How Google Glass will change mobile, and how it could fail
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This is the beauty of invention. The company freely admits that it doesn’t quite know how to market the product; the tech elite don’t quite know either; and, common people are a bit unnerved by the technology. But, the geeks are excited, because we can simply feel the potential, and the disruptive force that comes with something new.
The true POV camera
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Take a look back at all of the video we’ve seen from Google Glass. For the most part, the pictures may not seem to be anything special at first glance, but the longer you look, the more you see. The camera can capture something much more intimate than anything we’ve seen before. Handheld photography can only get so close, and all “POV” videography feels clunky and off, because there is only so much a handheld camera can mimic the movement of our head. Even a camera strapped to your forehead isn’t quite right, because the perspective is slightly off compared to what we would really see.
But, then you see the video that Sergey Brin and the Glass team took while skydiving, and even though the camera is a bit jerky, it still feels somehow natural. Only the best camera operator can approximate what we would see when moving our heads side to side, but Google Glass seems to be able to simply because the Glass camera has no choice but to follow our heads, and capture the same perspective that we see with our eyes.
The key to success
The photography and videography that we see coming from Google Glass users will be the killer feature, but the make-or-break function for commercial success (assuming the cost comes down fast) will be the UI. We still haven’t seen what the UI will be, or how to interact with the Glass, aside from voice commands.
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We assume that the key to this will be Android’s Talkback feature, which has been designed to aid users with visual impairments. The key would be to mix the best of Talkback, while removing the bits that can drive someone without visual troubles mad (like the explore-by-touch, which reads out everything on screen to aid with navigation). So, we’d expect to see e-mails and messages read, but not displayed, and directions given turn-by-turn, but no map without user prompt (and definitely no map if the user is driving).
Conclusion
If the price is right, and even if nothing else is all that good with Google Glass (which is hard to imagine, given Google’s track record), photography is going to be seeing another revolution when this product finally hits. It’s hard to imagine Google completely screwing up the Glass UI, but the real key to Google saying that it’s not sure how people will use the product is because that lack of knowledge could mean too many items get transferred from phone to Glass.
The Google Glass UI needs to be minimalist and as distraction-free as possible, but still provide enough information to remove the need to look at a smartphone screen. That’s a pretty tall order, but not an impossible one, and it could make all the difference. We should see more soon enough, as the developer units are expected to start going out during events in NYC and San Francisco next week.
Story timeline
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12 June Google Glass teardown reveals 570mAh battery
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15 May Google Glass is weird, irritating to most Americans, only 10% would wear it
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8 May Google Glass sensors revealed, would make for a stunningly accurate augmented reality device
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8 April Infographic explains how Google Glass works in simple terms
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22 February Google's Project Glass to arrive earlier, in stores by the end of this year, but with no cellular connectivity
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48 Comments
1. InspectorGadget80 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 10:50 14
This is going to be epic. Cant wait what the dev had instore for glass. Im definitely going to buy one
3. pokharkarsaga posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:16 5
The video clarity of Google Glass looks like 808 pureview. Good job Google.
5. Aeires (unregistered) posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:26 4
What I'd like to see is a zoom feature that portrays the zoomed image directly onto the lens of the glasses. With this you could look at close images in macro or look at distant images zoomed in. Reading impaired? Solved.
7. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:33 8
I was thinking the same thing.. "real world instant zoom". THAT would be a huge selling point. Not only for normal people reading and such but also for doctors and nurses to get a good close up of what's going on with you without having to get too close.... or if you can live stream from one Glass to another.. without having to even be in the same room. Imagine 100 doctors all looking at the exact same thing to figure out the problem in real time. (just dont look at the bill!! lol)
There are a million ways to play that out.
28. gwuhua1984 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 15:03 1
Perfect for snipers in the military?
47. AWiseGuy posted on 22 Jan 2013, 19:50 0
Use cases that Google hasn't even imagined. Mostly because it seems Google hasn't bothered to imagine *any* use cases. They're just developing a cool piece of hardware and letting the consumer choose how to use it. I see a good future for this product, if only for certain niche uses.
19. Droid_X_Doug posted on 21 Jan 2013, 13:22 0
A lot of potential and a lot of risk. A completely new UI paradigm, but with risks. Some that immediately come to mind are processing power required to deliver the user experience; user distraction (even head-up displays are not free of distraction); how to design the UI so that the user gets just what they need to receive as opposed to wading through menu trees.
Only Google has the culture to take on such an endeavor.
2. gwuhua1984 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:06 5
I wonder if we could watch videos via Google Glass... Can't wait to see more on this project.
4. DKMDROID posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:23 4
I'd love to see whats the full extent of what they can achieve with Google Glass I'll definitely buy one it will be well worth the money if it will be that easy to use and have that many features but a few things trouble me.....1. How would it be packaged? 2.what would the processor be like? 3. how big would the battery be? those are my concerns ....
11. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:38 3
1) who cares
2) who cares as long as it works well
3) ok, this one is a biggie. :)
13. jroc74 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 12:00 1
Yea I dont think the processor for something this small would make a huge difference. I dont think its doing as much as a phone or tablet.
If they could use watch size batteries...would that even be strong enough or last long enough?
6. jroc74 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:31 4
I can see going to it when I wanna take pics....I cant see myself wearing it on a daily basis. I dont think I woulda wanna use GPS with this. Might be too in my face.
I like it tho..bring it on.
10. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:37 4
it could easily use augmented reality to keep the "arrows" on the road in front of you and not so much "in your face". That tech already exists.
9. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 11:36 2
I think Glass is going to fundamentally change things if its marketed properly. To the seeing impaired, for medicine, travelers (real time google maps info on places as you walk by), and a million other uses people havent thought of yet.
Once the tech can shrink even smaller and make it look like a normal pair of glasses these will catch fire with every day people. Let some fashion designers get ahold of them and make them desirable looking as well as highly functional.
23. HDShatter posted on 21 Jan 2013, 14:25 0
Google Glasses - Watch porn anywhere anytime and not get caught. Instant #1 product for men across the globe.
33. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 16:28 1
what ever. Men everywhere would get caught. A sea of dudes walking down the street with pitched tents would not go over well with indecent exposure laws. lolz.
It would be a funny "the next pandemic" segment on the local news shows though. :)
14. jroc74 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 12:04 0
If any of yall ever seen those movies where it feels like you are in it...like at an Air n Space Museum, the movies they show there? Towards the end of this clip right before they landed....made my stomache drop...lol.
15. duwiegeneral posted on 21 Jan 2013, 12:26 0
that stupid google flass r glass r r@@s is for porn freak who wants a better feel of thier fantasy sorrounding. lollll play boy's would do well with a few a them. soon we will ave space guns shooting laser beems so powerful it will b able to disolve titanium steel lolllll crop!!!
25. MorePhonesThanNeeded posted on 21 Jan 2013, 14:40 1
at least we know what he'll be anxiously waiting on it for.
This reminds me of Surrogates, when they used that data to jump back into the last hours of that murdered guys memories. Really crazy watching what someone did from their POV, AR gaming could be something that brings rebirth of Laser Tag much closer to those videos of epic laser fights, no bullets or paintballs necessary. Heck it could even augment paintball fights, exercising, school work(like documenting your trip to the museum) catching a sight in the sky you happened to be looking at right at that moment.
If this thing is quick and lightweight and has satisfactory space, it would be incredible. Limited use at first but it could blossom into something incredible. I'm all for innovative technology, might help with crimes to, see something suspicious but fear for your life, just look from a distance and place the call with video reference and that's it. Anonymous tip with video sent it, perp apprehended because of a concerned civilian with camera.
30. gwuhua1984 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 15:12 0
Could use it for that Cheaters show too.
34. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 16:31 0
laser tag would be a fun augment if it could keep up and animate the "laser fire" in real time. Would make for a great light saber duel as well. :)
Crime would go down big time if these got mass adoption.. EVERYONE would be wearing cameras to catch the criminal.
A program showing you how to do your homework problem right "on your book" would be fantastic as well.
Those are some great uses. Good thoughts guy.
36. gwuhua1984 posted on 21 Jan 2013, 16:38 1
The whole concept could become pretty crazy... Imagine someone using Google Glass the way Batman hacked wireless devices it in the Dark Knight.
27. darac posted on 21 Jan 2013, 14:49 0
If nothing else, this will be remembered as the first personal HUD assistant computer.
And one day, IMO, those things will be as big as smartphones are today, and then some.
In a truly mature form(say, some 10-15 years from now), I imagine an intelligent supercomputer sporting ultra hd, 3D display with variable transparency ranging from completely transparent, discrete looking, eye protection eyeglasses substitute, to a full filter screen usable for all computing, gaming and media you could need.
Somewhere between those two modes, it will mostly serve as a revolutionary augmented reality, video/photographic and communication tool.
Advanced technologies will make it light, comfortable, flexible and near indestructible.
And it won't need to be charged at all - it's battery will charge constantly via sunlight and body temperature of the carrier.
35. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2013, 16:34 0
HUD assistants have been around for quite some time. Hell, my grandfather's caddy back in the 90s had HUD display for his speed. I never really understood why it hasnt caught on more than it has though. Seemed so useful. Just like touch screen displays which have been around since the 80s.
Yea, this tech is the beginning of the next stage of communications with the potential to change things as much as cell phones did.
42. darac posted on 22 Jan 2013, 02:30 0
A car HUD isn't really a personal one (that you could carry around ).
Helmet mounted HUD's, btw, are dating back to eighties (Soviet fighter jet pilots were the first to use it)
43. darac posted on 22 Jan 2013, 04:21 0
Just have to add.. if our civilization really lives to see such thing, it will change us more than phones did.. more than anything before.
Imagine, having an intelligent computer in front of your eyes. It will become our virtual "friend" that will talk to us, give us instant answers and analyses (how tall is this tree? What's the species? how many people is there? How far is that thing? What was the speed of this? ....), keep us connected to super fast networks and serve as immersive 3D camera, gaming and multimedia platform
44. SuperEd posted on 22 Jan 2013, 13:28 0
i anticipate failure. This is another attempt at throwing something at the wall to see if it sticks. It won't. The general public is still catching up with smartphones at this point. Too early for the masses.
45. SuperEd posted on 22 Jan 2013, 13:29 0
Anyone remember the second coming of 3D glasses last year? Gonzo...nobody wants to wear glasses.
46. AWiseGuy posted on 22 Jan 2013, 19:48 0
I imagine there will be all sorts of indie movies that use this for a few unique scenes. That'll be interesting.
48. TMobileEmployeePA posted on 23 Jan 2013, 12:51 0
It looks like it uses the right eye in which I am blind.
