Ok Glass ….Scan audience for criminals, drug users and digital music pirates….Now send the results to the FBI… This was part of the opening remarks of Michele Dutcher in Google Glass- Advancement or dehumanization session on TEDx Talk.
Google Glass is a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display (OHMD). It was developed by Google with the mission of producing a common mass-market computer. Google Glass displays information in a Smartphone-like hands-free format. Wearers communicate with the Internet through natural language voice commands.
Google Glass is said to be a smaller and slimmer version of the U.S military’s Head-mounted displays. In April 2013, the Explorer Edition was made available to Google developers in the United States for $1,500; a consumer version will be available this year for “significantly less than the Explorer Edition.
The questions are? ……
What does Google glass do?
Navigation – Whether you’re in a car, cycling or walking on the road you can get straight directions from Google glasses.
Receive calls and get instructions – Whether you want to receive a phone call, text, learn how to climb a tree or cook your favourite dish. Just answer or pull the step by step YouTube video on the glass.
Search engine, Language translation and currency conversion – It provides the search and conversion services on Google so you don’t need to bring your phones out.
Camera, video and facial recognition – It is able to take pictures, videos and even recognize your old buddy’s name through facial recognition, so all those “I can’t remember your name” moments will be gone, though the feature is not certain yet due to privacy. These are about the most liked features on Google glass and also the features that give the highest calls for alarm for privacy invasion….Just imagine a stranger with a video camera on your face. Not so good, is it?
Biofeedback – Whether it is your heart rates, calories burned or steps taken while walking or jogging, by the sound of your voice you can measure all those.
Television Enhancement – It can give insights to what is being said on television or outdoor media through its quick search option.
See the Google glass as a personal assistant that helps you with those things you want or need to do example; schedules, appointments, notifications alerts e.t.c.
What are the negatives of the Google Glasses?
The major concerns for the Google Glass are privacy and health implications…. questions like;
What are the health implications with all that Wifi and Bluetooth connections around the human head?
Should we worry about our data/information?
What if the principles that guide Google’s behaviour with our data/information changes?
These are questions that are yet to be answered and if you think Smart phones have killed dinner conversations, just wait till Twitter, Facebook and Google plus is constantly running on everyone’s eyeball.
Why won’t you buy Google’s glasses? Likely answers include;
I don’t want to walk around looking like an idiot plus its expensive ($1,500)
I don’t want to be distracted from the real/natural world, it’s addictive so the more I use it the more I’m immersed to the technology and I probably won’t be able to live without it.
I don’t think I need to be connected to a lot of things all the time.
Glasses don’t really do anything for me, I’ll prefer like a watch type of device
I have an Iphone, and I’m cool with my Iphone, I don’t need another “techy” device like a Google glass, plus I already have glasses. Lol
I probably won’t buy the first set that comes out, I’ld wait for it to drop in price and upgrade its service, then I’ll most likely buy the Google-2 glass.
I may, only if it gets popular.
Well that all for now, check out this video to see how Google glasses really feels, feel free to drop a comment below telling us what you feel about it.
Thanks and remember….
“Once technology rolls over you, if you are not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.” – Stewart Brand.
