3 ms·

This is exciting. It shows how different Google is to Microsoft and other companies that produce these "future product" videos. Google appears to have made rea

This is exciting. It shows how different Google is to Microsoft and other companies that produce these "future product" videos. Google appears to have made real world progress, rather than just a great marketing video. I can't wait to find out what functionality these early prototypes have!

rbarooah 15y ago
Head mounted displays have been available for years. The fact that Sergey Brin is able to test a prototype demonstrates nothing. Admittedly, if they do have the hardware nailed, then these would be cool.
- experiment0 15y ago
  In the photo, the design of the glasses looks like the prototype images that were shown when the glasses were announced. But head mounted displays made by Google haven't been available for years. This is coming from the company who are massively pioneering self driving cars. Those were around before google became involved but since then Google has arguably made much more progress than anyone else (At least to the extent where there cars are most tested and have garnered the most publicity).
  - rbarooah 15y ago
    "But head mounted displays made by Google haven't been available for years." Sure, but this makes your point into a circular argument. In your first comment you indicate that the fact that these glasses have been spotted shows that Google is able to make progress. Now you're saying that the reason that progress has probably been made on the glasses is because they're made by Google. I do agree with you that they are probably pouring a lot more resources into this than others have. I just don't think that sighting of the glasses in public indicate anything about what progress they've made.
    - ArekDymalski 15y ago
      The real symptom of progress in this area is here http://www.psfk.com/2012/04/movie-projection-glasses.html http://www.psfk.com/2012/04/movie-projection-glasses.html This market is about to bloom I guess.
- Aethaeryn 15y ago
  > Head mounted displays have been available for years. Yes, similar hardware already exists. What about the software and services? Google has an OS, voice recognition, navigation, etc., already coded. Most importantly, it has the brand recognition so it can seriously attempt to make this technology mainstream. Look at all the media coverage it's already gotten. Of course, we have no clue if they've managed to mess up or not because we haven't really seen anything yet, but Google really looks like they have a chance at this. Imagine if these became popular and there was an app store!
  - rbarooah 15y ago
    That OS they have 'already coded', is hardly designed for this kind of device. But yes, I'll agree they have done a lot of work on key facilities that would be needed for this. Media coverage doesn't mean anything. Look at the media coverage Google Wave got. As for an App store, yes - they might follow the Android model and make these things somewhat open. Equally likely is that they might make them as open as Google+ or Siri - which is very much what the videos seemed to be illustrating.
    - Aethaeryn 15y ago
      > Media coverage doesn't mean anything. Look at the media coverage Google Wave got. I still think media coverage counts for something here. Without media attention, most people might not hear about this device. Of course, if the product sucks, then simply knowing it exists won't save it. It's easy to get something noticed if it is from Google, but that's not going to guarantee quality. > As for an App store, yes - they might follow the Android model and make these things somewhat open I hope that they do keep it open. The really interesting apps for this type of device are probably going to be third party apps. A closed ecosystem is one of the biggest mistakes that Google could do on the software side. There are all sorts of niche or unexpected things you could do with this hardware if it was popular, given the right apps.
      - deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
theon144 15y ago
Hey, don't bad-mouth Microsoft out of all giant tech companies. Have you seen what Microsoft Research has been putting out? (Not to mention they finally brought 3D scanning/mo-cap into the consumer price range)
- fatjokes 15y ago
  not really. i know they publish a lot of good papers though. the only exception is kinect. that was a game-changer.
  - laconian 15y ago
    MSR developed the idea further, but Kinect originally came from an acquisition.
- drucken 15y ago
  This is probably the general public's idea of Microsoft's version of augmented glasses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwModZmOzDs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwModZmOzDs

rbarooah 15y ago

Head mounted displays have been available for years. The fact that Sergey Brin is able to test a prototype demonstrates nothing. Admittedly, if they do have the hardware nailed, then these would be cool.

experiment0 15y ago
In the photo, the design of the glasses looks like the prototype images that were shown when the glasses were announced. But head mounted displays made by Google haven't been available for years. This is coming from the company who are massively pioneering self driving cars. Those were around before google became involved but since then Google has arguably made much more progress than anyone else (At least to the extent where there cars are most tested and have garnered the most publicity).
- rbarooah 15y ago
  "But head mounted displays made by Google haven't been available for years." Sure, but this makes your point into a circular argument. In your first comment you indicate that the fact that these glasses have been spotted shows that Google is able to make progress. Now you're saying that the reason that progress has probably been made on the glasses is because they're made by Google. I do agree with you that they are probably pouring a lot more resources into this than others have. I just don't think that sighting of the glasses in public indicate anything about what progress they've made.
  - ArekDymalski 15y ago
    The real symptom of progress in this area is here http://www.psfk.com/2012/04/movie-projection-glasses.html http://www.psfk.com/2012/04/movie-projection-glasses.html This market is about to bloom I guess.
Aethaeryn 15y ago
> Head mounted displays have been available for years. Yes, similar hardware already exists. What about the software and services? Google has an OS, voice recognition, navigation, etc., already coded. Most importantly, it has the brand recognition so it can seriously attempt to make this technology mainstream. Look at all the media coverage it's already gotten. Of course, we have no clue if they've managed to mess up or not because we haven't really seen anything yet, but Google really looks like they have a chance at this. Imagine if these became popular and there was an app store!
- rbarooah 15y ago
  That OS they have 'already coded', is hardly designed for this kind of device. But yes, I'll agree they have done a lot of work on key facilities that would be needed for this. Media coverage doesn't mean anything. Look at the media coverage Google Wave got. As for an App store, yes - they might follow the Android model and make these things somewhat open. Equally likely is that they might make them as open as Google+ or Siri - which is very much what the videos seemed to be illustrating.
  - Aethaeryn 15y ago
    > Media coverage doesn't mean anything. Look at the media coverage Google Wave got. I still think media coverage counts for something here. Without media attention, most people might not hear about this device. Of course, if the product sucks, then simply knowing it exists won't save it. It's easy to get something noticed if it is from Google, but that's not going to guarantee quality. > As for an App store, yes - they might follow the Android model and make these things somewhat open I hope that they do keep it open. The really interesting apps for this type of device are probably going to be third party apps. A closed ecosystem is one of the biggest mistakes that Google could do on the software side. There are all sorts of niche or unexpected things you could do with this hardware if it was popular, given the right apps.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]

theon144 15y ago

Hey, don't bad-mouth Microsoft out of all giant tech companies. Have you seen what Microsoft Research has been putting out? (Not to mention they finally brought 3D scanning/mo-cap into the consumer price range)

fatjokes 15y ago
not really. i know they publish a lot of good papers though. the only exception is kinect. that was a game-changer.
- laconian 15y ago
  MSR developed the idea further, but Kinect originally came from an acquisition.
drucken 15y ago
This is probably the general public's idea of Microsoft's version of augmented glasses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwModZmOzDs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwModZmOzDs