It’s rare to find a designer who also knows their way around an electrical diagram, but Marjan van Aubel is one of them. The energy-minded designer is back with a new piece, Current Table, which uses dye solar cells to absorb energy and charge your devices.
Google Glass Lead: Wearing Gadgets on Our Faces Actually Gets Them Out of Our Way
Posted in: Today's Chili
While laptops and smartphones technologies lowered the barrier to communicating and accessing information, they created other barriers. We are now often greeted in meetings with a literal barrier of screens that get in the way of face-to-face communication. But bringing …
Now that Google has offered a preview of Glass’ SDK and opened the Mirror API to all developers, it has a strong incentive to get its eyewear in the hands of app writers. Accordingly, the crew in Mountain View is now inviting developers to buy Glass’ Explorer Edition; you’ll find one such invitation pictured above. We’ve asked Google about the scale of the expanded Explorer program, and we’ll let you know if it can provide more details. Whether or not it can, the widened reach is good news for Glassware producers eager to test their code on real devices.
[Thanks, Josh]
Google offers ‘sneak peek’ of Glass development kit, shows Glassware can actually be useful
Posted in: Today's ChiliSo far, development on Glass has been extremely limited by the tools put in the hands of app creators. Namely the Mirror API with its constant need for an internet connection and limited functionality. The newly released Glass Development Kit (or at least an extremely early version of it) puts many more arrows in the quiver of coders. For one, apps can be built completely for offline use and can now directly access to Glass’ hardware. This will allow Glassware to be made with the same capabilities as Google’s own creations. It also introduces a few new features, including “live cards” which, like Windows Live Tiles, feature constantly updating information. Where as the static timeline cards live to the right of the home screen on Glass, live cards are found with a swipe to the left. Exercise app Strava has a demo version of an app that keeps details about your jog or bike ride constantly updating on a live card, including distance and speed.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Source: The Verge, TechCrunch
Fidelity Market Monitor app brings stock alerts, news and fanciful financials to Google Glass
Posted in: Today's ChiliYou know, it makes sense: an app for the one percent, tailor-made for a $1,500 headset. Fidelity’s Market Monitor app for Google Glass might just be the most impressive program to debut for the device, particularly considering the class of individual who would take advantage. In the trading world, missing an alert or notification by even three seconds could be the difference between million and millions, with this app enabling Fidelity customers to request real-time stock quotes and receive alerts dealing with companies in their portfolio. In a concept video describing what’s possible (embedded just after the break), we even see a wearer snap a photo of a Google logo, and the app translates the photo into a stock quote for GOOG.
We’re guessing that it’s only a matter of time before every other financial institution follows suit, which will likely lead to each and every CNBC anchor wearing a set whilst on air. Also, we’re hearing from a “reliable source” that both Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf will be joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Wall Street: Glass on Glass on Glass.
Source: Fidelity Labs (1), (2)
Google has nearly finished rolling out Glass to Explorer Program members, but many of us still have questions while the technology remains rare. The company is satisfying some of that curiosity today: it just posted a FAQ that explains Glass beyond the hardware. While there are no revelations in store, the page goes out of its way to address some of the controversies surrounding Glass, including app policies, privacy concerns and the risk of technology addiction. It’s doubtful that the FAQ will please everyone, but those who just have to get some official answers on Glass can find them at the source link.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Source: Google
Google: ‘We won’t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time’
Posted in: Today's ChiliWhile the public decides how to deal with Google Glass-wearing cyborgs walking among us, there are already startups trying to add facial recognition to the device. That includes the MedRef for Glass app for Doctors and an API created by Lambda Labs that’s on the way. Unfortunately, apparently due to privacy concerns, a post tonight by the Project Glass team says that it will not approve any app using the tech for release — at least until it has some privacy protections in place. That’s the same standard it previously said would need to be met before it added facial recognition to its own services.
We’ve been listening closely to you, and many have expressed both interest and concern around the possibilities of facial recognition in Glass. As Google has said for several years, we won’t add facial recognition features to our products without having strong privacy protections in place. With that in mind, we won’t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time.
Without approval, we don’t expect to see any standard apps with the API built-in, however with the headset’s current wide open nature, we assume interested hackers will be able to get the software running if they so desire. So, how comfortable do you feel having a conversation with someone wearing Glass, considering third parties may add extra features even if Google itself is not involved? Check out the full statement from Google linked below, as well as a look at Lambda Labs from TechCrunch.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Source: Project Glass
Sure, Glass Explorers can post photos to Google+ with the high-tech headsets straight out of the box, but sharing to other sites requires additional glassware. While Facebook has yet to out its own app for Glass, an unofficial application dubbed Glass To Facebook has just arrived, allowing Google’s adventurers to post images to the social network. Hooking up the the app appears to be an easy affair, consisting of granting the software access to a user’s Google and Facebook accounts, and enabling it with Zuckerberg’s crew. After that, Mountain View’s headgear guinea pigs will be able to snap pictures and shoot them to Facebook. Count yourself as a lucky Google Glass owner? Hit the link below to grab Glass To Facebook.
Filed under: Wearables, Software, Google, Facebook
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Glass To Facebook