Guest Post By Allie Cooper
While rumors about Apple’s iWatch continue to spread on the World Wide Web, Google has upped the stake by unveiling their newest developed reality head-mounted display (HMD) technology called the Project Glass. Today, Google Glass is one of the highly advanced technologies ever proposed and it is set to be available on the market by early 2014.
Google first introduced the glass prototype at the 2012 annual Google I/O conference in California. Although head-worn augmented reality displays are not a new idea, the project has drawn huge attention from the consumers and media.
In November 2012, Google Glass was recognized by the Time Magazine as one of the “Best Inventions of the Year 2012” alongside the car-sized robotic rover exploring Mars – the Curiosity Rover.
Google Glass features a virtual retina glass screen which displays information in a smarthphone-like format, hands-free capability, and natural language voice commands so users can interact with the internet.
Although its features are attention-grabbers, what made it more intriguing and interesting is its bold appearance and look. The development team ensured that they shrink the components of the device so users can comfortably wear it. In fact, the glasses, which weighed eight pounds at the Google conference, are made lighter than a typical pair of sunglasses.
In April 2012, Google Co-founder Sergey Brin wore the Project Glass Prototype at the Foundation Fighting Blindness event in San Francisco. He was once again seen wearing the glasses when he appeared at The Gavin Newsom Show. Even Governor Gavin Christopher Newsom, 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California, also tried out the futuristic device.
In Claire Cain Miller’s The New York Times article entitled ‘Google Searches for Style’ she interviewed Babak Parviz, the leader of the Google Glass development team, who said that “the big question is, why on earth would you put something like this on your head? If you do things that are very useful, it becomes fashionable.”
The glass frames were first created in black, as designers thought it would flatter everyone. Later on, they added other colors to the collection as black frames seem to look heavy when worn by a fair person.
Recent reports showed Google’s attempt to make the glasses more user-friendly — by inviting 8,000 people to submit their ideas and opinions for how the Google Glass could be used.
Based on Brian De Los Santos’ National Public Radio (NPR) article entitled ‘Google’s Glass Project: Can You Make The Grade?’ he said that Google “announced it will select up 8,000 applicants to become Glass Explorers by answering the question: What would you do if you had Glass? Applicants who are selected for the program will be able to order the device for $1,500.”
He added, “using the #ifihadglass hashtag, applicants are asked to tweet or post on Google + in 50 words or less why they should be chosen. Optionally, they can submit five photos or a short 15-second video. The deadline is Feb. 28.”
Last week (February 20), Google finally released its first Project Glass video advertisement which offered insights on what you can do with the device. It showed how a ballerina could record and stream live video, how a family could video chat, and how a tourist can translate the word “delicious” while eating an authentic dish on a boat.
It would not be surprising if the glasses could also be used to enjoy augmented reality games such as Ingress, where the real world was annotated with virtual information. Today, Ingress game app is available on Android smartphones. Created by the [email protected], this augmented reality game allows users to take pictures of objects and buildings while identifying it online.
Google Glass is still on its developmental stage, but as we come near to the day of its release, we are beginning to see its potential as a great device for the future.
About the Author:
Allie Cooper is a young upcoming writer, a certified gamer known for weaving in her indelible wit into gadgets, tech and game reviews, and tech companies, from UK and internet start-ups. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.
