Explorer Edition upgrades to 2GB of RAM in the US and UK. Is it worth the price now?
"Google has created the most sought-after sci-fi-looking gadget that
everyone wants to wear at least once. But its uses are currently limited
and a Google Glass consumer edition is due out this year. Not everyone
will get their money's worth with this one-of-a-kind novelty."
For
Slick, comfortable design
Easy-to-take hands-free photos
Google Now rocks
Head-tracking navigation is surreal
Conversation starter
Against
Outrageously expensive
Battery life is very poor
5MP photos need good lighting
Limited number of apps
Update: This is the latest Google Glass review with 2GB of RAM tested after its UK and US debut. We also explored the new translate and captioning apps. Google
Glass is the controversial wearable that still has its sci-looking beta
testers turning heads and being peppered with questions. How does it
work? What does it feel like? And, of course the inevitable, well, can I
try it?
The increasing number of Google Glass invites has led to Project Glass being open to everyone in the US and now the UK, so curious, tech-savvy early adopters can answer most of these questions on their own. It's a little easier to say "yes" to Glass now that it's been upgraded with more memory and new apps that came out for Google IO. There's a speedier 2GB of RAM
on board instead of 1GB and 12 new apps including Shazam and Live
Stream. The Google Glass app list is officially over the 50 apps hump. But there's one query all prospective Glass owners all struggling with right now at checkout: is Google Glass worth it?
To answer that burning question, I turned a critical eye
to Google's wearable computer and tested its Explorer Edition of Google
Glass for ten months. I also recently upgraded to the brand new 2GB
model. With the sound of my voice, I took hands-free
photos by saying "Okay Glass, take a picture." I instructed it to upload
the resulting point-of-view image to Twitter and Facebook and attached a
caption, all with voice commands. I saw flight
information automatically beam to my eye with a gentle Google Now
reminder the day before traveling. The weather for both my departure and
destination cities, and directions to the airport were already being
provided by this instinctual software. All of this data appeared in the
top right corner of my vision, all without the need to take out my
smartphone.
It's a surreal experience at firstGoogle
has continued to make the complicated ownership decision easier by
adding more to its Explorer Edition heads-up display. In addition to the
new 2GB version, an update late last year saw a tweaked form factor
that made prescription glasses compatible with attachable frames. Google
has even been throwing in a free pair of frames or premium shades with
all new orders since mid-April. Moreover, new apps and updates to the
linear operating system that weren't available at launch make the
current Google Glass Explorer Edition a tempting buy. Still,
this new Project Glass model is better at addition than subtraction.
While features have been added, the price hasn't dropped. At $1,500
(£1,000, about AU$1,589), Google's experimental wearable is exorbitantly
priced for the average person. It's also best if you're an Android, not
an Apple person.
This is what users see when wearing Google GlassCompatibility
with the iPhone has improved thanks to the launch of an iOS MyGlass app
and the ability to read text messages, but it stops short of tapping
into Glass' hands-free SMS response capabilities. Maps navigation also
requires MyGlass to be open on the iPhone, not in the background. All of
these features are missing for Windows Phone 8 users entirely, though technically any Bluetooth phone can offer Glass tethered data with a personal hotspot enabled. Google
Glass is very much a prototype, even after more than 20 months of being
in the hands and on the faces of tens of thousands of beta testers. But
that's partly why this out-of-reach, futuristic-looking curiosity is so
fascinating, despite, or possibly because of the massive cost to your
Google Wallet (that's actually how you have to pay for Google
Glass). Peoples' mind=blown reaction, more so than snapping photos
hands-free and getting directions that turn with your head, makes
whomever is donning Google Glass a walking wonder.
It became an attraction of its own at Disneyland
How to get Google Glass
Google
undoubtedly wanted Glass in the hands of developers who will make the
experience better, more so than curious individuals who want it for
personal use. Therefore, developers were the first to qualify for Google
Glass invites. Now it's for sale to anyone living in the
US and UK. Google threw Project Glass into open enrollment for 24 hours
on April 15 and then permanently made it available a month later. Good
things come to those who wait, too. All new Google Glass models come
with free frames for prescription glasses or a free sunglasses shade
attachment that typically costs $225 (£175, about AU$239). Signing up for the normal Google Glass waitlist in June of 2013 after Google IO
gave me access to an Explorer Edition beta code in November, while my
friend who registered in December received an invite less than three
weeks later. That alone shows how much easier it became to receive an
invitation. Strict rules still limit who can ultimately
take advantage of the invite code and purchase a prototype. For example,
you must be 18 years old and a US or UK resident, so adults living in
the other parts of Europe or Australia aren't eligible. These age and
country-specific rules are still in place.
The unboxing at my fitting appointment
The fit
Google
Glass now ships to US and UK addresses, though the company still
encourages beta testers to pick it up in person at its New York, San
Francisco or Los Angeles offices. In the UK, "base camp" is in King's
Cross, London. But across the pond in LA, specifically Venice Beach, is
where I went for my "fitting experience" with a friendly Glass guide
named Frank. The Google employee helped with my Google
Glass unboxing, adjusted the nose pads, tweaked the delicate nose stems
and shaped the malleable titanium head band until it didn't sit so
crooked on my face. Within ten minutes it looked perfect, or at least as perfect as one can appear with a wearable computer sitting on their face.
Google makes sure Glass fits you just right
The look
Though
pliable, the titanium head band remains durable as it stretches from
ear to ear. It runs alongside a plastic casing that hides Glass' key
components and gives it an overall clean look. This subtle style makes
the exposed parts like the camera lens in the front stand out even more -
for better or worse. Everyone's attention is also
immediately drawn to the adjacent cube-shaped glass prism that sits
above the right eye. It has an acceptable 640 x 360 resolution and hangs
just out of the way of the wearer's line of sight. For the wearer, this
personalized display acts as a much bigger screen, one that's
equivalent to a 25-inch HDTV sitting eight feet away.
Too big to carry in a pocketThe
Google Glass dimensions are 5.25-inches at its widest point and
8-inches at its longest point. It's too long and wide to fit into my
pocket, even though I've been able to carry a Nexus 7 tablet in my jeans' back pocket with a little squeeze. Society
has banned fanny packs and the titanium head band doesn't collapse, so
storage options are limited. When out and about it's either on my face
or in the complementary case, which I stow in a backpack. There's no
in-between.
Google Glass comes in five colorsThe
new Google Glass is almost indistinguishable from its predecessor, and
the fact that it comes in the same colors doesn't help you tell them
apart. The options are black, orange, gray, white and blue. Or, as the
Glass guides insisted: charcoal, tangerine, shale, cotton and sky. Charcoal
and cotton, the two non-color colors, appear to be the most popular, as
they were initially sold out when I first entered my invite code to buy
Google Glass. Luckily, before my seven-day invite expired, both options
became available and I chose white. The choice made online actually
didn't matter until I got to the on-site appointment. I was given one
last chance to switch colors during the moment of truth.
The battery bulges behind the earThe
glaring exception to Glass' svelte design is the battery that rests
behind the right ear and juts out rather noticeably. It's too big, yet
it's not big enough for a full day's charge. Battery performance did
improve with the Android KitKat update in April, but more power from this energy-eating wearable is still a priority of Explorers. Also prevalent among beta testers that I've talked to was Google Glass succumbing to summer heat.
I experienced this problem first-hand on a hot, but not-too-hot day of
horseback riding. Air bubbles began to distort the reflective mirror
that caps the Glass prism.
Google was quick to replace this common defect. Stellar customer serviceThe
good news is that Google was quick to the rescue, speedily shipping me a
a new Google Glass unit and asking me to mail back the broken version.
For a brief moment, I had $3,000 (£2,000) in my hands and awkwardly on
my head. I didn't pass up the chance to foolishly wear both at once.
One of the best uses of Glass. I was the only one who got on-horse photosThe
funny this is that horseback riding, with two hands occupied, was one
of the most useful moment I've had as an Explorer. I was able to issue
photo and video voice commands while properly holding onto the reigns
and saddle. But my experience, and that of almost every other Explorer
I've talked to recently, proves that Google Glass is still very much a
gadget in beta.
The feel
Even with the bulkiness
of the battery and durable frame, Google Glass is extremely lightweight
and comfortable resting on my face. It weights just 42 grams (1.48 oz)
and because everything, including the screen, is just out of my line of
sight I often forget I'm wearing it.
Google Glass is surprisingly lightAt
first, Google Glass did give me slight headaches as I strained my right
eye to focus on the tiny prism in the top right corner of my vision.
The team at the Venice headquarters did forewarn me about temporary Google Glass headaches,
instructing me not to use Glass for more than a few hours the first
couple of days. It's incredibly unnatural to have just one eye focus on a
screen while the other goes without use, but my eyes and brain adjusted
to the phenomenon in a few days to the point where it's now intuitive. Like
a modern smartphone, there are few physical buttons and ports on Google
Glass. That's because most of the interaction is done via a long
3.25-inch touchpad on the right side. Underneath the touchpad is a micro
USB port for charging the device and on the top is a camera button
that's great for quick snaps in noisy environments.
The power-on button is hidden near your templeThe
most discreet button is tucked away on the inside on the touchpad and
near the temple. Giving it a light press turns Google Glass on and
powers up the all-important apps
Interface
Fitting Google Glass to your face is a highly personalized
experience. Same goes for setting up the software. Getting it on WiFi,
pairing it with a smartphone and running through a handful of apps for
the first time all occurred on-site at Google. There's a web-based
tutorial for people who have Google Glass shipped, but the experience is
better appreciated in person. There, I finally
understood why everyone wearing Google Glass constantly cranked their
head up as if they have a nervous tick. The default wake up angle is 30
degrees. This head gesture is a touchpad-free way of turning the display
back on each time it goes blank to conserve battery life.
Looking at a QR code sets up WiFi in a jiffyConfiguring
WiFi for the first time proves easier with Google Glass than any other
device I've owned, backing up its futuristic look with a "this is how it
should've worked in the past" reaction.
Selecting a router name on the Google's in-office Chromebook Pixel,
entering the password and staring at the automatically generated QR
code got me connected to the internet within 10 seconds. The same setup
on mobile devices usually requires entering the wrong password a bunch
of times on a cramped keyboard. Luckily, an expensive Chromebook pixel
isn't required to complete the task at home. The same functionality is
available on the MyGlass website and matching Android and iOS apps.
Google Glass requires some extra work for iPhone
Tethering
Tethering
Google Glass to a smartphone can be just as easy, even if that device
is an iPhone. Google is eager to play well with others here, allowing
Glass to pair with my iPhone 5S
via Bluetooth. Of course AT&T, in its infinite wisdom, won't allow
people clinging on to a grandfathered-in unlimited data plan to activate
iPhone's personal hotspot setting, so it didn't work on my personal
iPhone handset.
Google Glass screencasting on AndroidFor this reason, and because the voice-enabled SMS responses don't work even when Google Glass is successfully paired with an iPhone, I opted for the larger Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
I wouldn't have had a way to respond to texts without it, and wouldn't
have been able to get directions hands-free due to iPhone's navigation
limitations. Glass can't initiate directions while an iPhone is in sleep
mode. Glass generally works better in step with the
Android platform and Google Play's MyGlass app. The tighter integration
makes for a smoother experience and has proved problematic for Apple's
walled-garden.
Google Glass operating system
Google
Glass is all about eliminating the all-too-common temptation to take
your smartphone out of your pocket and look down at its infinitely
distracting screen. So once I had data up-and-running, I launched into
Glass' pre-installed features list and didn't look back down.
Keep an eye on the time when you're outI
was able to take my first hands-free photo by simply saying, "Okay
Glass, take a picture." From here on out, I used the "Okay Glass" voice
command to initiate all of the apps, whether my intention was to Google
something, record a video or get turn-by-turn directions. My
first photo and all subsequent snaps land in the Google Glass XE 19.1
linear operating system, which is controlled by sliding forward and
backward on the touchpad. The newer Android KitKat interface works the
same exact way, only it's a little smoother thanks to a
behind-the-scenes performance upgrade. Sliding down
cancels actions and, with enough swipes down, returns to the "Okay
Glass" home screen. Tapping the touchpad brings up contextual options
like share, delete, add a caption, read aloud, etc.
This is what users see when wearing Google GlassThe
Google Glass OS is similar to the card-based user interface that has
worked its way into many of Google's product including the Google
Now-inspired Android Wear
smartwatches. The idea may need a redesign of its own pretty soon. At
first, this content slideshow contained a handful of my previously taken
photos, old searches, archived Hangout conversations and CNN Breaking
News updates. I was generally able to find something within a few
swipes. A week later, sliding the touchpad back through
the all of the built-up content became less fluid. Add to the fact that
there's a nasty bug that resets you to the beginning of the timeline if
you slide too quickly on a tethered device in screencast mode, and it's
downright frustrating. Google issued a Google Glass patch
that bunches photos together to reduce this known clutter, but the
timeline can still turn into a cumbersome mess.
There's not much point to this if you're not a developerConnecting
Google Glass to a computer through its micro USB port offers an
imperfect remedy to offloading content. It's limited to exporting
photos, and on a Mac, Glass doesn't show up as an external drive. OS X
users are forced to open up iPhoto or the Image Capture to download
their images. Windows 8.1 makes it considerably easier because it pops up as a connected drive. There's
not a whole lot of options outside of copying photos to your computer,
unfortunately. Clearing non-photo content from the card-based timeline
has to be done manually using Glass and rearranging or importing old
files isn't possible. Developers can use the micro USB-to-PC connection
to delve into code using the Android SDK, but that's not meant for the
average user.
It reads the answer aloud tooIt
being a Google product, my second task was to I asked a question. "Okay
Glass, what's the population of China?" It read back the answer as
"1.351 billion as of 2012," data derived from the company's extensive
Google Knowledge Graph. There's no anticipate functionality (or room to
implement it on the tiny screen) that lays out the populations of India
and the US in comparison. That feature, which I wrote about at the Google IO 2013 conference, is still reserved for computer and mobile-based searches. Digging
a little bit deeper to test the Google Knowledge Graph, I asked "How
tall is Morgan Freeman?" which resulted in the computerized voice
reading aloud "6' 2" (1.88 m)." The synthesized voice isn't as smooth as
Morgan Freeman's natural oration, but it matches the one used for
Google Maps directions on phones and tablets. Remarkably,
Google Glass doesn't contain a natural speaker to audibly transmit
voice prompts that are the result of Googling questions, playing CNN
videos and asking for directions. Instead, it vibrates behind the right
ear through its Bone Conduction Transducer, a hearing aid technology
that relays the information through the skull. Best of all, it's nearly
inaudible to everyone else. The personalized viewing screen meets a
personalized audio frequency with Google Glass.
Bone Conduction vibrates sound through your skullThere's
no ordinary speaker to project sound from the device, but there is a
microphone to pick up whatever the user says after delivering the "Okay,
Glass" prompt. It enables Google Glass to act as the world's most
expensive Bluetooth headset for hands-free phone calls and video calls.
The sound quality isn't a problem - it's actually very clear - but
asking it to "Make a call to..." followed by someone's name on your
MyGlass contact list is limited. Currently, the maximum
number of contacts Google Glass supports by saying their name is ten.
Initiating phone calls and sending messages to anyone outside of this
favorites list requires tapping the touchpad to enter the
often-overlooked manual "Okay Glass" menu, scrolling to the message,
call or video call, and scrolling through your entire Google contacts
list. It's unfortunate that the quicker voice-controlled
method of setting up conversations is capped at ten contacts. It's even
more confusing, Google forces you to manually enter the "Okay Glass"
menu to scroll through your greater contact list. There's no "Making a
call to someone outside of your ten favorites" option at the end of the
ten. The microphone is also essential for transcribing
messages: emails, text messages, Google Hangouts and adding photo
captions on social networks. Sadly, sending texts is limited to Android
phone tethering.
Its head-turning directions is really going to turn headsTurn-by-turn
directions via Google Maps isn't exclusive to Android devices anymore,
but Apple only allows third-party app developers to initiate directions
while the iPhone is awake. Having to exit from sleep mode every time you
want to get directions negates the phone-free utopia Google Glass is
driving toward. This inconvenience may still be worth it; Google's maps
on Google Glass are more sophisticated than the still-hobbled Apple Maps
on iOS devices if you don't own a car. It includes options for driving,
walking and public transit routes whereas Apple's own maps do not. Even
more amazing in Google Maps for Glass is the fact that turning your
head changes the map orientation in real-time. Left and right twists of
the neck swing the stationary triangle indicator to the left and right.
Google Maps with surreal head-tracking follows you every step of the way
without the need to tap a compass button to orient your perspective on a
map.
Apps
Glassware refers to Google Glass apps that developers create
specifically for the wearable. It's modeled after the Google Play store
and iTunes App Store, only the Glassware app list is less populated at
just 64 apps, a very slow uptick from the 37 apps available seven months
ago. Even Chromecast has more apps. Ten
of these 64 apps were created internally and Google Now is by far the
most impressive Glass app. It's always located one swipe back from the
"Okay Glass" home screen with contextual cards for information like the
weather, sports teams I follow and directions to places I've recently
searched for on Google.
Flight information automatically shows up a day in advanceTraveling
anytime soon? Just like the Google Now Android and iOS app, this
predictive software will dig through your email and bring up your flight
information. Better yet, the weather will change, giving you the
forecast to both the city that you're in now and the place you're about
to go. Top that off with directions to the airport complete with the
approximate travel time. It's all done automatically like you'd expect
from a device from the future.
Forecasts for both cities can be accessedAs
you'd expect, Gmail is here and it pings you whenever an important
message hits your priority inbox, Google Music plays songs with a
"Listen to..." voice command and YouTube gives you an audience for your
720p #throughglass videos. You can't actually explore the rest of
YouTube, though. The same applies to the write-only Google+ application.
Google's more straight-to-the-point Compass app shows
the four cardinal directions and their intermediate directions, and
reads the degrees aloud with the tap of the touchpad. The Stopwatch and
Start Timer apps would replace Siri as my favorite way to countdown my
time-sensitive tasks if it could set the clock with voice commands. Siri
still wins for now. The aforementioned Hangouts app now
supports sending photos in replies thanks to April's upgrade to Android
KitKat. Visually being able to answer "What are you up to?" with more
than just text via voice dictation makes Hangouts a better experience.
After all, snapping photos is Glass' biggest draw. Google
Glass games have been theorized with plenty of augmented reality
YouTube videos of what the gameplay from the first-person perspective.
Google's own Mini Games app takes advantage of all of the tiny sensors
onboard to do just that. Its five AR games involve balancing objects in
the world in front of you, shooting clay targets in the distance and
playing tennis anytime, anywhere.
Third-party Google Glassware
Big
name developers have already gotten onboard with Google Glass. Social
networking apps like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Path and now Foursquare
are meant for sharing status updates, photos and videos to your
timelines. Twitter and Google+ handle Google Glass best, pushing updates
with a #throughglass hashtag, making photos from Explorers'
first-person perspective easy to find. The newest
addition to the Google Glass app list includes Livestream and Shazam.
Say "Okay Google, start broadcasting" and it'll will beam whatever you
see to your video channel without delay. Curious about a song? The
awkwardly phrased "Okay Glass, recognize this song" identifies the
artist and title. These are smartphone app repeats, but Glass either
gives you a neat new perspective or a hands-free way of searching.
Twitter messages end in with the unique throughglass hashtagEvernote
is now less than one button press away thanks to the voice-controlled
Google Glass and IFTTT can automate everything in life including turning
on WiFi-connected lights in an apartment without the need for an "easy
button." News gathering is also an act of the past with
updates for CNN Breaking News, The New York Times, Mashable and Elle
fashion. There was a Wall Street Journal app, but it has disappeared, a
common occurrence among the budding Glassware app list. Explorers have
hardly noticed. Weather Alert, which is supposed to
notify me of dangerous conditions, is one of the newest Glassware apps.
In the end, I disabled all but CNN because apps, especially Mashable and
Weather Alert, pinged me with too many unimportant alerts or false
alarms to the point of annoyance. They need to work more like the iOS
and Android Breaking News app that lets users dictate which stories are
important to them.
CNN beams breaking news to your eyeGoogle
Glass can also encourage lifestyle changes with sporty apps like Strava
Cycling, Strava Run, Golfsight by Skydroid and the new LynxFit trainer.
For the first time since carrying around a smartphone to aid my
exercise routine, my two hands were suddenly free to grip my bike
handles and not worry about checking a phone's screen to see how far
along I was on my route. Food apps like AlltheCooks Recipes and KitchMe
have the same effect. Washing your hands and cooking while reading the
ingredients aloud without dirtying your phone is less messy with Google
Glass.
World Lens translators words right before your eyesWord Lens, now a Google owned company,
is toward the end of the alphabetically listed Glassware app store, but
it's one of the most impressive apps by a third-party developer. It can
scan and visually translates words in English to and from Portuguese,
German, Italian, French and Spanish. It can overlay words on top of an
existing foreign-language stop sign or menu using Augmented Reality,
just like the iOS and Android app by the developer. It's a little more
uncanny when seen through Glass.
It overlays the translated word right onto the stop signAnother
useful Google Glass app offers closed captioning for real-life
conversations. Before you call it creepy, keep in mind that Captioning
for Glass is intended for deaf or hard of hearing. Conversations appear
in the top right corner of the screen after saying the command "Okay
Glass, recognize this." So far, it's an Android-only app, but could be
extremely useful for people with disabilities.
Google Glass closed captioning could help hearing impaired
More Google Glass apps to come
Google
opened up its Mirror API so that web-based services can take advantage
of Glass and now there is a sneak peek at the all-important Google Glass
SDK. Developers are still waiting to download the final version of this
app-driving software, but there's no official release date for the
development kit.
Even 50 Cent is investing in an app called Hang w/A
lot of developers are also bringing their apps from iOS and Android
devices and making the experience more personal. Hang w/ is once such
video streaming app and it happens to be backed by rapper 50 Cent. Its
goal is to allow people to broadcast and narrate interesting moments in
their lives or follow people who are doing just that. Celebrity
involvement could make Google Glass' point-of-view concept and apps like
this the next Twitter. When the final GDK makes its way
to everyday developers, I expect the card-based Glassware user interface
to explode with too much content just like my Google Glass timeline.
Google would be forced to categorize apps and implement a rating system,
and that's a good problem to have. New apps are going to be what makes
this device useful more than hardware tweaks. Glass owners are currently
in a state that's akin to the first iPhone without the iTunes App
Store.
Camera and video
The Google Glass camera shoots 5-megapixel photos equivalent to that of the iPhone 4
camera and each picture has a 2528 x 1856 resolution. To Google's
credit, it took last-generation specs and made them useful again thanks
to the camera's distinctive hands-free interface and, given the right
lighting, terrific image quality.
There's a camera button you can manually press on top of the touchpadThere
are three ways to take photos when that 21st-century Kodak moment
strikes and your quickest method of capturing it is Google Glass.
Precisely saying "Okay Glass, take a picture" (not "take a photo") snaps
an image within the blink of an eye.
Believe it or not, the second way is by actually
blinking your right eye. This recently added Wink feature is deemed as
experimental by Google, so it also picks up your eye-shutting big yawns
and sneezes for awkward, unexpected photos.
Glass captured the outdoor portions of Disneyland nicelyThe
third way to take a picture is by pressing the physical camera button
at the top of the hardware. It's not as forward-thinking as talking to
Google Glass, but it's ideal for noisy environments in which the
otherwise strong microphone isn't a viable option. All three methods allow you to bring up the viewfinder beforehand thanks to the update that arrived just prior Google IO
2014. Saying "OK Glass, show the viewfinder" brings up the four
L-shaped corners and makes lining up the perfect shot even easier.
Before this update, it was trial-and-error guess work.
Google Glass now syncs photos to Android and iOSPhotos
are saved to an internal 16GB flash drive of which 12GB is actually
useable memory. The operating system controls the rest. This space
doesn't fill up easily, as images are 1MB on average and are routinely
synced with Google's cloud storage. Syncing photos to a
smartphone through the MyGlass app is also helpful, especially when you
want to edit them before posting. As of September, even iOS users are in
on the Photo Sync feature. Deleting photos en masse, however, doesn't
work without plugging Glass into a computer via its USB cable. It's a
feature I'd like to see in the future.
Sunsets make great Google Glass photos when there's no direct sunlight
Best Google Glass photos
Sunsets,
friends' portraits and first-person snaps of everyday life offer the
best photo results and make the camera the most rewarding Google Glass
feature. Each one comes with a laundry list of caveats, though. Sunsets
need to be bright, but not so bright that direct sunlight whites out the
entire image. Portraits need to be well-lit and your
antsy friends can't be moving - at all. "Everyday life photos" should be
read literally with an emphasis on day, and the subject needs to be
close because there's no zoom function or cropping tool.
There's no crop or zoom to put this big dog into better contextGoogle
Glass' inability to crop and zoom either when the picture is taken or
post-snap is one of the biggest disadvantages to its 100% hands-off
approach to photography. I didn't miss the opportunity to take a photo
of an abnormally large dog on the sidewalk thanks to Glass, but I
conversely couldn't put it into a better perspective before sharing it
to Facebook sans a cropping tool. That large, distracting electrical box
in the periphery remains. Most #throughglass photos are
admirably untouched, a rarity in the age of Instagram. Still, basic
editing functionality by beaming a photo over to a smartphone or tablet
before uploading it to the world would have been valued. Google+ does a
nice job with Auto Enhanced photos with a few tricks.
The party was a blast, but Glass' low-light performance isn'tAn
LED flash and better low-light performance is another obvious Google
Glass feature that's sorely missing from the prototype. Taking photos
and video in dimly lit environments is almost a non-starter, cutting
down on the fun you can have with it in conjunction with nightlife
scenarios.
With just the right amount of light, the results are vastly betterMore sophisticated camera software could improve Glass in the future, but given the Nexus 5 camera problems, it might not be high on the Google's priority list when it should be No. 1.
Google Glass video
Google
Glass also takes high-resolution video with all footage at a fairly
steady 720p resolution. The camera's video performance mirrors its still
image quality: it lives and dies by lighting and, if the right
conditions are in place, provides a unique window to explore your
everyday life.
This is exactly what happened when I filmed my
too-often-repeated airport security line routine through the
first-person perspective. Ever wonder what it's like to go through a
luggage X-ray machine? Glass shed some light on the
not-too-crazy-looking experience #throughglass. It also proved that
airport security is way too frantic of an operation and that an indoor,
well-lit airport environment is the best format for a Google Glass
video. The quality took a hit when I attempted to film
rides at Disneyland. Without proper illumination on rides, it failed to
capture the excitement of the theme park indoors and as soon as the sun
set, the outdoor video and photo quality took a major dive along with
the, by then, exhausted battery.
Google Glass' video capabilities could get you kicked out
Google Glass filming privacy
The
Google Glass POV camera perspective is the most fulfilling feature, but
it's also the reason the wearable is seen as being so invasive. It's
always pointing forward at people and it often elicits a half-joking,
half serious, "Are you filming me right now?" Privacy
concerned individuals are usually overreacting. Still, it's an
accusation every Glass user has to expect. Casinos, clubs, and a handful
of restaurants and bar have unceremoniously banned the prototype even
before it's readily available. Google went as far as posting nine tips
on how not to be a Glasshole.
Google+ Auto Backup, effects
Google+
automatically saves photos and video through the social network's Auto
Backup feature. It syncs to a private online album when Google Glass is
plugged into a charger and it's within WiFi range. It's essential to
meet these two conditions if Auto Backup isn't working, a complaint
echoed through Google's private forums for Glass users. When it does
function properly, it has some extra surprises that are worth checking
out.
Google Auto Awesome added snow to a Christmas-timed photoSelect
pictures are automatically enhanced with Google+ photo editing
software, panoramas are stitched together right away and animated GIFs
are already moving about before you say action. During the holidays,
twinkle and snow effects were routinely added to photos - although it
didn't look right in a lot of cases. Luckily, all Google+ enhancements
are saved as a copy of the original photo in the Auto Backup folder and
never shared without your permission.
Battery life
Google's official estimate for the Glass' battery life is
"one day of typical use." Features like video recording, however can
drain the battery even more quickly, the company warns.
The battery bulges out in back, yet battery life is awfulAvoiding
these more intensive features, I found my Google Glass battery to last
between three and five hours depending on how many hands-free photos I
was taking in that time span. Recording a video wiped the battery out in
less than an hour after continuously shooting.
That's far short of the official estimate, but keep in
mind that there's a tremendous difference between being connected to
WiFi vs Bluetooth via a tethered smartphone. Relying on a phone's shared
LTE data connection drained my battery more quickly.
Get used to this screen. The battery drains in just a few hoursGoogle
Glass also ran much hotter over Bluetooth, something that was pointed
out to me every time I demoed Google Glass to a large group. Typically,
this observation was noticed by the time it was passed to the last
person to wear it. Teardown specs indicate that Google
Glass contains a puny 570 mAh lithium-polymer battery, even with its
larger-than-desired battery size located behind the right ear. Luckily,
the small battery size means that it doesn't take exceptionally long to
charge, with less than two hours giving me a complete 100% battery life
to drain it all over again.
Google Glass and high-capacity battery packs go hands-free-in-handTo
conserve battery life as much as humanly or cyborgly possible, I turned
off head wake up, on-head detection and Wink for picture. I also
carried around an external high-capacity battery pack in my pocket with a
USB cable running to the micro USB port. I don't suggest this look.
Verdict
Google Glass in its current prototype form is an unfinished
trailblazing avant-garde piece of tech. I had a hard time wrapping my
brain around. I worried about whether I'd be able to tell if it was
really the next big thing or a huge waste of time and money. Glass
sure wrapped itself around my brain though, and with considerable
comfort. I was able to test it easily in my everyday life and that's
what Google Glass is all about: putting one's smartphone down, yet still
being able to share pieces of your life with your friends and family
through a unique first-person perspective.
Google Glass is comfortable, even if it make you look like a cyborg
We liked
The
excitement surrounding Google Glass made wearing the invite-only
prototype a thrill, but you have to be the right sort of
technology-loving visionary to benefit from people's curiosity. I
couldn't go a day without a half dozen people asking me about it.
Explorers should expect the same.
In between all of the welcomed questions, I found taking
hands-free photos, up
loading them to Facebook and Twitter and adding
captions with my voice to be the most entertaining part. Receiving and
replying to work-related Hangout messages while cooking dinner and then
getting walking directions at the spread-out CES 2014 venues made it productive. Google
Now is by far the best app of the 64 available with flight information,
weather, and sports scores available based on what I've searched
recently. I also habitually take advantage of being able to Google any
question that pops into my brain, leaving no answer unknown with my
smartphone still in my pocket
Google needs to focus on price, battery and camera
We didn't like
Using
Google Glass doesn't always go as planned, especially when it comes to a
full day of use. The battery life is abysmal and tethering to anything
but an Android is less than satisfying. Text message replies and
directions are sorely missed when using it with an iPhone. The
camera's low-light performance could be better and the microphone,
while surprisingly strong, often took a couple of attempts to properly
add captions in moderately noisy situations. Price and
privacy are two issues that are of concern right now. As a consumer,
$1,500 (£1000, about AU$1,593) plus tax is too much to pay for most any
gadget, especially one that's still in development. You do get offered
beer during the Google Glass appointment, which helps ease the pain.
Glass guide and reader Frank made the fitting a great experience
Final Verdict
There's
nothing like Google Glass, so upon being "invited," I jumped at the
chance to empty my Google Wallet for what my bank account poorly
categorized as "Glass - Home Improvement." It did nothing for my home,
but it did provide conversation-starting "improvement" in social
settings outside of the house. Its hands-free photo
taking capabilities encouraged me to seek out more adventure that
required two hands but still warranted capturing. I put down my
smartphone for a record amount of time. Instead, I searched Google Now,
used hands-free Google Maps navigation and responded to Gmail and texts
through the built-in microphone. The 5-megapixel camera isn't nearly as good as what you'll find on a current smartphone, especially the iPhone 5S and Galaxy Note 3,
and the voice recognition software doesn't get everything entirely
right. The battery life and price get everything wrong - one is too
small, one is too big; it would be great if they switched.
Are you going to act on that Google Glass invite?But
when you think about it, Google Glass is the first of its kind - at
least with a major company behind it. The first iPhone with its
pre-installed apps and novel touchscreen had the same "is this worth it
or just hype?" question surrounding when Apple launched it in 2007. Owning
Google Glass is even more reminiscent to a previous generations' owning
the first TV on the block. No one has seen it in person before and
everyone want to come over and try it out. The intense public interest
is entertaining, but not worth the Explorer Edition price for most
consumers. It's still more fun than functional right now with the promise of becoming the next big thing.
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