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Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

bits.blogs.nytimes.com

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Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#21

Post by dpezely »

jeffpalmer wrote: post #8

This has the potential to be huge, especially since it's the brainchild of Google. One thing I noticed is that they didn't showcase object recognition of any type in the promo video. When I heard they were testing these glasses, Google Goggles is the first thing that came to mind. It would be really useful to auto-search objects by simply looking at them and issuing a command. I'm sure it's on their roadmap, if it's…

Although Google will make this more popular due to their marketing efforts and brand, it's hardly their brainchild.

Tom Furness developed similar devices decades ago: Once out of the military lab, this was a key project of the Human Interface Technology Lab at UW in Seattle in the early 1990's.

Updating for smaller chips and components contributes to the current form-factor which includes the front-facing camera not present in the earliest versions.

The upside of course is that this might finally get some traction with Google's budget and efforts.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#22

Post by jpontyface »

Seems like a cool product but glasses are a thing of the past. People moved to using contacts because of the annoyance of glasses, and wearing them all day can actually hurt my ears and nose. And once we start taking them off and putting them in our pockets while not using them, they become a phone with less features.

I want something like this, maybe in a pair of contacts, but even contacts can be irritating. How about a genetically engineered eyeball?

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#23

Post by Xurinos »

pfraze wrote: post #15
mladenkovacevic wrote: post #2

Youtube promo of how it might work (is this for real or just a concept? looks too good to be true) http://youtu.be/9c6W4CCU9M4

I'm buying first gen. Then second gen. All the gens.

What scares me is there is next to no choice on buying these, particularly if they are fast. There is an extreme advantage to people having easy access to information as it is presented in the video. Moreso than smartphones, it is a game changer.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#24

Post by artursapek »

Xurinos wrote: post #23
pfraze wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm buying first gen. Then second gen. All the gens.

What scares me is there is next to no choice on buying these, particularly if they are fast. There is an extreme advantage to people having easy access to information as it is presented in the video. Moreso than smartphones, it is a game changer.

Next to no choice? You're saying people will just all want this by default?

I think most people will want to try this, myself included. But personally I draw the line here and I think many others will. I would never want to own a pair. This will be a niche product for those people who already use Bluetooth headsets, who are a minority.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#25

Post by hswolff »

>“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 would receive any type of suggestions they'd find useful.

That would be like Apple asking people "What do you want the iPhone to do?" before it was first released in 2007.

If you're creating the product, create it. Find the features you want it to have and research the features it needs to have. Asking the public "what do you want it to have" will not do anyone any favors. Decision by committee can be truly atrocious.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#26

Post by philo23 »

That's a pretty neat concept video, but of course it's more than likely just a well produced concept video. Hopefully the real thing can live up to it.

One thing I did think about after seeing the concept photos they have on the Google+ page (https://plus.google.com/111626127367496192147/posts) and in this NYT article, what about us poor people not gifted with 20/20 vision? But again they are probably just concept images and shouldn't really be taken as much more than that.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#27

Post by georgieporgie »

I want these glasses, but with lenses. Not just any lenses, I want lenses that have electronically-controlled, variable tint. Not only would I get the benefit of sunglasses, but the tint could be run up when I'm significantly engaged with my built-in display. Sort of an indicator to others to avoid the social annoyances witnessed in modern, overly discreet mobile phone Bluetooth headsets (and no, I don't mean black them out and blind me, nor do I mean to signal muggers as to my distraction in a shady part of town, though I do see the benefits of Peril Sensitive Sunglasses).

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#28

Post by nkassis »

joejohnson wrote: post #10
DasIch wrote: post #6

Augmented reality glasses, self-driving cars... Google is becoming a really exciting and interesting company. It will be interesting to see how Apple will react to this given that they are the ones claiming to revolutionize consumer technology every couple of years.

Real artists ship. I'm very excited about all of Google's cool new projects, but they have a history of shooting themselves in the foot. If these technologies are so far along, why not build a consumer version and get people to pay to be testers?! Then iterate on the concept and keep improving it through successive versions. But that's Apple's game.

Well treating your users like guinea pigs can back fire. Look at Siri. There seems to be a lot of frustrated users, some even going as far as lawsuits. That model doesn't always work.

Re: Google Begins Testing Its Augmented Reality Glasses

#29

Post by switz »

jonknee wrote: post #14
joejohnson wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Real artists ship. I'm very excited about all of Google's cool new projects, but they have a history of shooting themselves in the foot. If these technologies are so far along, why not build a consumer version and get people to pay to be testers?! Then iterate on the concept and keep improving it through successive versions. But that's Apple's game.

Because you don't ship when it still kills people. Google launches stuff in betas all the time (arguably too much and for too long), but I'm glad they're not out there letting anyone test self driving cars or augmented reality contacts. Apple's difference isn't that they iterate, it's that they don't talk about their new stuff until it ships.

The automated car has driven over 200,000 miles and has never once been in an accident. I don't know many humans that can live up to that.
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