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Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

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Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#181

Post by warfangle »

jordhy wrote: post #124
indiefan wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Typical Google. Treating what should be platforms like products and treating what should be products like platforms.

This is a great point. In the Project Glass video all of the products are Google's. Imagine if, instead of a product, the Google glasses were an open platform for AR like Android is for smartphones. If this were so, Google could create a new app store for AR applications, a new distribution platform for web searches, AR open web apps, and (maybe) a first-person version of YouTube (reality TV 3.0). This platform would…

It will probably be a 'dumb' accessory - using bluetooth to offload most of the processing to an android device - at least, in the first version.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#182

Post by SCdF »

It looks like my idea of augmented reality is different from google's.

The features and functions shown in that video were basically removing the pain of pulling your phone out of your pocket. It was, essentially, a more elegant system than strapping your phone to your face.

It's a good start for the idea of putting processing power in front of your vision, but I wouldn't buy it until it actually augments my reality. If I look at my friend it should show upcoming appointments between us. If I look at a concert poster it should bring up links for articles about the band, reviews, links to buy tickets. That would be augmentation.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#183

Post by saturdaysaint »

dpark wrote: post #143
saturdaysaint wrote: post #53

I don't know whether to be encouraged or disturbed by the notion of having wearable cameras become socially acceptable. On one hand, I would think this could be a major crime deterrent - the idea of a "witness" could become quaint as any crime could easily be captured with a time/location stamp. But it could also be a major altering of norms. Are women comfortable with the idea that any guy looking at them on the str…

How is this actually any different than today? There's nothing stopping me from popping up my phone to take a picture or video in a public space. There's also nothing stopping me from wearing a pinhole camera all the time. If these became common, then obviously there would be more cameras on at all times, but the fundamentals wouldn't be any different. It seems like the biggest difference is that if a ton of people w…

I agree that in a way, this would only intensify effects of camera-equipped cellphones. I have a pet theory that ever-present camera-phones are responsible for at least some of the drop in crime in the last decade. And while the controversy has gone away, there were a lot of overblown concerns about "camera-phones in locker rooms" in the early 00's.

The difference is speed. You'd always have a camera aimed at whatever you were looking at. If you saw a mugger grab a purse, you might not have the presence of mind to fumble with your phone, but you might be able to press a button or say "take picture" (or whatever). I'd imagine that a decrease in response time could be a real deterrent.

I know there've been spy cams forever, but I'd argue that merely owning one (let alone openly displaying it) would mark you for suspicion among a lot of people and I don't think they're widely used. I'm not saying it's the end of the world, but there are some new privacy norms that will be established if these are to take off.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#184

Post by warfangle »

Kiro wrote: post #111
siavosh wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, cultural acceptance or tastes in fashion are hard to impossible to predict. But just on the point of cell phones, I remember they were actually a prestigious thing in the 80's, you remember Zach Morris' brick cell phone in Saved by the Bell?? It was pretty cool

In Sweden cell phones were called "yuppie teddies" and very frowned upon until it catched on.

Most of the folks I know frown on the bluetooth headsets as well - outside of a practical use (hands-free phone while driving).

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#185

Post by Foy »

dpark wrote: post #158
cake wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rather amused that when meeting a friend he spent time checking in to the location rather than talking to the dude. I'm rather creeped out by this project. In almost all the situations presented he could have asked a freaking human instead of his glasses : - bookstore : ask the bookseller that's what he's here for, he may even give you better recommendations - maps in the street : ask somone - where is your friend ?…

Every single one of those things is faster and easier if handled automatically. Ask the bookseller where to find a book? I don't do that now unless I've looked for the book myself and failed to find it, because it makes me feel lazy, and because it's not always easy to find someone without going to the cashier. Ask someone for directions? People suck at giving directions, and they're slow at giving those bad directio…

Here, here!

I think that as the way information is handled transforms and evolves the world will have to adapt.

I suspect getting floor plans of each and every store where these glasses operate wouldn't be feasible so having staff around to point people to specific books may still be useful. But I strongly believe that we shouldn't shun a new technology on the basis that it renders a current job useless. Just think of how many jobs that computers destroyed, and made.

I'm always excited when I think of what the future will look like because so much has changed with the Internet, and so much will continue to change as products like smartphones, tablets and AR systems come into play.

Imagine if someone from the 1800's could visit 2050. He might assume we are all extremely high-functioning schizophrenics.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#186

Post by APuschilov »

jokermatt999 wrote: post #176
marshallp wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the problem with the google boys, they're a one hit wonder. They lucked out with search, a research project, and now they think they know what they're doing. They need to take their bozo hat off and realize they need to partner with the rest of the world to get stuff done. Apple's success is not just due to Job's taste but also extensive ties with chinese manufacturers and real focused hard work. A "secret" X…

> That's the problem with the google boys, they're a one hit wonder. You don't consider GMail, their dominance in ads, Android's ubiquity, the YouTube acquisition, etc as successes? Because all of those seem to have improved vastly since Google took control of them.

Given that Google is not about search anymore but about Google all those acquisitions make sense. Now Google totally controls the biggest assets online (not counting facebook). They could also know as much now as they would like to know about you to give them, data-wise, more than just a controlling position online. So the seperate entities don't even have to be profitable if they generate enough data exhaust for the mothership (what they clearly do).

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#187

Post by chadgeidel »

ramy_d wrote: post #73
hswolff wrote: post #25

>“We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input,” the three employees wrote. “Please follow along as we share some of our ideas and stories. We’d love to hear yours, too. What would you like to see from Project Glass?” Why would you ask that? This type of product is so different from what's available on the market that I doubt the Project Glass team woul…

this, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denn%C5%8D_Coil make dennu coil happen.

Sounds a lot like Rainbow's End: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbows_End

I agree - make it happen.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#188

Post by wintersFright »

tesseractive wrote: post #141
kami8845 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Google car is only driven in controlled conditions in sunny California. For example the car simply doesn't work when it snows, so they just turn it off for that duration. The project looks promising but it still has a long way to go.

But remember: a car that can drive for you perfectly well when the weather is fine but that requires you to take the wheel under adverse conditions is still an awesome product as long as the limitations are clear, consistent, and understood by purchasers.

I wonder how well we will handle the adverse conditions when we have been letting the car do all the work in fair weather scenarios? "Google wants me to drive in this weather? I haven't driven for 2 years! Now let me see - where is that indicator stalk?"

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#189

Post by Foy »

windsurfer wrote: post #92
heyrhett wrote: post #5

Why would the largest advertising company in the world want to place a screen between my eyeballs and reality?

I'm imagining a remix of the featured video to look something like this: * Guy wakes up, puts on glasses. They immediately tell him what brand of breakfast he should be eating today. * When he looks at the window to see the weather, buildings and places are censored, and advertisements are replaced with google ads, yet he doesn't care * During the text message with his friend, after he says "Strand books", Google sug…

This is why government regulation can be healthy. Ideally, ad replacement like what you described would be illegal. In a purely capitalist world it would be encouraged.

Apologies for getting political. But you paint an all-too-possible picture that's worryingly dystopic.

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