Over the weekend, Google (finally) invited me to be a Glass Explorer. The catch: exploration Glass-style costs $1500. Glass is no longer quite the science project it was at the start; the fit and finish appears to be smoother, as does the software. But to what end? Yes, Glass is cool in a dorky sort of way. I don't think I could carry off wearing one in a non-ironic kind of … [Read more...]
Glass in the Film World
Google has apparently seeded Glass in several academic film programs as an experiment in storytelling. There's an interesting piece in the International Digital Times about how CalArts and the UCLA Film school are progressing. The big reveals happen in March and will probably be worth checking out; expect something between "Laser Cats" and Star Wars. … [Read more...]
The new, less-dorky Glass
TechRepublic's Jason Hiner has a set (pair?) of Google Glass 2.0, and he's kind of liking it. The new version is built better, is less obvious, has more useful software and APIs so programmers can more easily build interesting apps, and can accommodate prescription lenses. We're still not talking about a mainstream product here, but six months has apparently made a big … [Read more...]
Mystery Barges Are Google Glass Showrooms
All things being equal, we're pretty much fans of Google around here, although we do wish they'd stop acting like villains out of James Bond movies. The latest: Google has apparently been building four-story structures on mysterious barges off the coasts of San Francisco and in New London, CT for reasons that have been heretofore obscure. In the last couple of days, though, … [Read more...]
Google ships Android 4.4 KitKat; Small Footprint Could Aid Wearables
Google has shipped version 4.4 of its Android operating system; it refers to it as KitKat. (Google names Android versions after sweets, in alphabetical order.) There's lots of discussion about what, exactly, this means for wearables. One stated goal of KitKat is to reduce the size of the OS so it will run on older Android devices. Fragmentation has become a big problem for … [Read more...]
WSJ: Google’s Getting Close to the Watch Business
The Wall Street Journal is citing sources that say that Google is in "late-stage talks" with suppliers to build a watch, and could begin production "within months." The watch would run Android (no surprise there) and be based around Google Now, the intelligent assistant that appears on some Android tablets. Reliance on Google Now would require access to things like a user's … [Read more...]
WSJ: Microsoft Testing Wearables Prototypes
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft is testing wearables prototypes not unlike Google Glass. Faithful readers will not be surprised by this; we reported on Sept. 20 that Microsoft was spending $200 million to spur their efforts in that direction. The Osterhout purchase, along with the $7 billion acquisition of Nokia, would suggest that they're pretty serious … [Read more...]
Glass for Color Matching
Here's a pretty good application for Glass -- maybe the first we've seen. Paint-maker Sherwin-Williams has developed a Glass app that allows people to get color swatches for colors that they see. From AdAge's article: "In focus groups, a lot of people said they pick colors by what inspires them while on vacation or what they see when they're out and about. They want to … [Read more...]
Report: Microsoft to buy into wearables biz for $200M
Techcrunch is reporting this afternoon that Microsoft is negotiating to buy "the secretive Osterhout Design Group" for about $200 million. Osterhout's a military contractor that does a lot of work on stuff like heads-up displays. The Techcrunch piece has some drawings from Osterhout patents. Very Terminator looking. It's not clear how many people or what … [Read more...]
Some Glass owners allowed to invite three BFFs to join them
Own a Google Glass? Tired of of being the only one in your crowd who looks like a dork? FastCompany reports that some Glass owners are being allowed to invite as many as three friends to buy a set. If you're still not among the select and you have $1,500 burning a hole in your pocket, remember that Glass is expected to go on sale to the public by the end of this year. Even … [Read more...]