Google Inc. announced they would release Google Glass as a beta product last winter, and individuals would be able to participate in a Google Glass explorers program if they applied within a specified timeframe. I have always been passionate about new technology, so I applied. I submitted a response saying if I had a Glass “I would look for adventures, find new friends, discover the undiscovered, travel destinations, help others & share my findings.”
I love to learn new things and find other ways to do something. With Glass, I was hoping that it would make my new adventures even more thrilling, and when I found out I would get to be a beta participant, I was ecstatic.
I would describe Google Glass as a lightweight, durable, water-resistant and wearable device that you can slip on like a pair of eyeglasses. Unlike reading glasses, there are no lenses on the Google glass. Wearing Glass is almost as if it is a second pair of skin. You can’t even feel that it is on your face, and it does not distract you from walking or doing your daily activities.
You are able to look through a rectangular prism that displays a screen in front of your eyes. You can easily take pictures, record videos, send text messages and use GPS/navigation, Google search, YouTube and more. This is all possible with the command “O.K. Glass,” and it’s hands-free.
Another way to use Glass is on the right side of the bone-conductor. Here, you are able to swipe through your timeline of all of the things you did that day or week. You can view all your pictures/videos, YouTube searches and more just with a swipe of your finger.
A few months after I applied, Google notified me that I was selected to join 8,000 other people across the U.S. (including 200 developers) to take part in the Google Glass Explorers program. They sent me an invitation via Twitter to purchase them and select a color. I chose the Cotton color, which is basically just white. The other color options are Charcoal, Tangerine, Shale and Sky. I also had to choose a location and time to pick up my Google Glass, my options being Los Angeles or New York City.
I chose New York City, the Chelsea Market location, to pick them up since it was closer to Chicago, which is where I’m from. I flew to New York over summer break and had a personalized fitting with a Glass Guide. A Glass Guide is a Google employee that assists Explorers with getting acquainted with the explorer program and the Glass features and functionality. They showed me how to use Glass with all of its amazing, unique features it is capable of doing. They helped me set up my iOS iPhone device with Glass so I would be able to Bluetooth and tether connect with Glass so all the data from my iPhone would transfer to my Glass.
After that, they made me set up a Google+ account so I would be able to share all of my findings and adventures with my friends, family and followers on the Web. Google+ is a social media website where you can share pictures/videos and status updates, video chat, read blogs and more.
They took me around the Google headquarters to show me how to take pictures and videos with Glass, and I got to take a lot of cool pictures looking down at New York City. After the photography fun, they showed me how to make a phone call with Glass. I was amazed with its full calling functionality. I really felt like I was some sort of futuristic robot. It was an awesome experience. After my session was up with the Google Glass guides, my family and I walked the streets of New York City taking pictures and videos and effortlessly posting them to my Google+ profile and other media websites like Facebook and Twitter. My family, friends and followers were all highly intrigued with this new Google product and wanted to learn more about it too.
There is also a website that is exclusive to the 8,000 Explorer members for sharing information with other members. It is a place where I can introduce myself to others. As you build up your ranking, other members can give kudos or feedback to what an Explorer posts. Kudos are usually given when new solutions are offered, when you resolve a problem, for creative ideas or helping other members solve problems with their Glasses. I currently have 14 kudos with the online Glass discussion site.
The discussion topics and categories include troubleshooting ideas, developer updates, journals, and, in this forum, you can discuss with other members your likes, dislikes, suggestions for improvement, new features and what daily life is like while wearing the Glass.
In only four months since I first put on the Glass, Google has introduced a number of new updates. Some of the latest updates that I like most include fully integrated YouTube videos, hands-free GPS navigation, the vignette feature, the ability to add the Google Glass screen to a photograph taken by Glass, fully integrated Internet browsing and sound search, which is a way Google Glass is able to listen to a song and tell you what the title is.
I am interested in learning the differences between how Google Glass works with an iPhone versus the Android (Google OS) to understand its full capabilities. I use both phones when trying new updates. I am hopeful that when Glass becomes available to the public that all the features are equally available regardless of the phone type.
Anthony Pettenon can be reached at anthony.pettenon@spartans.ut.edu