Why I'm Sending Back Google Glass 166
Lucas123 (935744) writes "After using Google Glass for several weeks, Computerworld columnist Matt Lake had plenty of reasons to explain why he returned them, not the least of which was that they made him cross-eyed and avoid eye contact. Google Glass batteries also drain like a bath tub when using either audio or video apps and they run warm. And, as cool as being able to take videos and photos with the glasses may be, those shots are always at an angle. Of course, being able to do turn-by-turn directions is cool, but not something you can do without your smart phone's cellular data or a mobile hotspot. The list of reasons goes on... Bottom line, if Google Glass is in the vanguard of a future class of wearable computers, the future isn't the present."
Pretty obvious (Score:3, Interesting)
Retinal display will be the key to success.
Right now it's bullshit.
As a long-time Glass user, he's a bit off (Score:5, Interesting)
I can easily see how he could have these problems. His use case is ridiculous.
I can't imagine a sane human being putting on Google Glass and thinking "hey, I'll watch video or read web pages on this thing!" That's almost the opposite of a normal use case. I can't imagine looking at the screen for more than a few seconds at a time.
The value of glass:
1. Non-distracting notifications of emergent information
I don't take my phone out of my pocket every time it buzzes. I don't constantly read twitter every time I happened to pull it out to see what that buzz was. Instead, I just live my life. If I'm walking somewhere, and glass buzzes, I can, at my leisure, cock my head slightly to turn on the display and read the message. If there's a short followup, I speak it into Glass. If there's a long one, I, at my leisure, deal with it later on my phone.
2. Navigation
I'll be honest. For driving, or especially biking/touring, the turn-by-turn is worth the current price of admission even if that is the SOLE use. Trying to mount a phone on a motorcycle/bicycle, let alone pull a phone out of one's pocket while biking, is laughable. The navigation is amazing to behold the first time you use it. For a frequent biker/traveler, it's already indispensable/
3. Candid photos
I have a large collection of interesting shots of my life now. The photos are indeed at an "angle" much of the time. Who cares? If I want to take a picture, I use my phone, or a real camera. I use Glass solely to catch, again, emergent moments. Something interesting happens, and I snap a photo discretely and immediately. For that use case, I defy a regular camera or smartphone to be deployed and used quickly enough without similar "angle" or "shot framing" issues.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/... [flickr.com]
Glass is primarily a notification tool coupled with a navigator and a quick-draw smartphone.
I'm not saying Glass is perfect. Far from it. It has a long way to go. But this guy appears to be trying to use it in the least imaginative and least useful ways possible. He's doing the equivalent of complaining that he cant edit 4k video on his phone, or that he can't easily make toast with his flamethrower.
Re:Pretty obvious (Score:2, Interesting)
But can you hack a Gibson with them? [imgur.com]
Re:Pretty obvious (Score:2, Interesting)
This is true, but hopefully, maybe this will get the critics to actually critique the device and surmise how it could be better, instead of just howling about privacy and being recorded all the time.
I mean they can fix all the issues this guy has a problem with except the one that isn't a problem, the belief that its recording everything all the time. It will never be able to do that, whether you want it too or not.
Re:As a long-time Glass user, he's a bit off (Score:5, Interesting)
Okay, so explain to me why Google Glass has to be a stand-alone computing device (requiring wlan connectivity, more powerful CPU, larger batteries, etc) to meet your 3 points, instead of a simple optional display / camera peripheral that is used with an existing cell phone? I don't remember any genius deciding that cell phones should all be crammed into bluetooth headsets because a certain portion of the population likes to wear bluetooth headsets all the time.
Google Glass is in the form factor of a display device that has been overextended into the all-in-one device. That makes more sense for a less obtrusive form factor like a wristwatch, but not for something that you have to wear like a cyborg. It will never, ever gain traction as the core mobile computing device, because people that don't want to wear it on their head all the time won't tolerate having to switch back and forth between it and their cell phone. I think the adoption rate will be no better than bluetooth headsets at best.
How much less would Google Glass cost (and weigh) if it was just a low-power bluetooth peripheral with a display and camera? 1/5th the price?
Re:Pretty obvious (Score:5, Interesting)
I see a future were we just get used to it, the same as we ignore people checking their phone already.
It's possible, but at least in my social circles so far people haven't really adapted to carrying on a conversation while checking phone, at least for more than brief glances. When someone looks down at their phone for more than 3-4 seconds, the conversation pauses, and resumes when they look back up again. The explicit looking-at-the-screen aspect essentially communicates out-of-band the "am I paying attention to this conversation or not?" aspect that's used to fairly seamlessly pause and restart the conversation. So far, I've found it hard to do that with people wearing eyepieces (I've had conversations with people [gatech.edu] wearing prototype versions on and off since 2004), since you don't get the explicit notification of now-looking-at-screen, now-looking-back-up attentional state that you get with smartphones.
Re:Solution without a problem, for now... (Score:5, Interesting)
I have Glass and I rarely use it anymore... I replaced it with a product that I dont worry about losing or damaging and provides what I need in the same really easy to get format.
I replaced my Glass with a Pebble watch. Quick glance at any of the info I need, plus I can easily interact. And It's $129 (whine at Best Buy and they will discount it) so if I smash it or get robbed, I dont care.
I still wear Glass for special occasions or if we dress up to go out, Nothing screams rich like wearing a $1500 toy on your head, It's the same as wearing a Rolex only you get more nods from the other rich guys.
Re:As a long-time Glass user, he's a bit off (Score:5, Interesting)
Take all those useful features, put them somewhere other than my face. Problem solved.
Re:Solution without a problem, for now... (Score:5, Interesting)
While I still consider Glass to be a solution without of problem
A local school is testing them in flipped classrooms [wikipedia.org]. The teacher wears GG as the students attempt to solve problems and type the solutions into a computer. GG displays a grid of the classroom that indicates which students are struggling. The teacher moves around the classroom, quickly going to where help is needed most. It seems to work well with most of the teachers, although some don't like it. This is still a research project (no education money is being spent), and the cost of the device will have to come way down before classroom use becomes widespread.
Reasosn for wearable computer (Score:4, Interesting)
2) Provide 3d visual effects by granting different views to different eyes. (not relevant to google glass - yet)
3) Discrete use of the device.
While the complaints mentioned are insightful, they do not bear on the benefits of wearable computers.
Wearable computing is coming. People don't want to use hands and we want to be able to check our messages, email, txts, discretely.
The only real thing holding us back is a good discrete input device. Possibly something blue toothed to the google glass, so we will be truly discrete instead of having to whisper commands to the google glass.
Re:Pretty obvious (Score:4, Interesting)
the same as we ignore people checking their phone already.
Speak for yourself. A lot of us find people checking their phone when they are supposed to be engaged in a social context to be very annoying and rude.
But not nearly as annoying and rude as someone wearing Google Glass would be.
The kind of people that want Google Glass are the exact same people that can't work out or don't care about the etiquette of when and how to use their existing phones. The Glassholes nickname is perfect.