{"id":658760,"date":"2013-05-17T12:04:20","date_gmt":"2013-05-17T16:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.ted.com\/?p=75916"},"modified":"2013-05-17T12:04:20","modified_gmt":"2013-05-17T16:04:20","slug":"our-thoughts-on-using-google-glass-so-far-plus-videos-that-show-what-it-can-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/658760","title":{"rendered":"Our thoughts on using Google Glass so far, plus videos that show what it can do"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sergey-Brin-at-TED2013\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sergey Brin shows a demo video of Google Glass at TED2013. In today’s talk, he reveals the big idea behind the project. Photo: James Duncan Davidson<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In today\u2019s talk<\/a>, Sergey Brin of Google shares the idea that motivated the development of Google Glass: that while smartphones inherently take us away from experiencing the real world, there could be a device that allows for a digitally-mediated experience within it. As Google heads into day three of its I\/O developer conference<\/a> in San Francisco, and as members of Congress express concerns about the new technology<\/a>, it\u2019s an especially fitting talk for today.<\/p>\n

\"SergeySergey Brin: Why Google Glass?<\/span><\/a>In this humorous talk<\/a>, Brin checks his email and then says, \u201cThis position you just saw me in \u2013 looking down at my phone \u2013 that\u2019s one of the reasons behind this project, Project Glass. We ultimately question if this is the ultimate future of how you want to connect to other people in your life, how you want to connect to information. Should it be by walking around looking down?\u201c<\/p>\n

Hunching over his phone, he asks, \u201cIs this what you were meant to do with your body?\u201d<\/p>\n

TED\u2019s media team was invited to purchase Glass after a team member attended Google I\/O last year. So several people in the TED office have taken a turn trying it out since it arrived in our office in early May. Michael Glass, our Director of Film + Video, has much to say after test-driving the new device.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever its oddities and awkwardnesses, this is the first step in getting to that HUD Terminator experience that captured so many imaginations 30 years ago. If we had given up on the cell phone because its first users looked like schmucks holding up big grey bricks to their ears, we would never have met the iPhone or Nexus 4 or Droid DNA or Galaxy S4 or whatever your dream phone is<\/strong>,\u201d he says. \u201cThe bit that blows my mind is its integration with Google Hangouts although to be honest it’s not been particularly useful in any specific way. Then again, neither was E=MC2.\u00a0It’s mostly a toy right now, which is all the more reason to play with it. I think Google is smart to be humble and not cram the thing full of tools and functions — the crowd will figure out the most interesting ways to use it; they just needed to make the first leap into the hardware.\u201d<\/p>\n

His biggest complaint: \u201cMy last name is Glass and I walk around saying, \u2018Okay Glass\u2019 to activate the main menu.\u201d<\/p>\n

TED editor Isaac Wayton also tested out Google Glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really like the idea of Glass, in theory, but I’m worried that it’s a technology that will promote selfish user behaviors rather than real life human interactions. Also, since I need to wear prescription glasses — and couldn’t wear both Glass and my pair at\u00a0the\u00a0same time — I wasn’t able to see the tiny, projected screen very well<\/strong>,\u201d he says. \u201cThat said, it is an amazing piece of technology and it deserves further development because I am sure that people will also find intelligent uses for Glass to help people in the real world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bottom line: he looks forward to a version that somehow attaches to existing glasses.<\/p>\n

Below, some videos that show more of what we know about Google Glass, which will be available in 2014.<\/p>\n