Google Glasses, also known as Project Glass, is Google’s augmented reality glasses. Instead of having to pull out your smartphone to check out your GPS, social network updates, or to make phone calls, you use the augmented reality glasses. The information appears on a small display right in front of your eyes. Google Glasses are literally shaped like glasses, so you always have the information right in front of you. Voice activation handles all of the commands and other input necessary for it to work properly.
Connectivity Options
Many wireless providers are transitioning over to the 4g, or fourth generation connectivity technology. It does not appear that Google Glasses would feasibly work on the current 3g connectivity network, given the amount of data that this technology would end up using. While it’s in concept stages currently, and quite far out from a working prototype, it’s still worth wondering what kind of wireless connectivity is provided with the glasses. Google has not yet specified whether they are aiming at the 3g, 4g, or even a future connectivity method with Google Glasses.
When you have a display right in front of your eyes, it makes sense that you would get the faster wireless option possible. You don’t want to be distracted while walking around and waiting for your data to load. Google Glasses also supports video calling, so it’s even more important that you send your data in a speedy fashion. If the video and audio end up un-syncing during a video call, it could end up being confusing for the user.
Google Glasses is getting a lot of attention, as no mass market augmented reality products have really taken off. Google has the resources to make this a must have device, and other companies will be scrambling to keep up. If they don’t take advantage of the fastest wireless technology, however, it’s not going to be able to get off the ground at all. Avoiding buffering and other issues with connectivity are hurdles that Google needs to address with their glasses prior to releasing it. People are not going to flock to a technology that ends up being slower than their current smartphones.
Data Usage
The amount of data that Google Glasses handles is going to be much higher than your typical smartphone usage, so pricing also comes in to play. Many wireless service providers are cutting back on data plans with limits and tiered data access. Google Glasses requires a large amount of data sent and received, so traditional wireless data setups are not going to work quite as well.
Google Glasses is still in its infancy, but issues like the connectivity options are worth thinking about now. If this technology is going to set itself up to take over the smartphone market, one of the most important aspects is whether or not you can access your data as fast as or faster than what you’re used to. Once Google gets that figured out, it is easier to see how feasible this technology will be.