Best Device writeup

For my New Media Apps class, we were tasked with looking into the future and trying to find the "next big thing."

Honestly, all my techie nerd friends and my own research didn't turn up a thing on the horizon people haven't been buzzing about for years. The iPad3? It's not new. I hate to tell people this, but the iPad 2 was not really a huge improvement over the original iPad. Yeah they slapped a camera on it. Big deal. Essentially it serves the exact same purpose: a bigger touch surface for people who want a little more processing power out of their smartphones. The latest and greatest in Tablet technology will still essentially be a tablet computer. The inherent functionality will not change; it'll simply have more bells and whistles.

The only, only, only thing I could find was unfortunately what our example was for the assignment! Google's HUD glasses they are working on are, to them, hopefully the next big thing. Basically, it'll be the android platform draped right over your eyes as opposed to a handheld device.

I have to say I see a lot of problems with this ever catching on. For starters, it'll lack the textile feel holding a tablet/smartphone/whatever has. I can't even fathom how the interface will work. Do you look at one of the displays as a button and blink twice to double-click? Voice activated, maybe? I imagine that would only end in tears as the inevitable rise of the evil AI soon takes over the world. Understandably, Google is very tight-lipped on the subject.

The only things we know for sure are it's going to look like a pair of Oakley's, and they are supposed to come out "sometime this year." (Too bad this is not in development by Valve, because then we know that'd mean they'll for sure hit the shelves by 2016.)

Let's get in to the rubric's talking points:
Convergence- Access seems like it'll be a tricky thing. It will run off the Android platform, though, so chances are it'll have 4g speed capabilities in terms of internet connection and interactivity. Considering an actual pair of simple Oakley sunglasses can run up to $210 dollars, I can't imagine Google glasses will be affordable to anyone but the most dedicated tech trendsetters. I suppose this ties in to fair value. As it's an unreleased product, any attempt to name the potential price is pure speculation and the entire question behind fair value (ie: is it worth the dosh?) is unanswerable.

The potential utility of the glasses is obviously why it would be "the next big thing." A New York Times article by Nick Bilton published just a few days ago on the 22nd mentions a few things they could potentially do with this technology. 1) Augmented Reality courses. Bilton seems to focus on this one quite a bit because I think the novelty appears to him, but basically it would display virtual obstacle courses for you to navigate, much to the hilarity of everyone not also wearing the glasses. 2) Google Goggles. If you don't know what that app is, in short, it's a thing that lets your smart phones/tablets display information on buildings and what not as you point your camera over them. In essence, just looking at something will turn on a google search for it's history. 3) Facial recognition. That cute girl you saw at Jim's sexy party and forgot to ask for her number manages to show up in your life again at some coffee shop, it would let you know you've seen this person before and potentially where at, and how many facebook friends you have in common.

Consumerism-
Choice: We still only have theoretically what these glasses will look like, but I can't imagine Google would be simpleminded enough to not release multiple looks and styles. At the very least, colors. The thing about eye-wear is that it's even more of a fashion statement than the bejeweled rhinestones adoring the back of your tablet's gel covering and ignoring that would be folly. Also, chances are if this comes out at the time Google hopes to get them out, they will have the monopoly on smartvision (or whatever you'd want to call it) for some time as to my knowledge, Apple or Facebook or Microsoft or Sony do not have any plans to create something similar.

Convenience I imagine is one of the strong points of this potential product. Imagine this scenario- Stick on my GoogleShades, walk down the Boulevard looking for a place to eat. I could just eyeball every building I passed and get how the community rates the food joint, discover historical facts about landmark buildings (as many as we have here in St. George), and discover services I didn't even know existed because of all the little tiny hole-in-the-wall stores that dot that particular street. I personally think that'd be pretty cool, and a helluva lot easier than trying to do this using the Internet. Or perhaps it'd give me a 3d layout of my truck's engine and help me pinpoint problems within it. Or a million other practical uses. I'd be all over something that helped me understand the world I live in a little better.

Performance is difficult to judge. Again, unreleased product. Still, Android phones and tablets seem to work fine and I can't recall at any point in my life using a Google product or service which was launched prematurely to the point it wasn't as ready for public consumption as it needed to have been. Funny thing what a bajillionty dollar corporation can do eh?

Interactivity:
Individualism will be an interesting idea when it comes to these glasses. Will it have one standard display for the HUD, or will there be many? Can I switch between how the Terminator sees things vs. how Tony Stark does in his Iron Man suit? What colors does it come in? Where exactly can I stick my "Team Jacob" stickers?

Controls for now seem a bit goofy. I recall when people first started using BlueTooth headsets and seemed like they were talking very loudly to themselves. (This reminds me of a time this crazy dude with dreadlocks was browsing the store I worked at the time talking to himself and I actually had to peak to see if he was wearing a headset. He was not. Guy was just talking to himself for reals.) It was new, and people didn't know how to react to those utilizing the new tech. Imagine now seeing a guy with a hoodie and shades, tilting his head about, dodging invisible objects, and issuing verbal commands at nothing. I hope it ends up being as creepy to utilize as it seems on paper because it would be worth it to me just so I could act like a crazy person and a creep and blame it on my glasses.

Security is an interesting concept to look at in terms of the digital age in general. Applying it to this specific product, though, I am not sure there's anything to say beyond what any other ditigal internet-ready device already has to offer. It's Google. I imagine having a thing on your face to allow their mind-aliens to sorcerer away your every thought will be just as bad as utilizing Google Chrome. What do you expect? It's the internet.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
I see this product being kind of a failure. I know a vast number of people who dislike wearing glasses in general, let alone ones that actually add more crap for your eyes to process. I can't help but wonder if it's worth the R&D. Are people really going to switch their touchpads for a device which requires audial and physical motion to use? I don't see it. If anything, the Google glasses will have a much more limited market than smartphones and tablets. I can see it being developed more for a military type environment than for the every day consumer and I fully expect that's what will end up happening to it. I think at this point, consumers are not yelling "speed up and give me more" but "slow down and let me figure out the thing that came out 3 years ago so I can figure out the thing that came out 2 years ago."