Sergey Brin – Google Glass
If you have seen Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol the newly announced Google Glass technology may remind you of the contact lenses the IMF agents wore, which had built-in facial recognition software, photo capture and data transmission capability. That may seem like me over imagining but you can’t doubt the closeness. I see Google Glass as a herald to what may be a build up to something similar to the contact lenses in Ghost Protocol. First…
Google Glass (styled “GLΛSS”) is a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display (OHMD) that is being developed by Google in the Project Glass research and development project, with the mission of producing a mass-market ubiquitous computer. Google Glass displays information in a smartphone-like hands-free format, that can interact with the Internet via natural language voice commands. While the grammar will interest the bookworm or regular-Joe geek, what really concerns the true tech head are the specs and capabilities.
Specs and Hardware
For the developer Explorer units:
- Android 4.0.4 and higher
- 640×360 display
- 5-megapixel camera, capable of 720p video recording
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
- Bluetooth
- 16GB storage (12 GB available)
- Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 SoC 1.2Ghz Dual(ARMv7)
- 682MB RAM “proc”.
- 3 axis gyroscope
- 3 axis accelerometer
- 3 axis magnetometer (compass)
- Ambient light sensing and proximity sensor
- Touchpad
- Bone conduction transducers
- Explorer edition currently sport no lenses but Google are considering partnership with Ray-Ban and Warby Parker
- Currently can’t be used by people who wear prescription glasses but eventually will work with prescription lenses by the wearer
Safe to say you can’t get lost or miss a moment you want to capture with this baby, and that bone conductor transducer will make even your whispers loud enough for calls and voice command. The mic sits right next to your ear,hence instead of traditional loud sound waves it vibrates the bones in your ears so the sound is sort of “inside your head”. This makes it impossible for anyone else to hear what you are hearing. It also works both ways, so you can as much as whisper and Google Glass will hear it. According to Google,the display is “the equivalent of a 25-inch high-definition screen from eight feet away”.
With almost 700MB of RAM on a device that does mostly calls(hands free), take pictures and get directions, it will not likely be a slow device. For a starter, it doesn’t look very fashionable yet but that’s not really a problem. Nothing really has been said about the battery but reports that it can last for a whole day or so.
It doesn’t come equipped with a GPS so location services would work best in sync with an android device but not disappointing either. All these are still under construction, the final product is expected to be first-person-sight awesomeness.
Price
The current Explorer edition goes for $1500 but when it officially hits the shelves it is expected to go for significantly lower.
Privacy and Concerns
While the device is being widely accepted and is making giant strides it has met with concern, especially about the camera. Reports that the UK will ban its use while driving and strip clubs, casinos and the likes have banned its use while inside their premises. Other public concerns are if it will be used for perverted purposes.
Comment
Great overall idea, million dollar stuff in my book and with competition buildup from Apple and Microsoft i say in 2 or 3 years there will be an exciting market for developers and designers alike.
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