For the first day of I/O, Google dropped a long, action-packed keynote on us, complete with the Nexus tablet unveiling, the Android Jelly Bean reveal, and parachuters jumping out of planes wearing the company’s futuristic augmented reality glasses. If you weren’t able to tune in, we’ve got you covered, with the entire two and a half hour talk condensed into 90 seconds in the above clip. More »
Being an early-adopter is seldom cheap, but is Google having a laugh with its $1,500 Project Glass Explorer Edition? Put up for surprise pre-order at Google IO today – though not expected to ship until early next year – the search giant demands a hefty sum for those wanting to augment their reality early. Cutting edge costs, sure, but there’s the potential for significantly more affordable options that could be here just as soon as Google Glass is.
Google isn’t the only company working on wearables, after all. Back in March, eyeline display specialist Lumus confirmed to us that products using its technology were in the pipeline for 2013, with prices ranging from $200 for more basic models – perhaps just offering media playback – through to $500 for more advanced versions with what we’d think of as true augmented reality.
It’s not the only company working on AR projects, either. We caught up with Vuzix this month to take about its own smart glasses intentions, including the display technology it has been working on with Nokia Research. The company wouldn’t talk specific pricing, but did say that it was aiming more for the mass market and that Project Glass “is not the grail we are seeking.”
Of course, there’s a big difference between a developer kit and a commercial product, and there’s no telling exactly what Glass will do quite yet. Google has been playing its cards close to its chest on that front, only really showing camera use-cases, though we’re also expecting some other functionality like navigation. Still, even if Lumus’ estimates were to double by the time products reach shelves, that’s still a fair chunk less than Google is asking.
So, don’t feel too down-heartened if you’re not at Google IO to preorder a Glass Explorer Edition, or can’t muster the $1,500 Sergey Brin demands. Augmented reality and wearable tech is fast approaching its tipping point, and with that will inevitably come more affordable options.
Are $1,500 Google Glasses a bargain? is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
$1,500? That’s a lot for some highfalutin’ glasses, but we just couldn’t resist. After wrapping up with the keynote, both myself and Darren Murph hopped in line and signed up for our very own pairs of Project Glass Explorer Edition devices. After completing a not-particularly-thorough sign-up process — which, by the way, does not ask for a credit card — those who agree to the terms of service receive an actual piece of glass with their number floating in the middle. This will match the serial number of the Project Glass device that will be shipped sometime next year. When will lucky numbers 782 and 788 be rolled? You can be sure you’ll be first to know.
Filed under: Wearables
Visualized: photos of the glass block you get when you pre-order Project Glass originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
A few weeks ago, we compared the feature sets of iOS 6 and Android Ice Cream Sandwich to see how they stacked up. But then Google and Microsoft went and dropped all sorts of new features in their new Android Jelly Bean and Windows Phone 8 operating systems. That means it’s time to reexamine the relative merits of each once again. Let the battle begin! More »
We’ve spent some time with Google’s new media Orb, and put our eye-orbs all over it. It’s a funky little device, but is it funky in the right ways? More »
ASUS CEO Jonney Shih has given a blunt summary of the development process for the Nexus 7 tablet launched at Google IO today, saying that Google “demand a lot” from their hardware partners. Building to a strict target price without cutting corners led to no small number of headaches on the R&D team, apparently; “our engineers said it is like torture” Shih told AllThingsD. To meet those demands, ASUS had to assign at least forty extra team members to the project.
Those staff were spread across the world, taking advantages of the time zone differences to achieve a 24hr development cycle. In total, the Nexus 7 project took four months from start to finish. “I don’t think there would have been any other partner that could move that fast” Google’s Andy Rubin said of ASUS’ involvement.
Meanwhile, Google was working on the ecosystem to go with the Nexus 7, something which Rubin says he had identified was missing from the Android tablet segment beforehand. So, the company now has a new, tablet-centric version of Currents as well as movie, TV and magazine options in the Play Market.
Nexus 7 hands-on:
Still, it seems neither Google nor ASUS expect to be getting rich off the back of the Nexus 7. “When it gets sold through the Play store, there’s no margin,” Rubin admitted, “it just basically gets [sold] through.” Nonetheless, there are apparently signs that the tablet could be headed to retail shelves as well as being sold direct.
More on the Google Nexus 7 in our hands-on.
ASUS CEO: Building Nexus 7 “is like torture” is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This week we’ve gotten our first look at the Nexus Q, a device that’s made to be Google’s “first social streaming media player.” This device has been revealed in its final form at Google I/O 2012 where attendees will all be given the device for free in their very own Developer Pack. This device is made to be a hub, running Android, for all of your Android devices to connect to and push media galore to your home audio system and/or HDTV.
You’ll see the following hands-on demo video working with the Nexus 7 tablet, another piece of equipment revealed by Google this year also as part of the Developer Pack. This device is made to be the perfect companion for Google Play and all of its many bits of media in a way that requires not only a speaker system, but another Android device as well.
What you’ve got here is a magical looking undeniably heavy little spherical device that’s got half a sphere dedicated to turning the volume up and down (as well as a few other functions) that’s accented with a bit of color-changing action as well. This device connects to a series of audio and video outputs including 4-channel speaker-system devices and 1080p HDMI devices as well. You’ll be able to have several devices adding songs or videos to a list or you can control the device with one device on its own.
The whole device has a capacitive touch sensor for muting as well as off/on, you’re working with a Texas Instruments OMAP4460 (dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and SGX540 graphics core) inside, and both 1GB LPDDR RAM and 16GB NAND flash memory under the hood.
Have a peek at the hands-on video and photos above and below and also check out our Google I/O 2012 portal for more Google developer action all week! Also hit up our Android portal for all kinds of developer news throughout the week and the future as well!
Google Nexus Q hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This week at Google I/0 2012 we’ve gotten the opportunity to take a bit of time to get some hands-on time with the brand new ASUS Nexus 7 tablet by Google. This device has been given out as a part of the free Developer Pack delivered to all attendees at the I/O 2012 conference, and it’s quite the powerhouse. This device is made to be handheld, has a soft back so you’ve got fully comfortable experience, and the whole shebang is made to show off not only the newest bits of Google Play, but Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as well.
This device you’ll see working on its own with Jelly Bean as well as with the brand new Nexus Q as well, that being a bit of streaming action for your HDTV and home audio system. This device works with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor with a 12 GPU cores for ultimate gaming action, and has access to the TegraZone for games. The Nexus 7 is a vanilla device, this meaning that you’ve got the most naked version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean that you’re going to see on the market.
The tablet experience here takes you to a new level of home entertainment – or that’s what it’s mean to do from what we’ve heard and seen thus far. Have a peek at this Nexus Q demonstration working with the Nexus 7 from this week as well:
The display you’ve got on this device is a massively dense 7” 1280×800 HD display (216 ppi), it’s back-lit IPS that seems here to be more than generous enough for daily use, and up top you’ve got a modest 1.2megapixel camera. This device weighs in at a light 340g, and feels fabulous to hold. We’ll be reviewing this device in full soon – stay tuned to both our Google I/O 2012 portal and our Android portal, not to mention our brand new Nexus 7 portal just opened this week for more!
Google Nexus 7 hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
What is the Q? Well, it’s a ball… a ball that plays music. And videos. And it also lights up. It’s what Google is calling it a “social streaming device” but what’s most important is that this is finally the realization of the Android@Home standard that was unveiled last year. While the styling is what’ll immediately grab you, it’s the functionality that Google thinks will rock your living room. Join us after the break for our first impressions of this category-defying device.
Gallery: Nexus Q hands-on
Continue reading Nexus Q social streaming device hands-on
Nexus Q social streaming device hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
This is how fast the new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean runs compared to the current Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The graphic interface is extremely fluid and fast, running at 60 frames per second. More »
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
