You may have heard of Google’s ‘Project Glass’ a lot in the past year. The augmented-reality eyeglasses have been the talk of Google lovers since the project was first announced. But until today, we had no clue as to how the interface would look, work, or feel.
Luckily, this morning Google released a series of photos and videos to help paint the picture, and boy does it look awesome. Here are a few key features and tidbits to know as the product’s release date draws nearer:
To command the headset, you just say, “Okay, Glass”
It can then take photos or videos of what you’re seeing
It can look up answers to your questions using Google
It can receive, display, and send messages
It can run a Google+ hangout (the user sees the participants while they see what the host sees)
It can display reminders as well as real-time information like flight updates, etc.
What would it be like to wear Google Glass? Google answered that very question this morning, posting a lot more information about Project Glass, including the user interface, through a series of photos and videos.
You can see the UI and some of the features of Glass in the gallery, although they don't quite capture the exact experience. The headset doesn't actually have lenses in front of your eyes, just a small screen (viewable via a mirrored glass block) above and to the right of the wearer's right eye. As such, the point-of-view images that show a large action window in the center of the field of view are a little misleading.
Still, the photos, posted on Google's Project Glass website, show more about how Glass works than any photo of the hardware could convey. The video (below) shows even more: Commanding the headset is as easy as uttering the words "OK, Glass," a clever use of real-world speech to engage the device's listening mode.
Once engaged, Glass is capable of taking photos, recording videos, looking up answers on Google, showing reminders (such as for a flight) and sharing whatever you're looking at — either via messaging or through a Google+ Hangout. As Google co-founder Sergey Brin himself revealed previously, Glass will also have an automatic picture-taking mode, snapping pics at a preset intervals (such as every 5 seconds).
Google also launched a contest with its own hashtag (#ifihadglass), challenging anyone to come up with creative uses for Google Glass that can be explained in 50 words or fewer. Winners will get the chance to buy their own, along with developers, when they become available. The price: $1,500, plus tax.
Let us know in the comments what you think about the gadget.
