Google Glass is Still Around

guest · Jan 28, 2019

Google Glass is Still Around
The Last Glassholes
January 25, 2019
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/google-glass-is-still-around-in-2019.html

When Google Glass was launched in 2013, it was supposed to be the future: lightweight AR glasses that could take photographs and give directions from the bridge of your nose. As you know — now that we’re in the future — it didn’t quite pan out.

There’s a small group of fans still talking and updating and buying and selling on Reddit. Somebody who picked up a pair for $150 and wants help using the device to display sheet music;
I don’t have access to a phone or don’t want to carry one,” writes one Redditor. “It’s a great way to capture highlights of a marathon, [...]"

Having spent some time sifting through posts from members of /r/googleglass, it has become clear that nobody on there is using the devices on an especially frequent basis or trying to integrate the technology into their everyday life.
At this point, owning Google Glass is like buying a vintage typewriter you have no intention of really using.
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mirimir · Jan 29, 2019

Yeah, it's sad.

When I first heard about them, I was thinking AR in the wearable computer sense. Not in the Borg/Gargoyle sense. But so it goes.

guest · May 20, 2019

Google Glass still exists: Meet Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2
May 20, 2019
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...xists-meet-google-glass-enterprise-edition-2/

Google Glass is not only a product that still exists inside Google, but today, Google is announcing a new version of Google Glass, called "Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2." It has a new design, new specs, and a $999 price tag. We can't believe it either.
Google has a blog post detailing the new product, and Google.com/glass has been resurrected with all sorts of details on the new face computer.

Google was even nice enough to provide a mostly full spec sheet. Glass Enterprise 2 is powered by the "Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform," which contains a quad-core 1.7Ghz CPU built on a 10nm manufacturing process. Google calls this a "significantly more powerful multicore CPU (central processing unit)" than the old Intel Atom SoC in the first Enterprise Edition of Google Glass.

This is the third major version of Google Glass. The first consumer version was powered by an IT OMAP SoC and didn't fold up. Google never made a big deal about the first "Enterprise Edition" of Google Glass, which switched to an Intel Atom SoC and included the ability to fold, just like a real pair of glasses.
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Vasudev · May 21, 2019

I'd be a lot more interested if these came with Hololens-style AR. For something even up to safety glass sized, the limited FoV would be reasonable and still useful enough.

mirimir · May 21, 2019

Yeah, AR is what I want too. Not Google's "I am a surveillance device" mindset.

guest · Jul 23, 2019

The third generation of Google Glass may be nearly ready for release
July 23, 2019
https://www.digitaltrends.com/wearables/google-glass-third-gen-news/

It looks like Google hasn’t given up on Google Glass just yet. According to a new report from DigiTimes suggests that the third generation of Glass has finished the development stage and is now in pilot production.
The report notes that the 3rd-gen Glass is as light as ever, weighing as little as a pair of regular glasses. There’s a catch though — the battery life will reportedly suffer as a result of the light build. In fact, battery life is so low that users may only get 30 minutes of use in between charges.

It’s currently unclear exactly who Google is targeting with the 3rd-gen Glass. After the initial launch of Google Glass, Google began targeting enterprise and business users.
The 3rd-gen Google Glass is being built by Pegatron Corporation and Quantra Computer — which is a slight shift, given the fact that previously Quantra was the sole supplier of Glass.
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guest · Dec 7, 2019

Google is ending support for the Explorer Edition of Glass
It's rolling out a final update for the wearable
December 6, 2019
https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/06/google-ends-support-for-glass-explorer-edition/

Google is rolling out one more update for the Explorer Edition of Glass before cutting off support for its old wearable. The tech giant introduced Project Glass back in 2012, opening it up for preorders for $1,500 each. Despite people raising privacy concerns about its ability to record videos, the company quickly released an upgraded version of the device.
It soon decided to change its approach and target businesses, though, releasing an Enterprise Edition of the device in 2017.

The company will continue supporting the enterprise version, suggesting that it's doing better than its older sibling.
In a support page detailing the final update, Google says users will need to manually download, unzip and install the file. Doing so will allow them to pair Glass with their phone -- MyGlass will no longer work, but Bluetooth pairing will stay -- as well as take photos and videos, as usual.

After February 25th, 2020, though, they need install the update or they'll no longer be able to use Glass if they're not logged in or get logged out.
[...] keep in mind that the update will only be available until February 25th, 2022.
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Google: Final software update for Glass Explorer Edition

guest · Feb 4, 2020

You can now buy the new-and-improved Google Glass 2
Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is now available for direct purchase from three big resellers
February 4, 2020
https://www.androidcentral.com/google-glass-enterprise-edition-2-now-much-easier-buy

In a move that seems to have come out of left field, Google is now offering Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 for sale on CDW, Mobile Advance, and SHI with an MSRP of $999. This move significantly expands Glass Enterprise Edition 2's availability, which was previously only available to select companies that were a part of a pilot group of enterprises and sold through exclusive channels.

Being available through new distribution channels means that more businesses can now get their hands on Glass Enterprise Edition 2 and begin to incorporate it into their business model. But Google isn't just positioning this announcement around availability, it's also attempting to court developers for the product to make it more viable in the future.
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guest · Feb 24, 2020

mood said: ↑

Google is ending support for the Explorer Edition of Glass
It's rolling out a final update for the wearable
December 6, 2019
https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/06/google-ends-support-for-glass-explorer-edition/

Google: Final software update for Glass Explorer Edition
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MyGlass removed from Play Store ahead of Google Glass apps shutting down
February 22, 2020
https://9to5google.com/2020/02/22/google-removes-myglass-app/

Ahead of that deadline, the MyGlass for Android companion app has been removed from the Play Store.

MyGlass allows you to configure and manage your Glass device. Use it to set up Glass, get directions on the go, screencast what you see on Glass to your phone, and add Glassware and contacts.
This companion app allowed you to set-up Glass and manage Glassware apps from Google and third-party developers. It also let you see captured photos, Screencast, control notifications, and other settings. MyGlass saw its last Android update in June (August for iOS) 2017 to add proper notification syncing and other minor tweaks.

"There is a degree of nuance as to what this software update does. If you don’t update Glass, but are already signed in, the smart glasses will “continue to work.” However, in all scenarios, Mirror apps like Gmail, YouTube, and Hangouts will no longer function after February 25, 2020."
At the same time, the company noted how the companion apps will stop working. As of today, MyGlass is still available on iOS.
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guest · Jun 26, 2020

Report: Alphabet looking to buy smart glasses startup North for $180M
June 26, 2020
https://siliconangle.com/2020/06/26/report-alphabet-looking-buy-smart-glasses-startup-north-180m/

Google LLC parent Alphabet Inc. is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire North Inc., a Canadian smart glasses startup, for about $180 million.

The discussions were first reported by Canada’s The Globe and Mail on Thursday evening. The publication’s sources indicated that Ontario-based North is in the “final stages” of hammering out an agreement with Alphabet.
Founded in 2012, North is backed by about $160 million from investors that include Intel Corp.’s venture capital arm and Salesforce.com Inc. founder Marc Benioff.
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If it closes, the deal would buy Alphabet a team of experienced wearable engineers as well as a sizable intellectual property portfolio. North not only developed new wearable technologies in-house but in 2018 also acquired the patents for Intel’s canceled Vaunt smart glasses. Both Vaunt and Focals, which stopped becoming available last December, rely on a laser projector attached to the glasses’ frame to display content for the user.

Google Glass has since been turned into an enterprise headset for use cases such as inspecting industrial equipment. Beyond potentially giving Google a new opportunity to target the consumer side of the market, North’s patents and technical talent may also boost its enterprise plans.
If Alphabet and North sign a deal, the second-generation glasses may end up being brought to market by Google, perhaps with certain modifications such as Google Assistant integration.
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guest · Jul 1, 2020

Google confirms acquisition of North
Google Glass 3.0? Google acquires smart glasses maker North
North picked up where Google Glass left off, and now it's a part of Google
July 1, 2020
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/07/google-hardware-buys-smart-glasses-maker-north/

Google Hardware's latest acquisition is North, a wearables computing company that most recently was making smart glasses that seemed like a successor to Google Glass. Google Hardware SVP Rick Osterloh announced the purchase on Google's blog, saying, "North's technical expertise will help as we continue to invest in our hardware efforts and ambient computing future."

North developed and released a pair of smart glasses called "Focals," which came the closest we've seen so far to smart glasses that looked like normal glasses.
The Focals were anywhere from $600 to $1,000, depending on your color and prescription needs, and launched in 2019.

The company has planned a Focals 2.0 with a better display and lighter body, but with the Google acquisition, those products are canceled.
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Google's smart glasses contribution was, of course, the infamous Google Glass, which launched in 2012 and basically shut down as a consumer product about two years later.
[...] New Glass hardware came out as recently as 2019, with the "Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2," which featured a modern 10nm Qualcomm SoC.
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Google: Our focus on helpful devices: Google acquires North

Today we're announcing that Google has acquired North, a pioneer in human computer interfaces and smart glasses. They've built a strong technology foundation, and we're excited to have North join us in our broader efforts to build helpful devices and services.
We’re building towards a future where helpfulness is all around you, where all your devices just work together and technology fades into the background. We call this ambient computing.

For more on what this announcement means for North and its community of customers and partners, read this blog post from North’s founders.
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guest · Jul 29, 2020

Google offers refunds after smart glasses stop working
July 29, 2020
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53581762

The Canadian company, recently purchased by Google, says its Focals glasses will cease functioning on Friday.
From then, owners will not be able to use "any features" of the glasses, or connect to the companion app.

Customers found out that meant the smart glasses would be rendered "dumb" through a statement published on the company's website and by email.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said the pulling of features from cloud-powered hardware is not uncommon - and something that has happened to him before.

"If you want to be an early adopter and have some fun new tech that an ambitious start-up has created, there's always a risk that they won't be able to make the business plan stack up," he warned.
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When it bought North, Google said the company's "technical expertise" would help it realise its vision of an "ambient computing" future.
And despite the short notice, Mr Wood says the offer of a full refund for North customers is "exceptionally generous", and the best approach from a customer relations point of view.

"For Google, given the small number of North glasses that were actually sold to real end users, it's a rounding error," he said.
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guest · Oct 14, 2020

Google announces Meet video calling on Glass Enterprise Edition 2
October 13, 2020
https://9to5google.com/2020/10/13/google-meet-for-glass/

Google Meet is now available for Glass Enterprise Edition 2 in beta.

Google Meet for Glass is aimed at “making it easier for on-site workers to connect face-to-face with others who are working remotely.” The key advantage of Glass EE2 is being able to communicate, while keeping your “hands free to perform tasks.”
This capability was first tested in Google’s data centers and replaced people walking around with a “bulky webcam or laptop.” Glass wearers see an incoming video window (640 x 360) in the top-right corner of their vision.
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Enterprise Edition 2 was announced last May for $999 and coincided with Glass moving from X to the Google AR & VR division. It failed in the consumer marketplace, but has found some success as an enterprise tool.
Google Workspace customers can apply to the Meet for Glass beta today.
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Google: First look: Google Meet for Glass Enterprise Edition 2

As the nature of work changes, we’re constantly finding new ways to make communication more efficient, reliable and secure. And our mission has never been more critical than in today’s remote work environment. Many businesses are adapting to new policies and procedures that keep workers safe. As a result, on-site essential workers—those whose roles cannot be carried out remotely—have had to pivot the ways they work and collaborate.
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guest · Jul 15, 2021

Google opens Meet calls on Glass for all Workspace users
July 15, 2021
https://venturebeat.com/2021/07/15/google-opens-meet-calls-on-glass-for-all-workspace-users/

Google has announced that all Workspace (formerly G Suite) customers can now apply to access Google Meet through its face-mounted Glass device as part of an open beta program.

While many people have likely forgotten about the once consumer-focused Google Glass, the internet giant has continued to offer the augmented reality (AR) contraption to businesses as part of an Enterprise edition. So technical workers needing to carry out a real-world task with their hands, for example, could view written instructions directly in their line of sight.
Back in October, Google announced its Google Meet video-conferencing app was coming to Glass as part of an early-access program.
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Now, the integration is available to all Google Workspace customers using Glass Enterprise Edition 2. Given that Google Meet is integrated directly into Workspace, Glass users can join a scheduled meeting in Google Calendar directly from Glass.
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Google: Extending access to Google Meet for Glass Enterprise Edition

Seeing is believing. For many service technicians, trainers, and other frontline workers, the ability to share a real-time view of what they can see with their virtual clients or teams can make all the difference. That’s what we’ve heard from global participants in the closed beta of Google Meet running on Glass Enterprise Edition 2 that we announced last year.
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