GlassExplorers
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Texting on Google Glass is just as dangerous as on a phone
You'd think hands-free texting on Google Glass while driving would be a lot safer, but apparently, that's not the case. A team of University of Central Florida researchers got 40 subjects in their 20s to drive a simulator while texting a math problem using voice transcription on Google Glass. In particular, the researchers observed how fast the drivers slammed on their brakes when a car suddenly stops in front of them during the simulation. The result? In the words of team leader Ben Sawyer, they "didn't find a statistically significant difference between Google Glass and smartphones," as the testers who wore the eyewear were just as distracted.
Caption contest: Google Glass explorer takes virtual vision to a whole new level
What's better than a single pair of Glass Explorer Editions, you say? How about five? Well, that's exactly what Mr. Adib Towfiq has done, mounting a few of these bizarre frames to his head and, luckily for us, he took to Mountain View's social network to share it with the world. Now, he asks, "Am I doing it right?" If anything, we'd say this is certainly a step in the right direction. Edgar: "You stay Glassy, San Diego" Billy: "What? I'm just multi-tasking!" Brad: "This is the best way to solve the battery life problem." Ben Gilbert: "Adib Towfiq is ... THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN." Jamie: "Google Glass... Baller Edition" Tim: "Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture." Richard Lai: "I'm four times cooler than Tim Stevens." Jon Fingas: "Augment all the realities!" Andy: "Am I the man? Yes. Can I walk a straight line? Maybe." Darren: "Goooooooooogle Glass" Terrence: "So I says to myself, 'I can completely pay off my student loans or buy five Google Glass headsets.' I have no regrets." Mark: " I see dead people!" Myriam: "Google glass, now with 10 cores."
Google Glass Explorer Editions rolling off the production line, will be delivered in waves
Google just shot out an email to folks who signed up for its Glass Explorers program at I/O last year, and it's spreading word that Glass units have begun to roll off the production line for participants. The roughly 2,000 devs who pre-ordered the spectacles won't be getting them all at once, however, as Page and Co. say they'll be delivered in waves. Mountain View notes it could have waited for every unit to be ready, but decided to send them out as they're made to speed things up. Presumably, winners of the #ifihadglass contest are in line to receive theirs after those who attended the developer powwow, and they'll have to travel to Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco to pick them up. Hit the break to live vicariously through the search titan's guinea pigs adventurers by reading the email in its entirety.
How you can get your hands on Google Glass early (update)
So when can you get your very own slice of Google future? Perhaps sooner than you thought. The company's just outlined a competition that will put its Glass device in the hands of non-developer types. Using Twitter or Google+, you'll need to outline what you would do if you had the device -- we're guessing they want to see some big ideas. Applications need to be less than 50 words and tagged with #ifihadglass. Media-wise, you can include photos and even a short video to support your application. Alas, for now at least, the process is only for those over 18 and is currently US-only. The deadline is February 27th and winners will be made a Glass Explorer -- quite the title. The best 8,000 applicants will still have to preorder their own Glass Explorer Edition ($1,500 plus tax) but there'll be special pick-up sessions held in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Until then, Google's offered up a whole new gallery of images to help you imagine how you might look with its high-tech wearable. Update: Google's also crafted a meatier video for the UI within Glass. It's embedded after the break, but we've taken a closer look here.
Project Glass pre-orderers welcomed as 'Explorers', promised super secret updates on progress
Google's Project Glass had a surprisingly large presence (skydivers) during its I/O event earlier this year, and now company co-founder Sergey Brin has checked in with the attendees who promised $1,500 for a set of the augmented reality eyepiece. In his message he shared a photo he took while cruising through Montana thanks to a mode it's testing that snaps a picture every 10 seconds, no intervention needed. Unfortunately, if you're not in that exclusive pre-ordering group you'll have to wait for details like these to leak out secondhand since private updates, special events, Google+ Hangouts, secret handshakes and Little Orphan Annie decoder rings (perhaps not the last two) are reserved for a "unique, trusted community." Hey, it's not like the rest of us wanted some silly visor or etched glass blocks anyway.
