Google hopes to change the face of technology by persuading people to wear computers on their heads.
That’s the inspiration behind Google Glass, a spectacle-like device that contains a hidden computer, a thumbnail-size transparent display screen above the right eye and other digital wizardry. This Internet-connected headgear is set up to let users receive search results, read email, scan maps for directions and engage in video chats without reaching for a smartphone. Google Glass’ grasp of voice commands even makes it possible to shoot hands-free photos and videos.
Google is touting Glass as a breakthrough that will make technology more convenient and less intrusive in social situations. Critics call it a sign that technology is destroying personal privacy.
Only about 10,000 people in the US have been given the chance to pay US$1,500 to own a test version of Glass as part of Google’s “Explorer” program. Last week, Google invited a few technology reporters and bloggers to test Glass under the company’s supervision at a specially equipped San Francisco office that Google calls a “base camp.”
I only got to spend about an hour wearing Glass. But I saw enough to conclude that it has potential to be much more than a novelty, especially if Google lowers the price below US$500 by the time the company begins selling the device to the general public next year. The exact date has yet to be determined.
I also quickly realised that a lot of people will be turned off by Glass. It weighs about the same as a pair of regular sunglasses, but from what I’ve heard from people in the Explorer program, they are often greeted with quizzical looks from bystanders who see the tiny display screen above the right eye.
Turning on Glass is done by tapping a finger on the right side of the frame. The device can also be activated by tilting your head upward. Glass users have to turn on the device frequently; it automatically turned off every 30 seconds or so when I wasn’t using it. This is meant to save the limited battery life. (It only lasts about 90 minutes if you’re recording a lot of video, but Google says the battery should be adequate for a full day’s use for most people.)