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Google reportedly ramping up Glass production, prepping invite system for broader rollout
There's still no firm word on a broader consumer launch, but it looks like Google is now gearing up for what could be the biggest expansion of its Glass Explorer program to date. According to the Financial Times, the company is planning a "substantial" increase in production ahead of the holidays, which could put the wearable computer in the hands (and on the heads) of "tens of thousands" of more users over the coming months. At least some of them will reportedly be able to buy the device through an invite system, which the FT's sources likened to Gmail back in its beta days. Those sources apparently had few other details to share, though, including any indication of a change to that $1,500 price tag.
Samsung patents design of smartphone-connected 'sports glasses'
If you hadn't noticed already, several companies believe there's a market for smart spectacles that do more than your standard head-mounted display. Microsoft is allegedly revisiting the idea, and now a design patent recently approved in South Korea indicates Samsung may have other wearable aspirations (shocker) beyond its relatively new Gear smartwatch. It's easy to draw comparisons to Google Glass when looking at the sketch above -- a similar near-eye display appears to feature here, after all -- but the claims don't exactly indicate a potential rival to the search specialist's eyewear. Referred to as "sports glasses" in the patent, they're described as having integrated earphones for listening to music, can act as a hands-free headset for taking calls, and will display notification alerts while you're exercising. All this is achieved by pairing the specs with a smartphone, of course, and apparently via a physical micro-USB link, of all things. If Samsung is thinking about developing these (it's just a sketch, folks), a small word of advice: make sure they work with more than one smartphone. More pics after the break.
Google Glass project tackles poverty, other real world problems
Image from charity: water taken with Glass It has flown over San Francisco, adorned the faces of runway models and most recently taken a road trip across the US. Now Google's already iconic wearable computer is taking a more altruistic journey with five non-profit organizations. Starting today, a small selection of Google Giving partners will begin using Glass to help them achieve their organizations' missions and "tackle some complex challenges." It's unclear exactly what the groups will do with Glass, but Google says they will use the device in their daily work to "bring more transparency to philanthropy, and close the gap between donors and the people they support." Participating organizations include The World Wildlife Fund; Samasource, which offers enterprise data services to poor women and youth; Give Directly, an organization with a web-based solution for connecting donors to individual households in Kenya; the all-purpose youth-focused Do Something!; and charity: water, which concentrates on clean water initiatives. Still in early development, the device's cost and lack of functionality have proved prohibitive, and a few socially inconsiderate early adopters have inspired the term glasshole. While Glass is hardly in need of a PR facelift, the Giving Through Glass initiative should shed some light on the wearable's more practical applications.
WSJ: Microsoft prototyping Google Glass-like device
It's pretty clear that wearables, whether they be made for the face or the wrist, are going to be the next big thing in hardware. According to The Wall Street Journal's sources "familiar with the matter," Microsoft doesn't want to be late to the party, and is currently playing with prototypes of "web-connected eyewear similar to Google Glass." This isn't the first time we've heard whispers of such a device, of course: we knew Microsoft's been keen on some form of AR glasses since Project Fortaleza leaked back in June last year. Apparently, Redmond is currently tapping Asian manufacturers for components, such as cameras, for its wearable, but that it "may never reach mass production," suggesting Microsoft hasn't committed to any formal development process yet. That's as far as the rumors go at this point, but it's further evidence Microsoft isn't content with a presence in just our bags and pockets.
Google and Abandoned NYC uncover the city's secrets with Field Trip app
Starting today, users of Field Trip for iOS, Android and Glass will be able to experience some of New York City's forgotten -- and occasionally creepy -- locations as Google's Niantic Labs brings Abandoned NYC's content to the app. Normally, Field Trip functions as a convenient mobile tour guide, delivering interesting information provided by sources like the American Institute of Architects and the Little Black Book series. With Abandoned NYC joining the ranks of content providers, Field Trip users will be able to explore obscure, mysterious and atmospheric spots across the five boroughs uncovered by photographer and project founder Will Ellis, like Harlem's Public School 186 and the Red Hook Grain Terminal. Unfamiliar with Field Trip? See it in action after the break or download it from one of the source links below.
Daily Roundup: GoPro Hero3+ review, gdgt's best deals, Android KitKat tease and more!
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 firmware teardown hints at a slew of intriguing new features
Google Glass wearers were treated to some new features with this month's XE10 update, but what's hiding under the hood might be even more promising. Android Police posted their APK teardown earlier today, and their findings are nothing if not intriguing. Among the features that may be on the horizon are a handful of new commands hidden in the GlassVoice APK, like the ability to succinctly ask Glass to call you a car, schedule an event, create a 3D model, translate phrases and start a round of golf. Even more interesting are the possibilities presented by potential music playback and gaze integration. Indeed, the files buried in the Gaze folder -- which include double blink detection -- may signal that eye control is one step closer to becoming a reality. You can find the full teardown at the source link below.
Google gesture patent would let Glass wearers 'heart' real-world objects
As it stands, Google Glass doesn't have a simple way of cataloging real-world items -- you have to snap a picture and make a note afterward. It may get much easier if Google implements a newly granted US patent, however. The technique uses a wearable display's camera to detect hand gestures made in front of objects. Make a heart shape and you'll "like" what's front of you; frame something with your fingers and you'll select it. There's no certainty that Glass will ever support these commands, but they're certainly intuitive. If nothing else, they could lead to a new, very literal take on Google Goggles.
Google Glass update brings mass transit directions
Google Glass owners have long had walking directions; as of an update rolling out today, they're getting mass transit directions as well. Commuters who've paired Glass with an Android phone can now see both the stops they'll need and the time it will take to reach their destination. While mass transit navigation is the only major addition this month, it represents one of the practical updates in recent memory -- we know at least one subway-hopping Google executive who would approve.
Google Glassware Review Process opens, gives devs a path to MyGlass listing
Developers eagerly working on services for the Google Glass headset finally have a clear avenue for release, now that the Glassware Review Process is ready. By completing the steps listed, they can receive additional Mirror API quota and get listed on MyGlass, while we wait for the SDK to arrive and enable development of offline apps with direct hardware access. Several services have already been through the ringer and are newly available, including SportsYapper, Fancy, Mashable, KitchMe (shown above) and Thuuz. The list of requirements is publicly available and covers elements like icons, design, menus and more. We've seen a few interesting developments appear for Google Glass already, if you're in the developer program and see anything new pop up, let us know.
Google is taking Glass on a road trip across the US, try it on in a city near you
It's still not ready to sell Glass to non-"Explorers," but Google is now at least willing to give more folks an opportunity to try it. The company announced today that's its kicking off a road trip across the US, which will see it make stops in a number of cities where you'll be able to meet some of the team behind Glass and try on the device yourself. That begins in Durham, North Carolina on October 5th, although the company isn't confirming any additional cities just yet (for the time being, it's only saying to keep an eye on its Google+ page). If you're able to make it to Durham, though, you can RSVP for the event at the source link below.
Gaming the system: Edward Thorp and the wearable computer that beat Vegas
"My name is Edward Thorp." "My name is Edward Thorp." "My name is Edward Thorp." It's 1964 and Edward Thorp is on the television game show To Tell The Truth, sitting alongside two other well-dressed men also claiming to be Edward Thorp, a man so adept at card counting that he'd been barred from Las Vegas casinos. Thorp, the quiet man on the right, every bit the mathematics professor with black-rimmed glasses and close-cropped hair, is the real deal. Two years earlier, Thorp's book, Beat the Dealer, was published, explaining the system for winning at blackjack he developed based on the mathematical theory of probability. The system worked so well that Las Vegas casinos actually changed the rules of blackjack to give the dealer an added advantage. Those changes would prove to be short-lived, but Thorp's book would go on to become a massive bestseller, and remains a key guide to the game of blackjack to this day. That all this happened as the computer age was flourishing in the 1960s isn't coincidental. While working to beat the house, Thorp was also working at one of the hotbeds of that revolution: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. There, he had access to two things that would prove invaluable to his research. One was the room-filling IBM 704 computer, without which, he writes in Beat the Dealer, "the analysis on which this book is based would have been impossible."
Daily Roundup: Motorola Droid Maxx review, Google buys Bump, and more!
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 no longer requires tethering plan for smartphone data sharing
An Explorer Edition of Glass is already a pricey piece of tech, and smartphone tethering plans required to give it a mobile internet connection have only made ownership that much more expensive. However, there's good news for Google's guinea pigs: the latest update to the headgear quietly implemented a way around the additional monthly fees. With XE9 loaded onto headsets, the companion Android app pipes data to and from the hardware, bypassing both the smartphone's Bluetooth tethering settings and extra plan previously needed from some carriers. To match the change, the application's notification icon sports two arrows to signify the flow of info. We doubt telcos will be fazed by this development for now, but we don't know if that'll hold once Glass arrives on shelves and hits the streets en masse. We've contacted Google to find out if the feature will make it to retail units.
Google patent hints at Glass: Hipster Edition
So, while Google Glass: Explorer and Prescription editions are designed to sit on the right side of your head, wouldn't it be great if the wearable was, you know, built into an actual pair of glasses? That's the thinking behind Mountain View's latest patent, which incorporates the device into a thick pair of specs. Compared to the current versions, this concept (pictured, after the break) splits the camera and display modules across the frame. Presumably, therefore, wiring would run inside the frame and across the nose bridge -- and we'd hope that the greater real estate would also accommodate a bigger battery. While this particular design may never get further than a pile of paper on Sergey Brin's desk, the near-sighted futurists among us can always hope.
GoPro CEO Nicholas Woodman on building a Google Glass-style wearable: don't count on it
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple years, odds are you've seen one of Nicholas Woodman's little cube cameras strapped to someone's chest or stuck to a car. Today at TechCrunch Disrupt 2013, the GoPro CEO was asked if he'd be interested in moving beyond the cube and mount form factor and into something more svelte, Glass-like, even. While he found value in Google Glass' ability to shoot first-person video, Woodman isn't so keen on such a device due to its limited use case (it can really only be worn on your face). "The Google Glass form factor doesn't provide the versatility that has been so key to GoPro's success," he said, before going on to extol the virtues of having a camera that can be mounted on your chest, your car or pretty much anywhere. Essentially, he sees the fact that GoPro can provide any point of view for video as a key selling point for his cameras. Instead, Woodman sees Glass (or other such wearables) as an excellent way for folks to interact with GoPro cameras. He pointed out the camera line's functionality with current smartphones -- using a handset as a remote control, or previewing and sharing footage, noting that wearables could provide similar features, only in hands-free fashion. So, we won't see any new GoPro models meant solely for wearing, but you can bet we'll be seeing a GoPro Glass app at some point.
Apple reportedly built wearable visor prototypes, 'didn't have time' to bring them to market
Considering that Apple's patented nearly every tech concept under the sun, the revelation that it dabbled with a wearable display of some sort is hardly earth-shattering. According to Tony Fadell, Nest CEO and former Senior VP at Apple, Cupertino built a bunch of wearable tech prototypes but "didn't have time" to further develop them. Fadell describes Apple's approach as "visors, so it's like you're sitting in a theater," which sounds decidedly more like a VR headset or head-mounted display than something like Google Glass. Still, Apple dismissing one of Google's the year's most hyped concepts in favor of focusing on its streamlined device lineup? That's quite a burn to Mountain View.
Google Glass update adds 'vignettes,' sound search and more
Glass still isn't quite ready for the consumer, but Google's wearable platform just keeps getting better and more powerful thanks to frequent software updates. Today's version bump brings YouTube to your search results and also grants access to those with Google Apps accounts. It also brings the Shazam-like Sound Search from Android to your head-mounted display. Most interesting though, is Vignettes, which allows you to lay your current Glass display over a photo to produce an image like the one you see above. Think of it like a screenshot tool for your real, very nerdy life. One can only imagine that eventually Vignettes will get a video mode, but for now its still photos only. If you're one of the lucky Explorers you can download the update now. The rest of you will have to live vicariously through the photos at the source.
Visualized: A literal look inside Google Glass
I spy, with my X-ray eyes, the insides of Google Glass.
MyGlass update lets you control Google Glass UI with an Android device
As anyone who's stuck Google Glass on their head knows, controlling its UI via swipes, nods and voice commands can sometimes be... awkward. Now you can do it remotely, thanks to an update to the MyGlass companion Android app. It uses Glass' so-called screencast experience, which is a way of letting other users see what you're seeing on Glass from their Android device's screen. Now a Glass user can "touch/swipe/tap to control the Glass UI through the screencast experience," according to the blurb on Play. Some Google+ users have noted that the remote control part is not working yet and probably requires a matching Glass update. You can grab it at the source, but Google has helpfully pointed out that "if you don't have Glass, then... it'll be a waste of time."
