What you think of Google Glass? Should MS be worried?

[anon(5370748)]

One day, and that day is not far away, this technology will be integrated into contact lenses. And further on, they will be implanted directly into the eyes. And it will be glorious.

Agreed. Privacy as we knew it only existed because we didn't have the tech to undo it yet. Now we do, so it would probably be wise to plan for what to do now that everything about you can be catalogued and purchased by anyone who wants to know that badly. The options will soon be to go completely off the grid and live in a yurt in New Mexico, get REALLY good at security, or just don't worry about it and make sure that nothing you really want to keep hidden is ever put on the Internet or displayed in public.

 

[Kenny G Jr]

I can only see it becoming a problem for MS if it becomes a cheap accessory that people use with their phones. Right now, no one has that kind of money to spend on glasses.

 

[ag1986]

Agreed. Privacy as we knew it only existed because we didn't have the tech to undo it yet. Now we do, so it would probably be wise to plan for what to do now that everything about you can be catalogued and purchased by anyone who wants to know that badly. The options will soon be to go completely off the grid and live in a yurt in New Mexico, get REALLY good at security, or just don't worry about it and make sure that nothing you really want to keep hidden is ever put on the Internet or displayed in public.

To expand on my thoughts in this regard: One day, corporations and/or the government, via neural implants or devices like Glass but far advanced, will gather data on any and all aspects of one's life. Then, people will panic that this is so. Then, they will realise that honestly, nobody gives a crap about what they ate or drank or who they talked to or which celebrity sex tape they watched. Then things will settle down, allowing humanity to take full advantage of these amazing new technologies.

I remember seeing a scan of an article, dating back to 1900 or 1910 I think, about how a group of men in Jersey (I think) were afraid that anyone could take a picture of their women when the first Kodak box camera launched.

 

[anon(5370748)]

Then, they will realise that honestly, nobody gives a crap about what they ate or drank or who they talked to or which celebrity sex tape they watched.

A lot of people are very interested in that, but only as part as a larger set of data so they can know what food or beverage or celebrity sex tape is popular, and then use that information to create better versions of those items.

The part that they should be worried about is that potential employers (and law enforcement) care if you post photos of yourself smoking crack or being abusive to other people or other behaviors that would be seen as a risk for that job position or society as a whole. Obviously the answer is to not do those things, but if they are going to anyway, keeping them off the Internet is a good plan B.

 

[Xpider_MX]

I think Microsoft will have their own VR glasses:

 

[GSOgymrat]

Let's hope Google Glass doesn't turn out to be like the x-ray specs they advertised in comic books when I was a kid.

 

[MinnesotaSteve]

Glasses?

Microsoft needs to be worried about the new Apple iWatch!

Not to mention the new Samsung buggy whip.

 

[JerseySal]

I've been saving up for a Limited Edition Steve Jobs signed Apple Reusable iDouchebag

 

[anon(5370748)]

Let's hope Google Glass doesn't turn out to be like the x-ray specs they advertised in comic books when I was a kid.

I could see an AR overlay for Glass that shows the skeleton of a person - that would be a pretty cool gimmicky thing... or maybe something that randomly overlays an alien from They Live

 

[abel920]

Google Glass will be really huge, but it will be a fad just like all of our childhood toys in the 90s - the Apple fad started in 2007, and is now dying down thanks to Android.

Microsoft shouldn't even dare, or I will... drag BALDMER for filth.

I'm here for future technology, not fad of the moment toys like the iPads, or GAGle glass.

 

[mlm1950]

Forget Google Glass. Now there is Google Nose to worry about.

Google Nose BETA

 

[abel920]

Great maybe they can all search for dog poo.

 

[Anthony Hitchcock]

Well, somehow taking photo and video is easy yet ms can make greater features than google glass.

 

[iHuGi]

i?d love to use those glasses

How much will they cost?

 

[Bartdog]

Should be great for contraception.

 

[anon(5370748)]

i?d love to use those glasses

How much will they cost?

The first batch of people who won the contest will pay $1500. The consumer version is expected to cost half that, but no official word yet. They're going to be expensive.

 

[anon(5370748)]

Should be great for contraception.

They're also going to be amazing for the porn industry. Go figure.

 

[Sammmmmy]

Google glass, I think, it is not utility at all. What does that use for?

 

[Rico]

I think it's way too early for Microsoft or any other company to be worried. Google Glass at this point is really more of a productized proof of concept than an actual product. It needs to reach a stage where the price is affordable, the stigma of such devices is lessened (think about Bluetooth headsets when they first came out), and it has actual features that normal people will use. The last point will change somewhat quickly as it's able to tie into more Google services and more companies are able to tie into the device. At the moment it solves few real problems that people have.

But the field of wearable tech will be big, and I do want to know what Microsoft is going to do in this space. One of the problems they have in now is that if they were to release something, it couldn't be limited to working with Windows 8, Windows Phone and/or Xbox One since those markets are so small or nonexistant. It could be the best device in its category, but limiting itself to those OSes would limit it's reach terribly.

 

[Rhody#WP]

One thing I have not seen mentioned is the effectiveness of Google Glasses. People just assume that it will make everything easier, that it will be able to take into account what you're looking at and integrate it into searches, that it will record pictures or video when you actually want it to, that it will be accurate in recognizing text, objects, or faces. I predict Google Glasses will be much worse than current voice recognition. Siri was a fad that nobody uses anymore. I know many people with iPhones, and I never see them use Siri because it is inaccurate and frustrating.

I also agree with a previous poster that people will become self-conscious about Google Glasses. Early adopters jumped at the chance to wear bluetooth dongles on their ears, but I hardly ever see them anymore. People just don't like walking around talking to themselves. They prefer to put their phones up to their mouths like they're talking into a deck of cards. At least that way it makes sense that they're standing all by themselves in public talking out loud.

Another problem I see with Google Glasses is the privacy aspect. People are starting to distrust Google because they read your emails, searches, and transcribed Google Voice messages. Suddently, you see an ad for gout medicine because your mom left a voicemail telling you that your uncle has gout. Add Google Glasses to the equation and you can multiply that by 100. No thanks, not for me.