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Recon’s Jet HUD sports glasses are the cool jock to Google Glass’ slightly awkward (but still pretty cool) chess team president. Starting today, you can pre-order the Jet Pilot headset and start tracking your athletic (but still cool with nerds) …

Google Glass is a lot of things, but it’s hardly a superstar when it comes to the world of sports. Though we’ve seen proof it is at least water resistant, it doesn’t feel particularly durable and isn’t entirely well-suited to wearing while, say, sweating profusely during a lengthy climb on a road bike. Recon Instruments has what it thinks is a solution: the Jet. It’s a pair of sporting sunglasses with an integrated, Android-powered display that could make things like running and cycling far more exciting — or at least far more information-packed. Join us after the break for our impressions.

Filed under: Wearables

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We know Glass comes with some snap-on shades, which is no doubt great when casually vlogging in the sun. If you’re heading down a mountain, though, you’re going to need something a little more like Recon Jet. You may know Recon Instruments from its line of technolicious HUD ski goggles, but Jet sees the firm leap into more casual (yet no less useful) eyewear. Inside you’ll find a dual-core processor, WiFi, GPS, Ant+, Bluetooth and an HD camera, plus all the sensors you could want (altimeter, thermometer, accelerometer etc). Recon Jet comes with its own open platform (which typically has been based on Android), and will have some existing native apps (video streaming, Facebook integration, etc.) on display at Google I/O this week. Comparison with Mountain View’s own product will be inevitable, but we’re guessing that Recon hopes you’ll leave Glass on your desk, while popping Jet on for the weekend.

Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables

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Remember late last year when Recon Instruments introduced its MOD Live Android-enabled heads-up display for the likes of ski goggles?Joining the ranks of other optics makers, Oakley’s partnered with the company to seamlessly integrate the unit into its own goggles, dubbed Airwave. It’s not just another shell for the system, either, as Oakley will be providing a companion app that’ll work with iOS — which seems to be first official instance as such since Recon itself said it would be coming earlier this year. The MOD Live itself is otherwise the same right-eye positioned system (providing a perceived 14-inch display at five feet away) we’ve seen for almost a year now, so don’t expect to get the clearest picture if you’re left eye dominant or use contact lenses for distance. Furthermore, there’s still GPS for tracking friends / navigation, and Bluetooth to work with a water-resistant wrist remote that allows you to control your smartphone and the display itself. Of course, this also means Recon’s Android SDK will also be workable, as will your Contour camera.

If you’re interested in Oakley’s spin on the MOD Live, the Airwave will hit Apple stores on October 31st for $600 in your choice of black with a black Iridium lens, or a white with black graphics and a “fire” colored variant of the lens — yes, they’re interchangeable just like most of Oakley’s other specs. If you’re curious for further details in the meantime, check out the simulation video and press release after the break. Now, how about those full-on smart glasses to take on Google Glass as the company’s CEO mentioned in April?

Continue reading Oakley unveils Airwave ski goggles equipped with Recon’s MOD Live heads-up display, iOS app

Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Wearables

Oakley unveils Airwave ski goggles equipped with Recon’s MOD Live heads-up display, iOS app originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 09:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember that Android SDK Recon Instruments finally unveiled for its heads-up display goggles? Well the company was showing off the fruits of its labor here at Google I/O 2012 with two demos — specifically two-way Facebook integration and augmented reality using a Contour camera. In the first demo, the goggles are paired over Bluetooth with an app running on an Android phone. Each time you jump while snowboarding or skying, the accelerometer data from the goggles is sent to the handset which posts a graphic to Facebook showing the distance, height and duration of your flight. Any comments made to the post are then immediately relayed back to the heads-up display. The second demo uses a Contour camera attached to the goggles and paired via Bluetooth. As you look around, the output from the camera appears on the heads-up display augmented with labels showing the location and distance of the nearby train stations based on the compass and GPS data from the goggles. Pretty cool, eh? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our two hands-on videos.

Continue reading Recon goggles gain Facebook integration and augmented reality at Google I/O (hands-on video)

Recon goggles gain Facebook integration and augmented reality at Google I/O (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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