12 ms·

Google needed to do either of two things: make the software good enough to be acceptable, or provide source code so that people could fix the issues bothering t

Google needed to do either of two things: make the software good enough to be acceptable, or provide source code so that people could fix the issues bothering them themselves. They did neither of those things. Instead, they took the open-source Android operating system, made a closed-source fork, and proceeded to go around breaking APIs to stop regular Android software from working. When I got Glass in November 2013 (XE11), I could run an ssh client on it and use it with a Bluetooth keyboard, along with lots of other Android software. A month later (XE12), they somehow managed to break the dialog box API. And XE11 was configured with the most aggressive auto-updater you'll ever see, so you couldn't stay back. Four months after that, they released the brick-half-the-fleet update (XE16). (That happened because Glass was configured with no swap, all their users had 1GB memory devices, but all their internal testers had 2GB memory devices. The updater would run out of memory mid-update and die, leaving an unbootable system.) As a side effect, that update also flashes a hidden firmware so XE11 won't boot anymore. Also, it strips out everything related to bluetooth keyboard support. Also, it disables touchpad gestures for Android apps. Also, the terms of service for the Glass SDK are incompatible with the GPL, ban charging for Glass sofware, and ban advertising in Glass software, so there's basically no third-party software and none coming. Oh, and it sends all your photos to Google (can't disable auto-backup even by rooting and messing with internals). And if you pair it with a phone, it copies any text messages stored on that phone, and sends those to Google. This is very sad, because the hardware itself is excellent, and it (almost) does something that I really really wanted. XE11 worked well enough that I invested considerable time and energy into it, and I ended up walking away feeling like Google was constantly sabotaging my efforts. Meanwhile the pace of actually-useful updates is utterly glacial; there clearly aren't enough developers working on it to have any hope of fixing the outstanding issues. So yeah, I've given up hope on Glass. I'll revisit it if they open the source code or announce new management with someone who understands software at the helm.

freehunter 12y ago
I hadn't considered that use case. How nice would it be to have a terminal in one eye where you could sit in any position with a keyboard on your lap and never need a desk? Now I want a terminal strapped to my face.
- yzzxy 12y ago
  This was available in some (probably limited and gimmicky) form decades ago in devices like the Reflection Technology Private Eye. This is the best link I could find: http://www.loper-os.org/vintage/paralleleye/eye.html http://www.loper-os.org/vintage/paralleleye/eye.html ... I think it was in Hackers, so you know it's good.
- serf 12y ago
  that's (sadly) what I keep envisioning an occulus for. not for convenience, simply to shut out the rest of the world. full screen mode on steroids.
  - hyp0 12y ago
    earphones for your eyes
  - hrktb 12y ago
    The mention of steroids seems spot on. I'd imagine using the Oculus for long time spans and/or demanding tasks would have so many side effects, like severe eye-strain, lack of resolution of the environment, lack of reactivity to external inputs, and so much more.
    - seanp2k2 12y ago
      In the future, we all (developers / engineers) go to work by getting out of bed and strapping on a helmet to join our team in a virtual office environment.
- alttab 12y ago
  It sounds like a good "eye-dea", but its not. Reading any real amount of text on Glass gets tiring after a few minutes. It's really best for momentary use. They really did screw up the software. Why didn't it integrate more with the phone in the first place? So much wasted opportunity, even with the physical limitations like resolution, eye strain, and battery life. I've relegated it to large events and vacations, it works great for documenting that stuff!
ioedward 12y ago
Would love to hear more about the terminal as well - how did you input commands to it, and how does it compare to using a phone or computer?
- jimrandomh 12y ago
  It used to be possible to pair Glass with a bluetooth keyboard, and there are some very nice keyboards on the market which fold up to about the size of a cell phone, and unfold to about the size of a normal laptop keyboard. This is as good as a laptop keyboard if you put it on a table, pretty good if you rest it on your lap, and passable walking around if you hold your thumbs on the bottom to stabilize it while typing with the other eight fingers. The main caveats are that the Glass screen isn't very high resolution, so you can't get much more than 80x25, and it's not very usable while walking around even if you can manage to type, because head-vibration makes small text unreadable. Unfortunately, this is impossible in versions of Glass since XE16 (April), and fraught with difficulty in the version before that (XE12, where dialog boxes don't work, so you need a modified SSH client and a modified Settings app to pair). I also had to modify the ssh client to fix some keybindings, and to add a left-margin because my device was missing 4 columns of pixels on the left edge. When it works, it's significantly better than ssh on a phone, because you can use a real keyboard without needing three hands or a surface to put things on. It's less nice than a computer, mainly because of the low screen resolution.
  - krisgenre 12y ago
    Wow! I never thought of paring a bluetooth keyboard. This could be an excellent use case for something like Ubuntu Edge. A full operating system, displayed through glass and bluetooth keyboard attached. Sounds prefect to me :D
    - jimrandomh 12y ago
      Google actually demoed Glass running Ubuntu inside a chroot, with its GUI shown in VNC over loopback. Setting it up was a pain, but this gets you a working web browser, which Glass doesn't have otherwise. But it isn't possible anymore, unless you feel like decompiling and trying to fix Google's bugs for them.
merrua 12y ago
Not open sourcing it was a mistake.
meddlepal 12y ago
Google dropped the ball. Give it 5 to 10 years and we'll see a fully polished Apple clone of Glass that doesn't suck for consumers... Which is unforunfortunate because Apple products sucks.
- arsenide 12y ago
  "we'll see a fully polished Apple clone of glass that doesn't suck..." but it sucks? What do you mean?
  - cscurmudgeon 12y ago
    Naked cognitive dissonance
digi_owl 12y ago
Hmm, wonder if that Vuzix M100 would be a better investment then.

freehunter 12y ago

I hadn't considered that use case. How nice would it be to have a terminal in one eye where you could sit in any position with a keyboard on your lap and never need a desk? Now I want a terminal strapped to my face.

yzzxy 12y ago
This was available in some (probably limited and gimmicky) form decades ago in devices like the Reflection Technology Private Eye. This is the best link I could find: http://www.loper-os.org/vintage/paralleleye/eye.html http://www.loper-os.org/vintage/paralleleye/eye.html ... I think it was in Hackers, so you know it's good.
serf 12y ago
that's (sadly) what I keep envisioning an occulus for. not for convenience, simply to shut out the rest of the world. full screen mode on steroids.
- hyp0 12y ago
  earphones for your eyes
- hrktb 12y ago
  The mention of steroids seems spot on. I'd imagine using the Oculus for long time spans and/or demanding tasks would have so many side effects, like severe eye-strain, lack of resolution of the environment, lack of reactivity to external inputs, and so much more.
  - seanp2k2 12y ago
    In the future, we all (developers / engineers) go to work by getting out of bed and strapping on a helmet to join our team in a virtual office environment.
alttab 12y ago
It sounds like a good "eye-dea", but its not. Reading any real amount of text on Glass gets tiring after a few minutes. It's really best for momentary use. They really did screw up the software. Why didn't it integrate more with the phone in the first place? So much wasted opportunity, even with the physical limitations like resolution, eye strain, and battery life. I've relegated it to large events and vacations, it works great for documenting that stuff!

ioedward 12y ago

Would love to hear more about the terminal as well - how did you input commands to it, and how does it compare to using a phone or computer?

jimrandomh 12y ago
It used to be possible to pair Glass with a bluetooth keyboard, and there are some very nice keyboards on the market which fold up to about the size of a cell phone, and unfold to about the size of a normal laptop keyboard. This is as good as a laptop keyboard if you put it on a table, pretty good if you rest it on your lap, and passable walking around if you hold your thumbs on the bottom to stabilize it while typing with the other eight fingers. The main caveats are that the Glass screen isn't very high resolution, so you can't get much more than 80x25, and it's not very usable while walking around even if you can manage to type, because head-vibration makes small text unreadable. Unfortunately, this is impossible in versions of Glass since XE16 (April), and fraught with difficulty in the version before that (XE12, where dialog boxes don't work, so you need a modified SSH client and a modified Settings app to pair). I also had to modify the ssh client to fix some keybindings, and to add a left-margin because my device was missing 4 columns of pixels on the left edge. When it works, it's significantly better than ssh on a phone, because you can use a real keyboard without needing three hands or a surface to put things on. It's less nice than a computer, mainly because of the low screen resolution.
- krisgenre 12y ago
  Wow! I never thought of paring a bluetooth keyboard. This could be an excellent use case for something like Ubuntu Edge. A full operating system, displayed through glass and bluetooth keyboard attached. Sounds prefect to me :D
  - jimrandomh 12y ago
    Google actually demoed Glass running Ubuntu inside a chroot, with its GUI shown in VNC over loopback. Setting it up was a pain, but this gets you a working web browser, which Glass doesn't have otherwise. But it isn't possible anymore, unless you feel like decompiling and trying to fix Google's bugs for them.

merrua 12y ago

Not open sourcing it was a mistake.

meddlepal 12y ago

Google dropped the ball. Give it 5 to 10 years and we'll see a fully polished Apple clone of Glass that doesn't suck for consumers... Which is unforunfortunate because Apple products sucks.

arsenide 12y ago
"we'll see a fully polished Apple clone of glass that doesn't suck..." but it sucks? What do you mean?
- cscurmudgeon 12y ago
  Naked cognitive dissonance

digi_owl 12y ago

Hmm, wonder if that Vuzix M100 would be a better investment then.