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I recently obtained Google Glasses. Ask me anything!
Storified by Ivan Lajara · Tue, Jul 16 2013 09:36:28
I was selected as one of the 8,000 Google Glass explorers. I plan to use it for journalism and to figure out innovative ways to use it while having fun doing it, like:
BlogSpot
Imgur
Does it affect vision?
Does it make you headache-y or bug your vision at all?smalltowngirltv
Not at all. It's very unobtrusive and it actually turns on very few times (you get a sound alert). It goes off right away if you don't do anything with it. You have to turn your head up (you set the degree; I set mine at 30) or touch the pad to turn it on. There's also a button to take pictures. Press it. Takes pic. Goes off. ivanlajara
Does the camera make a shutter noise to stop creepers?iDork622
Yes, but the sound is negligible. However, you can see a light (the screen) when it's on and working. And you have to either manually touch the glass to take a photo or talk to it ('OK glass, take a picture') so it is obvious to everyone what you are doing. Though I'm pretty sure creepers will figure out a way to keep on creeping somehow.ivanlajara
The default is 10 seconds, so you'd have to touch the side pad to extend the video. Regardless, the light from the video recording display would give people away (you see what you are recording on the display while you are recording). it's very noticeable.ivanlajara
Is it worth the price?
Is it worth the money so far? How useful is it?WalrusToast
It's $1,500 before taxes. Currently, you can take photos (resolution is, indeed, big) and videos (default is 10 seconds, but you can go longer). You can share photos to Twitter and Facebook and photos and videos to Google Plus. You can use it with voice command or by swipping the side of the glass (like a touch mouse: forward, back and swipe down to cancel). You get some notifications (they call them cards) from NYTimes or CNN or Tumblr. There aren't that many apps (sorry, cards) yet, and the new browser is very buggy. I'm tracking down my own progress at <a href="https://www.rebelmouse.com/ivanthroughglass/" class="">https://www.rebelmouse.com/ivanthroughglass/</a>, just to give you an idea of the things you can do with it.tl;dr: Currently, no.ivanlajara
'Cards'
so notifications and applications are called cards? What?yourpenisinmyhand
What, indeed. A card takes the screen when it displays. You can't just isolate just Twitter, for instance. Instead, you get a tweet reply and the next card can just be an email or a photo. In that sense, there aren't really any apps because whenever you do something, it creates a card.ivanlajara
If you use a newer android device with Google now (I believe it may also be available as part of the iOS Google search app, but don't quite me on that,) I think glass notifications are stylistically similar to the cards on that.fondots
It is actually just like that, and your Google Now cards are imported to Glass the moment you sync.ivanlajara
Reaction
How do people react in puplic? :Dmiaccountname
So far:ivanlajara
* People ask questions: 'What is that?'; 'is that Google Glass' or 'what happened to your eyes?/Is your vision OK?' ; 'Can I try them?' is what I've gotten so far. I usually explain and let them use if for a bit if I know the person or if we are in a friendly enough environment.
* People look at you and look at you like you're some sort of alien.
* People look at you and pretend they're not looking at you and elbow their friends and point at you and make comments under their breaths.
* People look at you with disdain.
* People ignore you.
I've been to the supermarket a bunch of times with it and have gotten no reaction. I was also stopped the moment I got the Glass in NYC (I had a Glass bag, so that might have had something to do with it).
All interactions have been very enjoyable and friendly.
I like that people are so cool with it :) I'm really interested in the hole project and one of my most major concerns is that people are scared of it because of it being so alien to them.miaccountname
Most people —generally speaking and in my experience — are concerned or joke about me taking photos of them without them knowing that it's going on, thinking that you can take a photo without them noticing. You really can't. You have to either press the button or talk to it. Either way, the glass display will show up as a light, which is a dead giveaway that you're doing something with it. I've been to a couple of establishments with it and everyone I've encountered so far has been curious and not antagonistic.ivanlajara
Productivity and quality of life
Is it truly making your life better as in more productive, easier, etc., or is it just a fancy luxury?annuit02
Good question. I'm actually trying to figure out ways to make it more productive for work, so in terms of filing photos and videos, it is indeed easier, because it's pretty much hands-free. The best feature, in my view, is the hangouts, where you can have a video conference with up to 10 people at a time (they see what you see). So, technically, I could be covering an event while having people not only watch it but also participate (ask questions, etc) while it's going on. At the same time, it is just a fancy luxury and you can use it like that (which I do on my personal time).ivanlajara
Privacy concerns
Do you feel like google will be using the glasses to gather personal information? it is something that would stop me from using them.outonthetown
It already does that, in order to function. It kind of works the same way the Google iphone app does, for instance. Or the Chrome browser (it remembers your stuff no matter what computer you are using, if synced). So it's a trade. If you want it to tell you long it's going to take you to get to work, you have to tell it where you work. Same thing about sharing stuff with family. It has to know who they are. ivanlajara
It's actually much more difficult to get used to the device itself. I don't wear glasses, so the frame bugs my nose.
I was just curious as to what your thoughts were; personally, I would never spend that much money on technology (besides something like a computer.) It just worries me that something that is so directly linked to your world, ie, how you view your world, can give the information to other sources. It is just getting easier to track people. outonthetown
Do you think many people will purchase the glasses? Also, what do you think about the aesthetic?
I don't think many people will purchase it if the price remains at what it is. $1,500 is prohibitive for many. The aesthetic is fine — but dorky, if only because it's an unusual look (I was called Locutus today and my girlfriend keeps asking, "Are you seriously going to go out wearing that?") So you'll get looks and questions. Everyone I'd talked to has been very friendly, though.ivanlajara
It's pretty cool you got something so expensive for free, though! Do you get to keep it? Will you eventually sell it?
Yeah, I think it will end up being a toy for someone who follows the google brand seriously (I say this while using a chrome book :P,) or someone who has to have every new piece of technology. outonthetown
Porn
have you tried watching porn on it?ninfan200
No. Youtube works, though. So if you Google (you have to say it: "OK glass, google, Get Lucky") you can find the mobile videos on it. Sound is not quite good though (as to not to distract you from your surroundings). The sound piece actually goes to the back of your head behind the ear.And if you google 'get lucky' the first result is the Daft Punk track. ivanlajara
So it's possible, I guess.
So now have you watched porn on it? IndubENTably
The things I do in the name of journalism! I Googled porn and the first result was pornhub. I clicked on 'View website' and it went to a mobile version of the site where some Gifs were playing already. I didn't go further, but the answer is yes, you can watch porn in glass, for those who want a $1,500 fap machine. ivanlajara
Ease of use
Is it as seamless as the ads make it out to be, or is it clunky and awkward to use?fiqar
It is very easy to use, indeed. And the hands off approach or one-click photo-taking is great for some things, like candid shots or videos. What's awkward is the look of it on the face and how people look at you when you're wearing them. ivanlajara
