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> Imagine if you could take a picture of anything, add a little note, have it filed away. Not necessarily an awesome Instagram picture, but just a picture of so

> Imagine if you could take a picture of anything, add a little note, have it filed away. Not necessarily an awesome Instagram picture, but just a picture of some mail you got, a tool you are putting away, any thing you want to record and save. Heck, why not a picture of your computer screen? Pair that with quickly available audio transcriptions and you can also dictate anything, thoughts, small notes, information associated with the images. I know HN already has too much cynicism for my own liking, so it pains me to say: you can already do this with the phone you have in your pocket. Have a shortcut that enables audio dictation/photo mode/etc., and you're good to go. The workflow for glasses (either these or some other hypothetical ones) would involve hitting a button and then having to either speak the command out loud or hit some other button to capture video/audio/etc., which seems more cumbersome than the phone approach that exists today.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> hitting a button and then having to either speak the command out loud or hit some other button to capture video/audio/etc., which seems more cumbersome than the phone approach For the mass market, perhaps the right place to put the camera is on headphones. (I’m already talking to my AirPods.) This product doesn’t appear to be positioned for the mass market, however, but instead influencers.
- paul7986 3y ago
  Once battery life is solid and all bugs are worked out smart glasses will be as ubiquitous as smart phones
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > smart glasses will be as ubiquitous as smart phones This reminds me of the difference between Apple and Google: a sense of style. I have no doubt smart glasses will find their niche in industry and among techies. But what people put on their faces is deeply tied to identity. Until the technology can exist virtually unseen, it’s not going to compete.
    - paul7986 3y ago
      Once smart glasses run solidly and can run mind blowing innovation / apps solidly too they are the next smart phone. Such innovations will sell smart glasses like apps drove smart phone sales. I think my argument is helped by the billions both Facebook and Apple are putting into smart glasses.
      - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
        > my argument is helped by the billions both Facebook and Apple are putting into smart glasses I accept the latter, though discard the former: they were trend following VR. I also think Apple, savvily, doesn’t brand the Vision Pro as a pair of glasses. And it doesn’t look like that’s the vision (no pun intended). It’s something that’s put on and taken off. Not kept on continuously. By the way, I accept the vision. Just not the form factor of a pair of glasses. Those are closer to another Apple Watch than an iPhone killer.
        paul7986 3y ago
        In zuckerberg's speech he shows one of many innovations that will drive all current sunglass wearers to switch to smart sunglasses which is the glasses keeping score of your tennis, ping pong ..card game ..whatever game and displaying the score in your view. Though His example really just shows the glasses telling the player the tennis or pickle ball was out of bounds. I've just expanded it to keeping score of whatever game and or counting things in front of you to counting how many in a room to etc etc etc ones imagination can think of. The glasses will make life easier and in a magical way that drives all sunglass wearers (about 75 to 90 percent of the entire global population) to switch to smart glasses.
      - herbst 3y ago
        What about Google? They realised years ago that the market doesn't really want their product and found other niches to build their glasses for. If it's so obvious why would Google not care and only meta (which has a bad track record in finding trends) and apple follow that 'trend'
pj_mukh 3y ago
I have the near opposite experience especially having attempted to build the mobile based product you mentioned [https://placenote.com/ https://placenote.com/] The seamlessness of glasses is really what makes this even possible, especially now that voice is becoming a seamless interface. I largely like my phone to remain in my pocket (especially when I’m with my impressionable kids) and bringing it out and unlocking, getting my brain to ignore all the notifications, going through whatever button routine is required, then doing the camera localization dance, just doesn’t compare to one click + voice narration once it’s built right.
- jperras 3y ago
  The cognitive load of the notifications is an interesting point that I hadn't considered; I can see myself being distracted by those in the workflow I proposed in my previous comment. I wonder if much of this could be solved by OS-level functionality (or at least having it in a developer-accessible SDK) that allows the new "always-on" lock screens to immediately trigger an application on a single tap.
  - Hextinium 3y ago
    This is on some android phones, double tapping power will open the camera. I use it all the time to take pictures of information that I don't want to write down, package numbers, measurements, error logs, all just tap tap, point, volume down.
    - Terr_ 3y ago
      > information that I don't want to write down I occasionally use it that way for painted labels on parking-spaces at the airport. (I have yet to need them, but it seems a reasonable precaution given how even a small amount of floor/zone/row forgetfulness could leave me wandering the 10,000-spot complex.) That said, I also find myself wishing I could mark those photos as "temporary", so that they get auto-deleted within a month or whatever.
      - 3y ago
ianbicking 3y ago
People already regularly use their phones for this kind of image capture (taking a picture as documentation, not for nostalgic memories or sharing). This seems like a positive signal. Voice doesn't get used this way, but the voice interactions are cumbersome on the phone mostly because the platform is not open enough, not because of form factor issues. In regards to voice: there's no way to have access to the easy start mechanisms of wake words or quick button access and also control what happens before intent resolution and endpointing (i.e., deciding when the voice interaction is done). You can have your own app with its own "record" button: hard to open but you have control of what happens. Or you use the assistant infrastructure and have to compete with every other Apple/Google product goal and parsing approach, and at best you have a chance to do further recording only after the initial intent has fully resolved, the mic has closed, and you can reopen it. So yes a phone can do all that, and it ALSO would be awesome, but just like with these glasses you can't ACTUALLY implement this.
- jperras 3y ago
  Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I'm not very well versed in this domain, and it's nice to have a civil discussion about wearable tech, especially when previous implementations have instantly become vapourware. > So yes a phone can do all that, and it ALSO would be awesome, but just like with these glasses you can't ACTUALLY implement this. A perfect summary, I think!
- SillyUsername 3y ago
  Android 10 allows it. https://phoneia.com/en/android-10-allows-two-apps-different-access-to-the-microphone-at-the-same-time-to-the-delight-of-assistant/ https://phoneia.com/en/android-10-allows-two-apps-different-...
rafaelmn 3y ago
Handling a phone is cumbersome - I'm playing a guitar and want to record to check what I'm doing wrong, I'm building something in the garage, taking something apart, etc. Sure I can setup some mobile stand but I usually won't bother, this would change that. But these are sunglasses and I doubt resolution/focus will be good enough for those use cases.
scrumper 3y ago
I am currently in the middle of rebuilding a pair of 6.2L small block Chevrolet engines. By a factor of six these are the largest engines I've ever worked on, and the rebuild is far more extensive than anything I've attempted before too. During the teardown, part of my process (let's not dignify it with "workflow") has been photographing the incredible amount of crap that's been bolted to the engines as I remove pieces to help me with later reassembly. Sometimes I say a couple of words because the Live Photo captures some context. I have come to loathe my phone as a camera. Yes it works with gloves on, but every day it ends up covered in oil and grease. Holding it is awkward, you have to do a bunch of swipey things to make the camera work, the 3D Touch (or whatever it's called now) is somewhat random with gloves, and I've lost count of the number of times it's got itself stuck in portrait or panorama mode. Those of you with daughters will understand this ultimate critique - it was worth it to me to bribe my grumpy pre-teen to operate the camera rather than fighting it myself. All of this is to say, I could _really_ use a pair of camera glasses. That little bit of friction taken out of the process would make a massive difference to me. And if I could record video, I'd be able to add another middle aged man's amateur mechanics channel to YouTube - something that I am certain the world is desperate for.
- eludwig 3y ago
  Sounds like a perfect use-case for a GoPro?
  - dharmab 3y ago
    Headband mounted GoPros are awkward. A helmet mounted GoPro works better, but you're either not wearing a helmet, or if you are you probably need to keep it clear of protrusions for safety reasons.
- AmericanChopper 3y ago
  I’m pretty sure industrial processes are one of the only areas that smart glasses have achieved any real success, and for pretty much the reasons you’re describing here.
  - 3y ago
phkahler 3y ago
>> The workflow for glasses (either these or some other hypothetical ones) would involve hitting a button and then having to either speak the command out loud or hit some other button to capture video/audio/etc I was hoping to just say "Hey Meta, start recording". Totally hands free, even while driving or carrying stuff. I thought the whole point is to not have to mess with a phone.
- SoftTalker 3y ago
  They still need the phone pairing to do all the tracking and telemetry data feeds back to the mothership.
- Gh0stRAT 3y ago
  I'm sure you'll be able to use voice commands to take pictures/videos hands-free with these. jperras just said that THEIR ideal workflow would rely on a button.
fragmede 3y ago
Or a smartwatch or Bluetooth remote. with a giant button that you can hit with gloves on. Like snowboarders use for music on the slopes.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago

> hitting a button and then having to either speak the command out loud or hit some other button to capture video/audio/etc., which seems more cumbersome than the phone approach For the mass market, perhaps the right place to put the camera is on headphones. (I’m already talking to my AirPods.) This product doesn’t appear to be positioned for the mass market, however, but instead influencers.

paul7986 3y ago
Once battery life is solid and all bugs are worked out smart glasses will be as ubiquitous as smart phones
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago
  > smart glasses will be as ubiquitous as smart phones This reminds me of the difference between Apple and Google: a sense of style. I have no doubt smart glasses will find their niche in industry and among techies. But what people put on their faces is deeply tied to identity. Until the technology can exist virtually unseen, it’s not going to compete.
  - paul7986 3y ago
    Once smart glasses run solidly and can run mind blowing innovation / apps solidly too they are the next smart phone. Such innovations will sell smart glasses like apps drove smart phone sales. I think my argument is helped by the billions both Facebook and Apple are putting into smart glasses.
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > my argument is helped by the billions both Facebook and Apple are putting into smart glasses I accept the latter, though discard the former: they were trend following VR. I also think Apple, savvily, doesn’t brand the Vision Pro as a pair of glasses. And it doesn’t look like that’s the vision (no pun intended). It’s something that’s put on and taken off. Not kept on continuously. By the way, I accept the vision. Just not the form factor of a pair of glasses. Those are closer to another Apple Watch than an iPhone killer.
      - paul7986 3y ago
        In zuckerberg's speech he shows one of many innovations that will drive all current sunglass wearers to switch to smart sunglasses which is the glasses keeping score of your tennis, ping pong ..card game ..whatever game and displaying the score in your view. Though His example really just shows the glasses telling the player the tennis or pickle ball was out of bounds. I've just expanded it to keeping score of whatever game and or counting things in front of you to counting how many in a room to etc etc etc ones imagination can think of. The glasses will make life easier and in a magical way that drives all sunglass wearers (about 75 to 90 percent of the entire global population) to switch to smart glasses.
    - herbst 3y ago
      What about Google? They realised years ago that the market doesn't really want their product and found other niches to build their glasses for. If it's so obvious why would Google not care and only meta (which has a bad track record in finding trends) and apple follow that 'trend'

pj_mukh 3y ago

I have the near opposite experience especially having attempted to build the mobile based product you mentioned [https://placenote.com/ https://placenote.com/] The seamlessness of glasses is really what makes this even possible, especially now that voice is becoming a seamless interface. I largely like my phone to remain in my pocket (especially when I’m with my impressionable kids) and bringing it out and unlocking, getting my brain to ignore all the notifications, going through whatever button routine is required, then doing the camera localization dance, just doesn’t compare to one click + voice narration once it’s built right.

jperras 3y ago
The cognitive load of the notifications is an interesting point that I hadn't considered; I can see myself being distracted by those in the workflow I proposed in my previous comment. I wonder if much of this could be solved by OS-level functionality (or at least having it in a developer-accessible SDK) that allows the new "always-on" lock screens to immediately trigger an application on a single tap.
- Hextinium 3y ago
  This is on some android phones, double tapping power will open the camera. I use it all the time to take pictures of information that I don't want to write down, package numbers, measurements, error logs, all just tap tap, point, volume down.
  - Terr_ 3y ago
    > information that I don't want to write down I occasionally use it that way for painted labels on parking-spaces at the airport. (I have yet to need them, but it seems a reasonable precaution given how even a small amount of floor/zone/row forgetfulness could leave me wandering the 10,000-spot complex.) That said, I also find myself wishing I could mark those photos as "temporary", so that they get auto-deleted within a month or whatever.
    - 3y ago

ianbicking 3y ago

People already regularly use their phones for this kind of image capture (taking a picture as documentation, not for nostalgic memories or sharing). This seems like a positive signal. Voice doesn't get used this way, but the voice interactions are cumbersome on the phone mostly because the platform is not open enough, not because of form factor issues. In regards to voice: there's no way to have access to the easy start mechanisms of wake words or quick button access and also control what happens before intent resolution and endpointing (i.e., deciding when the voice interaction is done). You can have your own app with its own "record" button: hard to open but you have control of what happens. Or you use the assistant infrastructure and have to compete with every other Apple/Google product goal and parsing approach, and at best you have a chance to do further recording only after the initial intent has fully resolved, the mic has closed, and you can reopen it. So yes a phone can do all that, and it ALSO would be awesome, but just like with these glasses you can't ACTUALLY implement this.

jperras 3y ago
Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I'm not very well versed in this domain, and it's nice to have a civil discussion about wearable tech, especially when previous implementations have instantly become vapourware. > So yes a phone can do all that, and it ALSO would be awesome, but just like with these glasses you can't ACTUALLY implement this. A perfect summary, I think!
SillyUsername 3y ago
Android 10 allows it. https://phoneia.com/en/android-10-allows-two-apps-different-access-to-the-microphone-at-the-same-time-to-the-delight-of-assistant/ https://phoneia.com/en/android-10-allows-two-apps-different-...

rafaelmn 3y ago

Handling a phone is cumbersome - I'm playing a guitar and want to record to check what I'm doing wrong, I'm building something in the garage, taking something apart, etc. Sure I can setup some mobile stand but I usually won't bother, this would change that. But these are sunglasses and I doubt resolution/focus will be good enough for those use cases.

scrumper 3y ago

I am currently in the middle of rebuilding a pair of 6.2L small block Chevrolet engines. By a factor of six these are the largest engines I've ever worked on, and the rebuild is far more extensive than anything I've attempted before too. During the teardown, part of my process (let's not dignify it with "workflow") has been photographing the incredible amount of crap that's been bolted to the engines as I remove pieces to help me with later reassembly. Sometimes I say a couple of words because the Live Photo captures some context. I have come to loathe my phone as a camera. Yes it works with gloves on, but every day it ends up covered in oil and grease. Holding it is awkward, you have to do a bunch of swipey things to make the camera work, the 3D Touch (or whatever it's called now) is somewhat random with gloves, and I've lost count of the number of times it's got itself stuck in portrait or panorama mode. Those of you with daughters will understand this ultimate critique - it was worth it to me to bribe my grumpy pre-teen to operate the camera rather than fighting it myself. All of this is to say, I could _really_ use a pair of camera glasses. That little bit of friction taken out of the process would make a massive difference to me. And if I could record video, I'd be able to add another middle aged man's amateur mechanics channel to YouTube - something that I am certain the world is desperate for.

eludwig 3y ago
Sounds like a perfect use-case for a GoPro?
- dharmab 3y ago
  Headband mounted GoPros are awkward. A helmet mounted GoPro works better, but you're either not wearing a helmet, or if you are you probably need to keep it clear of protrusions for safety reasons.
AmericanChopper 3y ago
I’m pretty sure industrial processes are one of the only areas that smart glasses have achieved any real success, and for pretty much the reasons you’re describing here.
- 3y ago

phkahler 3y ago

>> The workflow for glasses (either these or some other hypothetical ones) would involve hitting a button and then having to either speak the command out loud or hit some other button to capture video/audio/etc I was hoping to just say "Hey Meta, start recording". Totally hands free, even while driving or carrying stuff. I thought the whole point is to not have to mess with a phone.

SoftTalker 3y ago
They still need the phone pairing to do all the tracking and telemetry data feeds back to the mothership.
Gh0stRAT 3y ago
I'm sure you'll be able to use voice commands to take pictures/videos hands-free with these. jperras just said that THEIR ideal workflow would rely on a button.

fragmede 3y ago

Or a smartwatch or Bluetooth remote. with a giant button that you can hit with gloves on. Like snowboarders use for music on the slopes.