News & Reviews:   Google Glass review

Augmented Reality (AR) is fast gaining traction again, thanks to the popularity of games such as Pokemon Go. However for more serious application, everyone remembers the Google Glass from Redmond. The current generation of Google Glass currently uses a proprietary rechargeable battery, but a new patent from Google may change things a bit – they are proposing the next Google Glass to be powered by AAA batteries.

After making the Google Glass wearable computer a reality, Google are currently considering giving Motorola the responsibility of developing the next generation of Google Glass models. This comes after a comment by Dennis Woodside, Motorola CEO who said that it could become "an opportunity" for the company. Using their experience in the smartphone industry, Motorola would provide better features and design for the future Google Glass devices, resulting in a more affordable consumer device later in 2013. Granted, Motorola certainly have an impressive track record behind them which not only includes the invention of the Walkie-Talkie and first mobile phone but they also hold many patents which are used by almost all smartphones and mobile phones today. Google Glass on the other hand already has 8000 users acting as beta testers along with another 1500 developers making third-party apps for the device.

If you had Google Glass what would you do with it? Jump out of a plane and skydive to a rooftop below? If it were us, probably not, which is exactly what Google are thinking with their latest promo video showing off Google Glass. Rather than do something amazing or outstanding, it shows what most people in real life would end up using Google Glass for. We have to admit that it certainly looks fun and useful, especially to ask whatever question that pops up in your head, like are there any good Thai restaurants nearby?

While many have dismissed Google Glass as being just another fad, the likelihood of it staying on and growing just got bigger as a number of big names have announced apps (or Glassware as Google wants to call them) for the wearable computer glasses. These include Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, CNN and Evernote covering a range of social media, news and note taking applications. Granted, what you can do with each app is still rather limited but this should grow as the developers mature the apps even further.

The Google Glass is quickly gaining traction as the next step in wearable computers. With a host of new third-party apps coming from various developers, support for Google Glass is growing rapidly. In light of this Google has released a video on how to use Google Glass which you can check out below:

Google's wearable computer Google Glass continues to make new discoveries at the hands of its intrepid explorers, but while they are trying out the Google Glass Explorer Edition, all of the apps currently being used are from Google itself. That has now changed as The New York Times has announced it's app for Google Glass in which they supply news alerts and updates. Article summaries can even be read aloud or in this case just for the Google Glass owner's ears only. Users navigate news in the app using the gyrometer, so a nod or turn of the head may shift to the next page.

Right now, early-adopters of Google Glass are running about recording everything and trying out the $1500 Google Glass Explorer Edition, but while Google have said a more affordable version is going to be produced they have yet to sat when exactly that may be. This particular information may have been inadvertantly revealed in a quote from Eric Schmidt, Google's Executive Chairman. See this quote below:

• "It's fair to say that thousands of these will be in use by developers over the next months, and then based on their feedback we will make some product changes, and it's probably a year-ish away," said Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google.

All those pre-order Google Glass users who bought the Google Glass Explorer Edition for $1500 are starting to talk about their experiences with the wearable computer. Brandon Allgood, CTO of Numerate said that it was very lightweight and changed many of his habits. He no longer needs a clock or watch as just tilting his head back displays the time. According to him, his favourite feature remains Google Now as with it he is able to keep track of sports all night. His complaints for the device include the fact that low light shots aren't very good and while you can say "ok glass, take a picture" to take a shot it does not in fact allow you to frame a picture beforehand. The bone-conduction system on the other hand is great as he can now hear and feel sounds through his bones.

What is Google Glass?

Google Glass is a wearable computer in the shape of a pair of glasses. Starting from Project Glass it combines many Google products into one single device that anyone can use. Technical specs for the device are currently as follows:

• 5MP Camera (720p video)
• Bluetooth + 802.11 b/g Wifi
• 16GB Storage (12GB usable, Synced with Google Cloud storage)
• Micro USB port + Charger
• Full day Battery (Google Hangout + Video recording drains battery faster)
• Bone conduction tranducer
• Adjustable nosepads (one size fits all)
• 640 x 360 pixel display (like 25-inch HD screen 2.4 meters away)

Our search through the US Patents today have been rather fruitful as it reveals that Sony has also recently filed a patent for wearable glasses that may rival Google's Glass project. What sets it apart from Google's Glass project is that Sony's patent describes glasses with HUD monitors for both eyes instead of just the one on the Google Glass glasses. Earbuds mounted near the ears show a more multimedia like device than Google's Glass project which isn't surprising given that Sony's angle is more based on entertainment than Google's Augmented Reality (AR) plans.