I am Such a (Gl)asshole

Posted on Jun 9, 2014

Harper got a google glass. I am not sure why he choose the orange one or how much he thought he was going to use it but he got one. As with many things I have now inherited it. I was told I cannot sell it for drugs. With that stipulation I decided I might as well use it and see what the big deal is.

The google glass is the first step into augmented reality. I have played with AR in the 3DS. The game Bravely Default has an intro that can take place in the real world. Using its camera system and magic the fairy that starts the game appears where ever you happen to currently be… Like in your living room. This is executed pretty well and the addition of 3D makes it pretty cool.

When I first heard about the google glass I was excited for the idea of AR uses for it. I tried it out in beta when Harper had a glass 1 and though it was cool but clunky. The interface was weird. In truth it was more that I had no frame of reference for the interface. The screen is just floating out there. I was hoping that this floating screen would become part of the interaction of life. It hasn’t yet.

What I have found is that the glass is a neat way to get notifications. Since I use iOS devices I am sure I am missing out on some neat android features, but so far it is the easiest way to get notifications without having to do too much. Using it in google chat is great as I am able to communicate with the office without typing or getting out my phone.

Where it really shines in navigation. It is like having a pushy navigator in my ear at all times. Of course I have to make sure that my phone is connected, has data and that the glass app is open. Which is a pain in the (gl)ass. I understand that Google and Apple are not always friends but I would really like the whole thing to work smoother.

I would love to use the calendar/agenda feature. But I cannot. I can only add a single google account, which is fair, but that account only shows the main calendar. This means that my many calendar divided life doesn’t work on the glass. It also means that in order to have my appointments I have to sign out of my main account and then sign in to my work account… which hasn’t really worked yet.