Hasta La Gadget!

Finally, the flash of newness is wearing off. It’s taken a few days, but the initial novelty of Glass, enjoying wearing it simply because I could wear it, is running thin. The haze of new gadget excitement is clearing and we can truly get down to brass tacks — but that doesn’t mean I’m not having fun. In fact I’ve had the opportunity to take Glass with me to do something very fun indeed: ride a Ducati 848 Streetfighter on some of the most amazing roads in the world.

Even as I did this, a jaunt more focused on gathering some exciting footage than truly evaluating the device, I learned some things — including the fact that a Google Glass headset doesn’t really fit underneath a full-face helmet. Not comfortably, anyway.

Filed under: Wearables

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You might be inclined to think that airport security is not the best place to wear Google Glass. You’d probably be right, but given the amount that I travel it was pretty-well inevitable that I’d cross through some security checkpoint before the course of this testing would be through.

I’m honored to be part of the XPRIZE Visioneering conference this week, a gathering of incredible minds putting their considerable brainpower behind the creation of competitions to make the world a better place. But, to take part I’d have to get out to California, and that meant yet another long flight across the country — and another trip through the full-body scanner. The question is, how would the folks at airport security react to it?

Filed under: Wearables, Google

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In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news.

This week I’m writing from a special place: from the perspective of a Google Glass owner. Well, to be honest I’m not wearing them this exact moment — I’m actually at 30,000 feet, making the most of a Gogo connection, and when your phone is in airplane mode there’s not much point in wearing the headset. Unless, of course, you’re looking for a conversation starter. In that role, the headset performs impeccably even when turned completely off.

It’s been an interesting couple days wearing the headset around, days I’ll continue to chronicle on the site because I know many of you are eager to know what Glass is like. I know this because I’ve had dozens of strangers come up to me and ask, “What’s it like?” Suffice to say, Glass is very interesting and the potential is compelling, but right now the thing is somewhat frustrating in its limited functionality. That’ll change real soon as more developers get to grips with the Mirror API.

Filed under: Apple, Samsung, Sony, Google, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, Nintendo

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“You look ridiculous.” This was not exactly the reaction I was hoping to receive from my wife the first time she saw me wearing Glass. She was long-since asleep when I arrived late the night before, and so had missed my triumphant, technologically augmented homecoming. I confess Google Glass is a bit odd-looking, but my wife is even more of a hardcore Trekker than I am and I thought somehow this headgear would channel her deep-seated love for bizarre, high-tech facial appendages.

Nope. She wasn’t the least bit impressed. When she tried them later, she came around a bit, but spent more time saying the silicone grippers pinched her nose than reveling in the potential future applications of such technology. You can’t please everybody.

Filed under: Wearables, Google

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As if Google Glass and its clever surprises weren’t intriguing enough, Explorers now have a new app to play with that’s courtesy of The New York Times. As you’ll recall, this service was first unveiled at SXSW, which delivers the latest headlines and accompanying imagery upon a wearer’s request — even to the point of reading an article aloud, if you so desire. If you’re lucky enough to have Glass in your possession, you can configure the app at a special landing page on The Times’ website. There, once you hit the Connect My Glass button, you’ll be asked to link your Google account with the service, and grant it access to basic account information, your location and your Google Glass timeline. We’ve configured the app on our own headset, but for the moment, aren’t able to retrieve any articles. That said, the crew at TechCrunch have found better luck, who describe the ability to easily navigate through a stream of news and photos with a quick tilt of the head. If you’re willing, head on over to The New York Times’ website and give the service a whirl — and kindly share your impressions in the comments below.

Filed under: Wearables, Google

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: The New York Times