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Google Glass may gain iOS direction, text message support soon
Like it or hate it, Google Glass has recently been discussed on a lot of tech blogs. Tim Stevens at our sister site Engadget has been trying out his Glass around the house and on hot motorcycles, and a lot of other tech bloggers shelled out $1,500 to get the developer version of the device. One big negative for Apple fans has been that currently, only Android users get support for navigation and SMS text messaging. Now, Frederic Lardinois at our other sister site TechCrunch has news that iOS support may be coming soon. Lardinois was at the Google New York office yesterday picking up his own Glass and was told that turn-by-turn directions and SMS will soon be possible "independent of the device the user has paired it to." Right now, Glass will happily pair with your iPhone to get online (Glass doesn't contain its own cellular radio), but the higher functions need a Glass companion app running on an Android phone. Glass not only requires a mobile phone for connectivity while on the go, but location information as well. As Lardinois notes, "Glass is just another device that uses your phone's personal hotspot feature. This means Glass shouldn't have to depend on any application that runs on your phone, so the original restriction of making navigation and SMS dependent on the companion app was always a bit odd." The general public will most likely have to wait at least a year for widespread availability of Glass, so it's comforting to know that our Borg implant high-tech eyewear should work happily with iOS by that point.
Editor's Letter: The new consoles are coming
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. This week I'm writing from a special place: from the perspective of a Google Glass owner. Well, to be honest I'm not wearing them this exact moment -- I'm actually at 30,000 feet, making the most of a Gogo connection, and when your phone is in airplane mode there's not much point in wearing the headset. Unless, of course, you're looking for a conversation starter. In that role, the headset performs impeccably even when turned completely off. It's been an interesting couple days wearing the headset around, days I'll continue to chronicle on the site because I know many of you are eager to know what Glass is like. I know this because I've had dozens of strangers come up to me and ask, "What's it like?" Suffice to say, Glass is very interesting and the potential is compelling, but right now the thing is somewhat frustrating in its limited functionality. That'll change real soon as more developers get to grips with the Mirror API.
The Daily Roundup for 04.22.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Editor's Letter: Google glass gone wild
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. It seems like ages since Sergey Brin staged one of the most dramatic product launches of all time at last year's Google I/O, guiding a bemused audience through a cavalcade of extreme antics that saw a prototype Google Glass headset delivered to the Moscone Center courtesy of skydivers, BMX riders and mountain climbers. This week, the very first Explorer Editions of Google Glass shipped to lucky recipients through rather more pedestrian means: UPS. Still, those deliveries were received with no less excitement. These early units are shipping out in waves, with many of the I/O pre-orderers (including this eager editor) left waiting and watching unboxing videos with envy. The first videos of the early editions in action started hitting YouTube en masse, something we're sure will become increasingly commonplace through the spring. We also finally got the full specs for the thing, including 802.11b/g and Bluetooth connectivity, 16GB of internal storage and a 5-megapixel camera capable of 720p video recording.
Google Glass will reportedly be built in America, at least initially
That $1,500 price tag for Google Glass Explorer Edition? Perhaps it makes a bit more sense considering that US labor will be used to manufacturer it. According to unnamed sources cited by Financial Times, the first run of production-quality Glass headsets will be built in Santa Clara, California. The reason? A lot is riding on the quality of Glass, and it's likely that Google just wants to keep a close eye on every single prototype that leaves the lab. In fact, it's not exactly uncommon -- the outfit did the same for its ill-fated Nexus Q, and Apple is building some of its iMacs here in the states as well. It's also important to note that the initial batch of Glass headsets won't be high yield, so there's little reason for Google to look overseas with so few units slated for production. Whether or not the lines in NorCal will continue to hum once these things hit critical mass remains to be seen, but it is interesting that Hon Hai Precision (read: Foxconn) will reportedly manage the facility that cranks 'em out.
We're Live at Google's SXSW Glass panel
We've already seen a number of folks roaming the halls of the Austin Convention Center this week, rocking Google's much anticipated wearable -- and now it's finally Glass' time to shine. We've got a front row seat for SXSW's Building New Experiences with Glass session. Just us after the break, won't you?
The Daily Roundup for 03.08.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Google Glass learns how your friends dress, picks 'em out in a crowd
Facial recognition? Pah. Dahling, the only way to find someone in a crowd is to pick out what they're wearing. InSight is an app being developed for Google Glass by Duke University that helps you identify your chums, even when they've got their back to you, by channeling its inner Joan Rivers. All your pals have to do is submit some self-portraits to the app, which then creates a spatiogram -- identifying the colors, textures and patterns with which they've adorned themselves. That data is then pushed to Google Glass, hopefully allowing you to avoid the usual "I'm by the store, no, the other store" routine. Then again, maybe your friends will find you first -- after all, you're the one with a computer strapped to your head.
The Daily Roundup for 02.27.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Editorial: Google Glass contest elicits mild uses for wild tech
Google's #ifihadglass contest advertises for "bold, creative individuals" to start carrying pre-production builds of Glass later this year. Since most people flatter themselves as dauntless and inspired, Google's challenge casts a wide net and applications are piling into Twitter. The contest apparently also seeks prosperous individuals willing to pay $1,500 for the prize, plus travel expense to pick it up. There might be good fiscal reasons for Google's parsimony, but I can't help noting that the $12 million of revenue generated by eager beta testers represents five-thousandths of 1 percent of the company's market cap, or one-tenth of a percent of its liquid cash. Putting aside whatever demographic-shaping is in play, the more interesting question is whether Google will find its desired 8,000 bold creative types. The applications do not foretell blazing originality among foaming early adopters. If there is a depressing strain of mediocrity in the #ifihadglass Twitter stream, perhaps it speaks less to human limitation and more to intrinsic constraints of the device as it is currently understood.
Google confirms Glass will work with iPhone
Google held an event this week to show off its upcoming "Google Glass" interactive headset/system, and from that meeting came one important note for us iOS fans. Google confirmed that the system will definitely work with Apple's iPhone. The exact details of the relationship aren't clear, but there are of course a number of ways your iPhone could work with Google's glasses, from simply acting as a Bluetooth headset, to a more complex relationship with a Google app, sharing information or even an Internet connection back and forth. Obviously, Apple and Google aren't on the best terms at the moment, with Apple forcefully uprooting its deal with Google Maps to go with a more native solution. But Apple's also been very open to having Google apps on the App Store, so Google may work out some sort of solution where Glass plugs in through the Bluetooth connection or even right through the Lightning connector. At any rate, it sounds like your iPhone and Google Glass will play nice. Consumer versions of the Glass units are expected later on this year, though the price will be steep -- somewhere around US$1,500, according to the speculation. The tech will only get cheaper, so it might not be long at all before you're wearing your interactive glasses and connecting to your iPhone.
Google Glass Explorer Edition arrives at the FCC
Folks, the rather dour line drawing that you can see in the image above is the very first glimpse of Google's wearable computing project as it swings through the FCC's underground facility. The Google Glass Explorer Edition hardware, promised to arrive this year, is carrying a Broadcom 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g WiFi radio that's been paired with a Bluetooth 4.0 + LE module. We've seen a reference to an "integral vibrating element that provides audio to the user via contact with the user's head," which we presume relates to the bone conduction patent we saw earlier this month. The filing also reveals that the testing laboratory involved used the conduction technology to view video with audio. As the commission is now making the paperwork public, it can only mean that it's judged the unit, with the product code "XEB," to be safe for human consumption -- which means customers 782 and 788 might be expecting something special in the mail very shortly.
Google nabs design patent for left-eyed Google Glass, frees southpaws from tyranny
No more shall lefties wanting Google Glass toil under the oppression of right-handed overlords. Not if Google's newly granted design patent is an indication, at any rate. The filing simply puts the eyepiece on the other side for those who are either naturally left-inclined or just that much opposed to the optical status quo. There's no guarantee Google will be so accommodating when Glass reaches the general public, although we're hopeful: when early adopters are already paying a small fortune to leap in, it wouldn't hurt to produce a batch for left eye use and give the more committed southpaws among us the freedom they've craved since Google I/O.
Google patents smart watch with flip-up display that could reveal everyday objects' secrets
It looks like Google has considered transferring ideas from Project Glass over to your wrist by patenting a smart watch with a transparent, flip-up touchscreen. If such a device ever came off the USPTO papers, it would present notifications and other info transmitted from your smartphone at a glance, like many, many others now on the market. However, Mountain View's added a new twist when you'd flip up its bezel -- at that point, it's claimed that the watch could channel a plethora of other Google apps, like Gmail, Goggles, and Maps. Of course, you'd be able to privately view messages inside the bezel, but since the display would also be transparent, you could see through it to landmarks or object around you. According to the patent, you could then be given directions based on GPS coordinates and the buildings "seen" by the watch, while a Goggles-like implementation would be able to identify smaller items in the display. That would let the search giant throw ads or other data about the product your way, giving you the info you need to snap it up -- and likely not hurting Google's bottom line.
Google Glass shows how Diane von Furstenberg is living, what it's like at New York Fashion Week (video)
Project Glass has already given adrenaline junkies a POV view of a skydiver's freefall, and now Google's giving fashionistas a similar rush with a new film about New York Fashion Week. It was shot entirely with Glass by various folks at the DVB show, including Diane von Furstenberg herself, who also provided the video's narration. Looking for a pre-show pep talk from one of the fashion industry's true titans and some behind the scenes footage of runway beauties? Perhaps you just wanna know what it's like to stroll the catwalk and be bathed in the flashbulbs of hundreds of paparazzi? Your bliss awaits in the four minute clip after the break.
Google Glass makes catwalk debut at New York Fashion Week
Google Glass' early luxury brand pricing appears to have put it in good stead, with the elite at New York's Fashion Week getting an early close-up look at Google's wearable camera future. Diane von Furstenberg, who's no stranger to a tech tie-in, has added the lightweight frames to her latest show, using them to make a documentary about fashion's creative process. The project is set to appear on von Furstenberg's Google+ page later this week, but if you're not a world-renowned fashion designer (or model), we'd be paying more attention to that two-year wait.
Former Rdio software engineer joins Google's Project Glass team
There's still quite a few months before those lucky early adopters can get their eager hands (and eyes) on Google's Explorer Edition set of wearables, but in the meantime, the company's not wasting any time and is building up its team to have the frames as loaded as can be. One of the latest additions to Mountain View's Project Glass squad is former Rdio and Danger software engineer Ian McKellar -- who'd previously worked on the streaming service's API, among other things. Mum's the word on what exactly he'll be tinkering with at the Project Glass laboratories, though we can't imagine it'll be anything short of amazing. In case you'd like to dive into his thoughts a little more, you can check out his tweet on the matter at the link below.
Google gets patent for eye tracking-based unlock system, shifty looks get you access
Look up. Now down. Back up here again? Imagine having to do that every time you wanted to unlock your phone, as this granted Google patent for "Unlocking a screen using eye tracking information" possibly suggests. Okay, it actually looks more like it's intended for the firm's super spectacles -- which given their general hands-free nature -- makes more sense. The claims are fairly straightforward, unlocking of a device would be granted based on "determining that a path associated with the eye movement substantially matches a path of the moving object". As long as those moving objects aren't moving too fast, we think we can work with that.
Google posts video highlights of I/O 2012, for those craving one last sugary fix
Weren't able to fill up on all the Jelly Bean-flavored geekery that was Google I/O 2012? It's no matter, because you can catch all the highlights from Project Glass to the Nexus 7 in Google Developer's latest video -- provided you've got about four minutes spare to reminisce. You'll find the clip after the break, and naturally, we'd suggest landing at our hub for the event if you're hungry for another fixin' of our extensive coverage -- no parachute required. P.S. Don't forget to see if you can spot any Engadget editors in the clip while you're at it!
Editorial: Engadget on EyeTap, Project Glass and the future of wearable cameras
Summer in Paris -- you can't walk a block on Champs-Élysées without locking eyes with at least one camera-equipped tourist. But Steve Mann's shooter wasn't dangling from his shoulder and neck; it was mounted on his head, with a design strikingly similar to Google's Project Glass. Unlike that mainstream Mountain View product, however, Mann's version has reportedly been around in one form or another for 34 years, and was designed with the objective of aiding vision, rather than capturing stills and video or providing a bounty of database-aided readouts. It's also street-ready today. While on vacation with his family, the Ontario-based "father of wearable computing" was sporting his EyeTap as he walked down the aforementioned French avenue, eventually entering a McDonald's to refuel after a busy day of sightseeing. He left without his ranch wrap, but with seriously damaged hardware. What allegedly occurred inside the restaurant is no doubt a result of the increasing presence and subsequent awareness of connected cameras, ranging from consumer gear to professional surveillance equipment. As Mann sat to eat, he writes that a stranger approached him then attempted to pull off his glasses, which, oddly, are permanently affixed to his skull. The man, at that point joined by one other patron and someone that appeared to be a McDonald's employee, then pushed Mann out of the store and onto the street. As a result of the attack, the eyewear malfunctioned, resulting in the three men being photographed. It wouldn't be terribly difficult for police to identify those involved, but this encounter may have greater implications. McDonalds has since launched an investigation into the matter and seems to be denying most of the claims, but it'll be some time yet before the full truth is uncovered. Still, the whole ordeal got us at Engadget thinking -- is the planet ready for humans to wear video recorders, and will it ever shake a general unease related to the threat of a world filled with omnipresent cameras? Join us past the break for our take.
