbonFiber »

panacea wrote: post #17
bad_user wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

If a personal HUD was so great, why do they need to bundle an outfacing camera to the device at the same time? A personal HUD with sufficient utility might gain acceptance by people not wearing the device. Coupled to an eye mounted 'recording other people without their consent' device and Google's servers though? (And yes, my tone is indicative of a luddite stance in this particular instance)

A personal HUD with no way to be context sensitive (ie no camera) is dead in the water. I'm biased because Im working in this space. but, I believe context aware augmented reality is the killer app for wearables. Honestly, the people wearing Glass aren't recording you, Google isn't recording you; if you're worried about privacy concerns it's the last thing on the list of things to be terrified about (just an anecdote, my little sister spends an inordinate amount of time subtly snap chatting images of the people around her with her iphone so, odds are your dystopian future of you describe already exists). So long as we are given root access and the option to use our own servers and software, the hardware advances are not the problem. Acting like a Luddite will not protect your privacy.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#32

Post by bwooceli »

bertil wrote: post #9

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…

the "always on" camera is very unnerving for anyone on the other side of the glass. a physical barrier is the only way to make this work in the real world for now.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#33

Post by Pxtl »

ctdonath wrote: post #29
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…

We had the same complaints about cell phones, especially with handsfree headsets. It was simply too creepy to have people walking around with a small box mushed against their ear ... or worse, just walking along chattering into the air with nobody around. Well, we still have the same complaints, we just find it so useful we've accepted the "cell phone zombification" of society. HUDs will be the same, and like Bluetoo…

Better example would be Walkmen. Nobody blinks at the sight of somebody with earbuds on.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#34

Post by mcb3k »

ctdonath wrote: post #27
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.

Bingo. Killer app: face recognition. Add license plate recognition to that (per another current threagood money for a system that would, unintrusively, pop up an info bubble over everyone's head (name, summary of interactions, relationships, last social media posts, etc). Considering the data mining potential, I'd expect Google et al to provide the hardware & services for free or darned near it. Add license plate rec…

Google currently has policies against doing any kind of cross-referencing with audio or visual data, which means that face recognition is a no go currently [1], even though they're in a good place to provide it because of a) the large repositories of photos on Google+ and b) their acquisition of PittPatt (a facial recognition company) in 2011. They're holding off because of the privacy concerns.

Honestly, I'm glad they're concerned about privacy, and hope that it stays that way. I'm not sure that the privacy concerns will ever go away, and worry that there may be a time when leaving you house could lead to being harassed by random strangers because of something written on an online profile.

[1]https://plus.google.com/111626127367496192147/posts/fAe5vo4Z...

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#35

Post by Pxtl »

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.

Facial recognition tech isn't that specific. It could recognize people from your own personal network, but it's not like fingerprints. You'd need some secondary information to help it narrow down the search-space. For example, if it could tie it to anybody whose phone has GPS-indicated they're in your area, then you could do facial recognition since you've got a much smaller search-space (locals and your personal Plus network)

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#36

Post by Pxtl »

Just HUD information about local businesses - Yelp ratings, menus, upcoming events, news, etc.

I want to look around a bustling city street and drink from the fire-hose of information of everything The Internet knows about this area.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#39

Post by diegocg »

ctdonath wrote: post #29
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…

We had the same complaints about cell phones, especially with handsfree headsets. It was simply too creepy to have people walking around with a small box mushed against their ear ... or worse, just walking along chattering into the air with nobody around. Well, we still have the same complaints, we just find it so useful we've accepted the "cell phone zombification" of society. HUDs will be the same, and like Bluetoo…

People only walks with small boxes mushed against their ear when they get a call. The rest of the time it's on their pocket. Not so much with something like Google glasses.

Glasses suck. I wear them since I was a child and I don't like them. I'm planning to get laser eye surgery done just to get rid of glasses. I would be very surprised if suddenly lots of people with good sight are fine with wearing glasses all the time.

Re: Google Glass Still Needs a Killer App

#40

Post by roc »

Pxtl wrote: post #36

Just HUD information about local businesses - Yelp ratings, menus, upcoming events, news, etc. I want to look around a bustling city street and drink from the fire-hose of information of everything The Internet knows about this area.

Which is useful the first few times someone is in a new area. Which doesn't describe enough people often enough to normalize wearing a computer on your face. Particularly when we all have pocket computers which can do much the same thing, without the extra expense, social stigma or the assumption that a person is physically located in the area being browsed.

(Sure, you could use google glass to peruse yelp reviews for the street outside while you sit in a lobby, but you gain almost none of the sci-fi AR experience)

The apps that justify HUDs are situations where you could benefit from augmented reality apps/guides/references but your hands are likely otherwise occupied.

e.g. mechanics, building inspectors, surgeons, etc.

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