Lucky bas… Joshua Topolsky got to use and test Google Glass. “Is it ready for everyone right now? Not really. Does the Glass team still have huge distance to cover in making the experience work just the way it should every time you use it? Definitely. But I walked away convinced that this wasn’t just one of Google’s weird flights of fancy. The more I used Glass the more it made sense to me; the more I wanted it. If the team had told me I could sign up to have my current glasses augmented with Glass technology, I would have put pen to paper (and money in their hands) right then and there. And it’s that kind of stuff that will make the difference between this being a niche device for geeks and a product that everyone wants to experience. After a few hours with Glass, I’ve decided that the question is no longer ‘if’, but ‘when?'” No wonder Google is going into retail. They need physical stores to sell this.
So basically this provides a Heads-Up-Display (HUD) for the real world.
If they can add more camera’s to it, then they can add something similair to the Kinect to watch what your hands are doing, right ?
In that case you can have a HUD-like interface on your glasses you can manipulate with your hands.
Because speech really isn’t such a great interface or is it ?
Edited 2013-02-23 12:49 UTC
Weight and size constraints have to be addressed. Depth sensing cameras aren’t small enough.
Also, Google Glass does not cover your whole view, it only covers a small portion of it, so it’s not really augmented reality or a “HUD” even if you were to add several more cameras to it.
Not yet 🙂
It is a HUD, Heads up Display. It only needs to display info to the user without him/her looking down.
HUDs in fighter jets are pretty small too.
I never mentioned it wouldn’t take an other 5 years before it could be implemented. 😉
So the question is, is there a physical limitation on how depth sensing cameras are made which would prevent them to be shrunk to such a size
I can see a booming market for parkour tutorials and “my final moments” vids.
Well youtube got pretty interesting when russians started using cameras in their vehicles. Imagine when russians will get their Googles Glass…
Edited 2013-02-23 14:08 UTC
“Dmitry runs away from bears, part 68.”
When Wafflez mentioned “Russian” my first thought was more along the lines of “Dmitry tackles beaver in the backseat, position 69”, though I’m not sure if Youtube allows that sort of stuff, and I’m not sure I’d even want a Google-Glass view of that anyway. ._.
Edited 2013-02-23 15:54 UTC
With the many security flaws and possible exploits of surveillance technology, combined with sousveillance technology run by “normal people”, maybe Glass could be connected to those monitoring you? Like, “this is how you look from above, walking into that building; look to your left, there’s a hidden camera peeking in your pockets from above”. Or “you’re going to enter your PIN into this ATM or payment terminal which is currently connected to a l33t hax0r who now has all your banking data plus your PIN, which is 1234; have a nice day”. And the look up the contact information of the boss of the ATM company on Facebook to help you schedule a nice talk with him about security, because you love to hear fairy tales.
While this sounds very useful for people who are paranoid anyway (because, you never know…), it could encourage the upcoming “typical Glass customers” on how their privacy fades when they are at home, go into public, work… oh wait… that doesn’t sound like a selling argument, does it? 🙂
Why would they need to do that? You are ALREADY being monitored at all times when you go anywhere even remotely public, there is simply no need to bother with using Google Glass for that. Heck, even just your cell phone has access to much, much more lucrative stuff than can usually be learned from the camera or microphone.
Actually, Google Glass would be a rather poor solution for trying to monitor people: it ain’t got enough processing power for anything smart, it only has a limited selection of inputs that are already in use, there’s no offline-storage for you to keep anything of value there, and it has terribly limited view on things as it’s attached to you, not your surroundings.
That’s right. I just wanted to point out that visual clues provided by a “Glass app” (not sure if that term even applies) could educate those who are interested in this information, regarding aspects of who is monitoring them, from where and how. With the increasing interconnection of services, the Glass could be a tool to “turn around” surveillance, i. e. you can now exactly determine who is responsible for invading your privacy, prbably even why this is. You can also connect this information to individuals (operatives in charge, owners of surveillance companies and so on) just as you as an individual are subject to surveillance.
Again you are fully correct. The only addition I’d like to make is that the Glass sees what you see, whereas the camera in the smartphone is covered when you’re carrying it in a pocket. So the Glass would deliver a permanent video and audio stream, but probably nothing more.
But that was not the primary intention of my comment.
Allow me to be more specific:
For my daily work, I’d like to have a “Glass app” that tells me things about security which I’m concerned of, either because I’m “in charge” or I’m just interested in it from a personal point of view. View! Visual identification of objects will lead to their security specs, and in an interconnected world, remote processes could be launched for diagnostics. Example: I look at a customer’s computer. Per location and other visual clues, its IP is determined, and a port scanner is run, as well as other tests. In the Glass, I can see the (poorly chosen) password and enter it “without knowing” it. Same goes for printers (as a nice carrier of spyware), banking terminals and other devices you’d like to know more about when you’re concerned enough. The Glass could point you to locations of cameras so you can happily smile into that direction, giving your friendly government that you are all happy people enjoying all the care you pay for with your taxes.
Another application could be a “Glass app” that identifies faces of people I see and (in the interconnected world) obtain information from their Facebook and Twitter accounts and governmental records. In negotiations (e. g. for contracts and salaries) those informations could be very useful. I won’t use the word “blackmail” here, but you get the idea. The Glass could be used to find something for my counterpart he should better have hidden, but because “everything is public” there’s no reason to complain.
The advantage of having this information delivered per Glass (instead of per smartphone or per laptop) is that it is much less obvious for others. (Of course in a higher level security area I would not be allowed to wear it, but there are other options.)
From this imagination, you can easily conclude that the upcoming technology already made me totally insane. Must be the radiation. 🙂
Maybe not, but I bet it’ll do wonders for the gonzo porn industry
Google Glass + “YOLO”-spouting brain donors == greatest Darwin Awards ever.
Hey, Google, I’m gonna give you this idea for free, put a camera behind.
I’ve been excited about this since day 1. I think it would make a great companion to your mobile phone; makes much more sense than a smart watch. I also believe it makes more sense for video than it does for taking pictures.
My only concerns are implications to privacy and let’s hope they don’t price it like the Chromebook.
Interesting idea, but they can keep it. I’m no technophobe, but the last thing I want while walking down the street (or driving) is ads popping up in my field of vision letting me know of useless junk that is on sale.
Communicators in star trek were a cool idea too, until they came into production (ie. cell phones). Now every schmuck and their brother has one and is yacking on it incessantly.
I hope you can still see us way up from that high horse.
It’s more like google being on a high horse looking down on everything you do and then profiting millions off you without your consent. Does this not bother you?
I for one will never buy or use a single product from google. I understand I’m in the minority these days. But as you get older perhaps you’ll understand the wisdom of keeping your personal life private and only allow companies with ethics and morals to prosper.
So, you mean you’re never ever going to be buying any sort of electronics ever again, rent a movie, buy music or anything like that?
No, he builds all the electronics he uses at a hackerspace himself. 😉
I don’t know what hackerspace is?. But you’re correct, I build all my own gear. Is there something wrong with that?
No, there is nothing wrong with that.
I assume you build your own desktop PC and not your mobile phone, tv or tablet for example ?
A hackerspace is a place where people come together to build stuff. As Wikipedia describes it: “A hackerspace (also referred to as a hacklab, makerspace, or hackspace) is a community-operated physical space where people with common interests, often in computers, technology, science, digital art or electronic art, can meet, socialise and/or collaborate.”
That can be very useful, because not everyone has access to certain equipment or tools at home or even work, but at a hackerspace you can share.
Yes I build all my own PC’s. My TV is a standard 50″ plasma from Panasonic made in Japan. It has no other features other than to display tv channels and allow standard hdmi input.
I have my own built and programed media center pc. I wrote my own software to run it using linux as the operating system and a mixture of C and python to display and record TV, play our music and videos, display our pictures and play many free games and much more. My family have used it every single day for the past 5 years and have a lot of fun doing so. I’m not a trained programmer or have any degrees in computer tech, I’m just a simple chippy that doesn’t waist his life in front of an idiot box watching ads and propaganda.
I don’t own a tablet yet because there aren’t any that will allow me to do what I want with them. I’m thinking of building my own from parts that are readily available theses days at a cost much less than what is on offer. I would never own an android or apple tablet as long as my arse points to the ground!
My phone is an old Nokia N95 which I have repaired several times and suits my need completely. When it dies completely I will get something simple if something similar is not available, we’ll see
None of the companies I have bought my products from to date have been ethically and morally corrupt as other companies, so they have enjoyed my patronage.
I don’t know if we have these things in Australia. I must look into it. They sound like great places to meet similar minded people and share thoughts and ideas.
That is fantastic, keep it up. I’m also not a big fan of following the fashion.
For example I tried to stay away from HDMI and DVD as long as possible. At least it was enough to have some of their DRM-methods broken.
__
I see 13 on the map:
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces
I know there is a hackerspace in the next town, but I have yet to visit it.
Edited 2013-02-24 16:42 UTC
Beauty, I see there’s one in Melbourne. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the link
Looks like they have some interesting projects. Aduino stuff is pretty cool
I hope it works out, more people at hackerspaces can’t be a bad thing, right ?
Good to see others beating their own technology path in a world where almost every application seems to want to phone home.
Also, nice work getting that TV setup the way you wanted it, I could never get Mythtv to to time the wakeup on the server in order to record stuff without leaving it on and went with Mediaportal in the end.
I’d love to know the details of how you’ve built your own processor, displays, memory chips and all. That would make for a wonderful story here on OSNews.
Why would I need to do all of that? What is so ethically or morally wrong with companies that build that kind of hardware?
How does Intel, ARM or AMD screw you? Or a memory or display manufacturer?
Please enlighten me I’m truly interested in your thoughts.
Edited 2013-02-24 16:28 UTC
How about for example the third link I find when searching for “intel price fixing”: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/05/13/us-eu-intel-idUSTRE54C1SO…
The point is, they ALL are guilty of the things you mentioned and you’re being naive if you believe anything different. Go ahead and search a little, you’ll see.
Price fixing is against the law and those responsible have been brought to justice. You’ve always had the choice of not buying the product if you thought the price was not fair. I never felt the price was not fair and paying for something I wanted and needed was fine by me.
Price fixing is not the same as stealing your private information and tracking your every movement and activity.
It’s illegal to open someone elses mail in my country and carries a hefty penalty. I believe it’s the same in many countries. Why should it be ok on the internet and why should I support low life that do that very thing?
I guess you don’t mind people reading your letters in your letter box or following you when you go out to visit friends, do some shopping, or take a holiday and log your every movement? It’s called stalking here and again carries a hefty penalty. Why should it be ok on the internet?
See, that’s exactly what I was waiting from you: hypocrisy. First you derail against companies being greedy and morally and ethically corrupt, and then the next thing you know you’re saying it’s actually okay as long as it doesn’t involve online activities.
Not so. I have no problem with companies price fixing in what’s supposed to be a free market. If the price they fix at is too high for me then I’ll simply refuse to buy their products opening the way for someone else to come out at a better price. I don’t find this to be morally or ethically wrong. I do however have a problem with bureaucrats legislating stupid laws without knowing the consequences of their actions because of their ideological beliefs!
And your argument about taking issue with something because it’s online is just simply ridiculous.
If there are laws to prevent people sticking their noses into other people business offline, then those laws should apply online also, no?
I hate busy bodies, and I hate busy bodies that profit from breaking laws governments should be upholding more!
This clearly shows that you do not understand what price fixing means. The whole idea behind price fixing is to keep competitors out or to drive them out by keeping prices at artificial levels. It has nothing to do with fair competition. Read e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_fixing before you claim it’s alright and fair.
I know exactly what price fixing is and how it’s applied.
You seem to have missed my point about free market capitalism.
I guess it’s a similar argument to patent law.
We all have our opinions on that and most are correct though conflicting. It’s one of those things like being between a rock and a hard place. Whether they’re good or bad for society in general. It’s not something I’m willing to devote a lot of time debating, simply because no one can win, we’re all right and we’re all wrong! And I simply don’t have the time.
If you want to buy and use google products, you’re welcome to them, I have no problem with you doing so. What I have a problem with is people defending their illegal business practices, in my honest opinion. Practices that were legislated against hundreds of years ago and are still in place today. Being online has nothing to do with it. A law is a law and I feel they are breaking the law!
What makes you think you need to support vile companies to have such luxuries? Not all of them are as morally and ethically corrupt as google. I would rather go without than support companies that are leading you into a life of serfdom, it’s your choice, I’ve made mine!
Really? Ads? Despite google saying “no ads”, talking out loud “ok glass take a picture” or “ok glass <..>” every minute or privacy concerns, you’re worried about ads?
Please compare: http://abstrusegoose.com/501
😉
Hope that Google will be ready for analysing so much new data when everobody start to wear google glass.