Like Google’s Android Wear, Google Glass is designed to provide fast answers and relevant information as you go about your daily life. Plus, with an ‘OK Glass’ voice command, you can record a video or take a photo. But even before hitting the market, Google Glass is copping some flack.
With relatively few Glass users out there, the rest of the world is fast making their own judgements about Glass and the Glass Explorers who are testing it out. Now, Google’s biggest job is to smooth out some of the misconceptions and get people who have taken a disliking to the new technology back on board and at least open to giving it a try when it comes to the market.
Recently responding to The Top 10 Google Glass myths on their Google Plus page, Google attempted to quiet the naysayers with explanations and corrections to popular beliefs about its new baby.
The ability to take a snapshot or video without obviously appearing to do so is one feature of Glass that has given rise to a number of the myths circulating like ‘Glass is always recording everything’, ‘Glass is the perfect surveillance device’ and ‘Glass marks the end of privacy’.
Glass Explorers are provided with a list of do’s and don’ts for using their Google Glass. While the technology could allow for surreptitious filming, Explorer etiquette dictates that taking a picture with Glass is no different to using any other device and users should ask for permission and ensure people know they’re having their photo taken.
Many of the do’s and don’ts for Explorers are designed to help Glass wearers use the technology without freaking everyone out or coming across as a complete loser - probably because some of the Google Glass myths are more about the wearers than the technology… ‘Glass is only for those privileged enough to afford it’, ‘Glass Explorers are technology-worshipping geeks’ and ‘Glass is the ultimate distraction from the real world’.
Myths like these have most likely stemmed from more than a few Glass wearers ignoring the etiquette and abusing their Glass. There’s a term for them now and Glass users will find no shortage of advice on how not to be a Glasshole.
Wrong. According to Google, Glass is actually meant to help you be present and allow you to capture moments that before would have escaped before you unlocked your phone keypad. “It’s designed to get you a bit of what you need just when you need it and then get you back to the people and things in life you care about,” says Google.
Wrong again. Glass is off by default. And even if you wanted to record ‘everything’, you’d run out of battery after 45 minutes. Someone who wants to use their Glass all day is hardly going to chew up their battery recording mundane life according to Google.
They may be early adopters, but Google says the Glass Explorers are not tech geeks. At first, the Explorer community was made up mostly of Google’s developers but today people from all walks of life are part of the Explorer Community. What they have in common is a desire to use technology effectively. Oh, and they all told Google what they would do #ifihadglass.
Having had nine software updates and three hardware updates in just 11 months, Google assures us that Glass is still a prototype is not ready for the real world quite yet.
Although it’s technologically possible, Google says “we made the decision based on feedback not to release or even distribute facial recognition Glassware unless we could properly address the many issues raised by that kind of feature.” And even if an app is developed, it would need to get through the stringent requirements to make it into the MyGlass store.
This is simply not true either says Google. Perhaps this video actually provides the best idea of what it’s like using Glass.
Since it’s obvious when someone is using Glass, Google rebuts this by simply making the point that better ways to secretly record things than Glass.
At $1,500 Google admits Glass is hardly affordable but they point out that not all Glass users are wealthy with some users getting their Glass from work, as a gift or raised the funds for it.
They cannot deny that some establishments have banned Google Glass and Google refers back to the need for etiquette. They also implore people not to place outright bans on Glass but rather insist it is switched off in certain situations.
The only response here - since cameras were invented, people have feared loss of privacy. Cameras in mobile phones raised the same concerns. Now it’s Google Glass. They seem to be saying that horse has bolted.
As Glass continues to evolve it will be interesting to see if myths like these perpetuate and if Google can turn around perception and have people clambering for their own Glass when it’s finally ready for prime time.
Here at iFactory, we get excited about technology and the new possibilities it brings for individuals and organisations. Like Google’s Android wear, Glass will rely heavily on the snippets of information provided by Google’s Knowledge Graph to provide the information users are looking for from the web. Innovation like this has a direct and immediate impact on businesses who need to be found online with implications for Search Engine Optimisation as well as website design.
If you’re looking for advice on a digital strategy, responsive website design or search engine optimisation that will make the most of Google Knowledge Graph and support your business through rapid technological advancement, we’d love to chat with you. Call us on 07 3844 0577 or drop us a note.