What is this talk about eye glasses from Google? What is the Google Glass project and why should James Bond be worried about Google Glasses? Well, the answer is – everyone can now have a hi-tech set of digital glasses from Google – the kind of glasses that were available only to 007 till now.
You already know about the wristwatch that gives you navigation instructions when you need. You must have also heard of shirt buttons that capture the images which are in front of them. Google Glasses are actually computers, you can wear on your eyes.
Features Of Google Glasses
Google Glass project aims to equip each user with a set of sophisticated glasses that can help you with:
- Cloud computing (uploading, viewing and sharing files);
- Taking images and uploading to Internet;
- GPS tracking and navigation;
- Reading emails;
- Playing games online;
- Watching movies;
Google glasses are actually a screen (the right eye glass, from what I could gather) that shows you information in form of text, graphics and video. The left eye glass would be a normal see through glass so that you don’t have to take off the glasses to look around. Few images on Internet showed the left glass missing. The processor is a chip that would appear on the frame of Google glasses or on the right eye glass. In effect, you have a computer screen in the scope of your vision – allowing you to perform different tasks irrespective of what are actually doing. Doesn’t that sound great?
The Google Glass Project
Before The New York Times reported about the Google Glasses project in February 2012, there were rumors Google was creating something very portable for use with cloud computing. It was thought that Google glasses would allow reading and sharing files and emails. The New York Times first reported it would be even more than simply reading your mail. Based on a video that Google released early in April 2012, Google glass project has been active for long and would enable users to watch movies and play multiplayer Internet based games in addition to cloud computing. The glasses would also contain a GPS system when they are released to public.
How Google Glasses Work
The video uploaded to Google’s YouTube channel showed metallic glasses frame-curves around a person’s forehead. On the right of the frame lie a thin device, a small computer, and translucent screen just above and to the right of the right eye. The only thing not yet clear to me is whether people would be able to slide the screen away from their scope of vision. The video also projected a person checking out GPS while watching a video and finally playing a game.
Word has it that the screen would be triggered by events. For example, if you look up wearing the glasses, you will see a weather forecast. Another example, if you tap the glass, it would capture whatever is in the front of your eye – as a video or as a regular snap (NRW or JPEG file).
The Google glasses also feature a set of spoken commands. There will a microphone somewhere on the frame to record what you are speaking and then, display the information on the right eye screen accordingly. And since the option of watching video is present, expect earphones to be attached to the frame in the final version.
Would You Like To Use Google Glasses?
While anyone can access the Google Glasses after they are made public, would you really want to use such glasses? One review says people would not want a computer screen to obstruct their scope of vision. That is, however, a matter of being adjusted to the screen. Once people are accustomed to the computer screen in their line of sight, they may take it off only while sleeping.
What if Google starts displaying advertisements on the screen – which I am sure they will, say towards right of the screen? Sure, Google will find a way to find out where you are – and serve you “relevant” ads!
Let me know your thoughts!
UPDATE: The Google Glasses Project video seems to have inspired many funny parody videos. Here are two – one about an imaginary Windows Glass Project, and the other a ‘commericial’ for Google Glass – found thanks to TechCrunch.
Enjoy!
