by HIMANSHU TANDON Staff Writer
Google Glass, Google’s revolutionary augmented reality glasses, are gaining attention from major application developers and state legislators alike.
Google’s Glass is a heads up display for the everyday person. Glass features an adjustable headband that will fit most people and a tiny OLED screen that simulates a 25 inch high definition screen from eight feet away.
Seven major developers have begun to develop apps for Google Glass called Glassware. Google has asked developers not to adapt their smartphone apps to be compatible with Glass, but rather to build the apps specifically tailored to Glass’ unique platform and software.
Google gave developers four pieces of crucial advice to keep in mind while creating their apps at their annual I/O conference. Developers were told to keep it short and to the point for the small screen, make sure all the alerts are relevant, and to send important information to people to make their lives easier, and make Glass more seamless with their other devices.
Several major developers will be releasing apps. These apps will include news alerts from CNN, fashion updates from Elle, social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, and reminders from Evernote.
Sophomore Ryan Divins said, “I didn’t think Glass would be too useful if it was just Google plus, but now that there are other apps on it like Facebook and Twitter I think it will catcch [sic] on.”
Glass will also offer Google services such as Google+, search, maps, messaging, and the ability to take photos and high definition video.
Google is hoping to make Glass a part of our everyday lives by moving slowly and cautiously through the market with developing apps. As of now, developers have limited access to Glass users’ data and will not be allowed to include advertisements in their applications.
Although several developers have completed work on their apps, there is currently no Glass app store for users to download new applications onto Glass.
Glass has been attracting attention from Glassware developers and state legislators alike. Glass’ ability to record video and take pictures discretely has put many people on edge due to the potential privacy concerns.
“This is just the beginning. Google Glass is going to cause quite a brawl,” said Timothy Toohey, a Los Angeles lawyer specializing in privacy issues.
Glass has been preemptively banned by a Seattle dive bar, “The 5 Point”, and several Las Vegas casinos. The banning of Google Glass at the 5 point bar was part genuine concern for their patrons’ privacy and part wildly successful publicity stunt.
“I … believe that it … invades one’s privacy, … is a distraction, and can lead to problems in the future,” said freshman Shreen Bhansali.
West Virginia legislators are also taking steps to ban Glass while driving, saying that they are a distraction to motorists. Hands-free devices are currently legal in West Virginia, but Glass may soon not be.
Do you think that Google glass will cause privacy issues?