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Google has just released a video which shows off the UI for its Glass project — and it looks kinda neat.
We’ve seen some similar videos before, but this one shows off far more about the device’s functionality. On-lens directions, voice-controlled messages, web searches, notifications, and even on-the-fly translation. This all looks kinda fun — and actually pretty useful.
While it’s still not clear when an affordable pair of the glasses will become available, the video coincides with an update to Google’s pre-order policy for the first iteration of the Glass headset. Initially a small number of the Explorer edition — intended for developers and early adopters — were offered at last year’s Google I/O conference.
Now, the glasses will be available “creative individuals” via its #ifihadglass page, for same princely sum of £1,000-odd. Google claims to be looking for “creative individuals who want to join us and be a part of shaping the future of Glass.” Or, perhaps it just wants to sell a few more pairs.
Updating…
[YouTube]
Google Glasses First Look: Would You Wear These Augmented Reality Specs?
Google's Project Glass Hits the Catwalk
Microsoft Has Plans For Its Own Project Glass
I’m thankful every day for the times we live in – things like this are just so fantastic, just 10 years ago, no one would have thought this could work out.
It’s AWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESOME!!
No, its AWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEFUL!!!!!!!!
Apart from how silly they look on your face, these are awesome. Its one of the first technologies thats coming out delivering an unobtrusive way to share our experiences. The problem with what we use now is while you capture the experience you want to share you are no longer experiencing it.
This is obviously the future. It may be ahead of its ‘time’, it might not turn out to be that popular at first and then be considered a failure, but until we get implants in our eyes like in Black Mirror this is what we will have.
It has some work to get over the social stigma, but then so did real spectacles back in the day
There are only ___ things that could get in the way of Google Glass being the next paradigm in mobile communications:
1) Privacy – people are going to be a little freaked out that anyone with a pair of what are essentially glasses could be recording them at any time.
2) Fashion – Are people going to wear frames instead of pocketing an ‘invisible’ mobile phone in their pocket?
3) Integration – This needs to have a iOS, WP8 and BB10 app. Needs.
4) Price – I can see this going down the same pricing model as premium smartphones, i.e. £500-700 for a “contract-free” unit or bundled as part of a mobile contract as a partnering super-accessory
Personally, I’m super excited.
Me too, super excited. But also concerned about privacy. Not only about people recording me, but also about google being ‘evil’…
As someone who needs to wear glasses for just about every waking moment it’d be good to have this in a prescription pair.
Agreed, given I already have something on my face this would simply be making that even more functional. My only slight issue is whether my vision is good enough – I couldn’t even see the display if it’s in the top right!
Frankly I’m absolutely amazed by this technology. It’s every bit as wonderful as I’d hoped – I imagined it would be little more than a second screen for your phone notifications at this stage. But it’s not. The future is here. I wasn’t excited about the project at all, but now I am. Wow.
Phones have stagnated – the last two or three years have seen incremental upgrades in apps but there’s little you can do now that you couldn’t do with an iPhone 3G in 2008. This, though. This is the future of personal technology. Amazing.
You know what the problem will be, though?
No way can you have it permanently listening for you to say “ok glass” AND for the battery to last more than a couple of hours.
Very true, I think for those of us in that situation either battery tech would have to improve a lot or we’d have to make do with a capacitive strip to touch to issue a command.
I wondered the same about whether the image would be clear enough in the glasses to see, my eyes are bad but not getting any worse thankfully!
It is fascinating how the tech is starting to evolve to give us these convenient and intuitive interfaces, I’ve only just got a proper smartphone so I’m still at the “amazed how much it can do” stage
Actually, I can’t see that it could possibly work with a prescription. The image would have to come from in front of the glass in order to then be ‘corrected’ by the lens. Even then, most prescriptions aren’t tuned to give clear vision an inch from your eye. If you hold your finger just in front of your lens, you will not be able to focus on it.
So unless there’s something I’m missing it looks like us glasses-wearers will miss out.
You’re probably right, the projected image would have to be defocussed to suit different types of abberation, either not feasible or not worth google’s resources. Shame.
Just have to wait for the retinal implants 
Having said that I don’t even like the idea of laser surgery.
No me neither. The whole concept of laser surgery makes my skin crawl. Can’t even consider contacts, so looks like I’ll be missing out on the greatest innovation in computing since the mobile phone.
You and me both!
Can I present the “Anti-advert” to this… It’s an episode from a tv series called Black Mirror and Google glass is disturbingly similar to the tech in Black Mirror. It’s an amazing TV series if you don’t know it, all about the near future and impact of technology on society.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/4od#3327868
…and no i don’t work for channel 4.
It’s like everything, it has it’s pro and anti uses. Take mobiles. They allow you to be contactable anywhere. As someone who grew up before mobiles this is a tremendous thing and the aid to small businessmen and women is huge. The downside is They allow you to be contactable anywhere which means you have to put up with the constant chatter of dickheads who don’t understand that you don’t want to hear what they and their mates did last night while you ride on public transport or in the cinema.
Black Mirror was good – although that episode was my least favourite. I think it was Charlie Brooker what wrote it. I hear there’ll be another series. Personally, I’d like to see him concentrate on churning out a few more ‘Touch of Cloth’s and maybe a Gameswipe or two.
Anyway, after the amazing dashboard cam shots of the Russian meteor, I have decided that I’ll take Google glass and the intrusion of privacy that it represents for the happy trade-off of loads of amazing videos from around the world.
That episode was my least fav too, but mainly because it’s disturbing. There is a second series that is currently on Channel 4 now.
I love technology, but until recently it’s been that existing technology just hasn’t been good enough to really ‘interfere’ with our lives. Soon it will be, and arguably it already is. I wonder where the line will be.
Interestingly I can imagine bespoke ” anti technology retreat” style holidays becoming very expensive
Thanks for the heads up. Brooker’s been busy then. That bodes well for more Touch of Cloth…
Actually, that episode (The entire history of you) was the only Black Mirror episode not to be written by Charlie, instead by Jessie Armstrong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror_(TV_series)#Series_1).
Definitely not my least favorite, but I agree it was one of the most disturbing. The script has been bought by Robert Downey Jr’s production company to be turned into an americanised scfi thriller about a widower who keeps watching back past moments with his wife until he (predictably) starts uncovering some kind of government conspiracy.
I remembered that he’d co-written one with his missus, but I just assumed he wrote them all – well there you go.
I seem to remember a Robin Williams vehicle with a similar plot-line, where he edits out the unsavoury bits of peoples lives after they die and somehow ends up witnessing a murder or summit.
I personally can’t wait for Glass, it looks like just wearing Glass will make my life so much more exciting
I know. I’ve never even skydived before!
I’m looking forward to the ballet
Perhaps you can explain HOW glass will make your life, oh, so much more exciting?
If you life isn’t exciting now, wearing this device isn’t going to make one jot of difference.
according to the video I’m going to be doing loads of really cool stuff once I have Glass!
(The ‘wink’ at the end of my initial comment was meant to indicate sarcasm….are you American by chance?)
Hi JulianT,
I am NOT american. I didn’t know what you meant by the ‘wink’. I have Aspergers, I don’t understand sarcasm. Though I think I understand now.
I am sorry to disappoint you, but all those activities are not included with the package. Which is a good job as a lot of those actives involved being at height and up-side-down. Now, I really don’t fancy the ‘at height’ thing or being up-side-down. So Google have just lost a customer. Did you notice how many other people in the video are also wearing Glass – two. So they are not going to be THAT popular either. And what happens if you are ‘Glassing’ up-side-down and at height and your Glass falls off?
What would happen if you are visiting your Oncologist for the first time and running facial recognition software on your Google Glass, the Oncologist says to you “The prognosis is really very good” Google Glass flashes up “Lying Bastard, you’re going to die”.
The possibilities are endless. Your end, Google’s profit.
I love this, and can’t wait for the technology to hit the mainstream.
Really love the real-world practical uses that the video shows,Literally having Google Search/Now, Maps, emailing, photo, text, and video sharing functionality all voice controlled and hands-free, there would be no excuses to miss anything like not having your cam or phone to hand at a crucial moment.
If this is anything to go by, the future is looking good!
Oh, so Google Glass will solve racism, crime, environmental damage, war, pollution, poverty etc.?
context fail
No, the future is looking pretty bleak, but you dear jpxdude can see it really good with Google Glass.
fontext cail
The video reminds me of an old joke…
An Irish man writes to Tampax…
Dear Sir,
I have been trying your product now for three months and I still can’t swim, ride a bicycle nor play tennis.
Regards
Padraig O’Reilly.
If this hits the £300 mark I’m sold, Especially if it could be combined with prescription glasses.
In reality :
Ok Glass, take a video … no .. take a videoo .. T A K E A … video .. no .. take a video…take a video .. stop video..stop..cancel video…stop video taking … stop video…cancel command …… *rage*
Yaaay, looks like in the future we’ll be able to replace people filming in portrait mode with the juddery camera you get when you strap a camera directly to someone’s head!
I am sorry to disappoint you, but all those activities are not included with the package. Which is a good job as a lot of those actives involved being at height and up-side-down. Now, I really don’t fancy the ‘at height’ thing or being up-side-down. So Google have just lost a customer. Did you notice how many other people in the video are also wearing Glass – two. So they are not going to be THAT popular either. And what happens if you are ‘Glassing’ up-side-down and at height and your Glass falls off?