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Google Technology

With No Guidance From Google, Makers Creating Own Glass Accessories 50

Nerval's Lobster writes "Google remains tight-lipped about its roadmap for Google Glass, and its population of early-adopter 'Explorers' remains small. Nonetheless, a growing collection of engineers, designers, and artists are creating their own accessories and add-ons for Glass — some of them useful, others totally whimsical. For example, there's Brooklyn designer Todd Blatt, who's relying on a 3D printer to churn out Glass accessories such as tiny flower-pots and pencil holders (not so useful) as well as a plastic camera cover (useful, at least for anyone in the vicinity who likes their privacy). Small firms such as GPOP and Remotte are likewise exploring how to best skin, dangle, screw, and attach hardware to Glass that makes it operate in whole new ways. (The avenues for exploration have opened up with the second generation of Google Glass, which includes a small screw in the right arm that can double as a mounting point for new tech.) Google seems to have no choice but to let this growing ecosystem thrive, even if some of the modifications (such as camera covers) don't necessarily suit its interests. But will the company actually say something about it?"
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With No Guidance From Google, Makers Creating Own Glass Accessories

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  • by Forbo ( 3035827 ) on Tuesday January 28, 2014 @07:01PM (#46095557)
    They're crowdsourcing the R&D of accessories. Why pay for it when you have hundreds of devoted followers who will do it for you?
    • by ackthpt ( 218170 )

      They're crowdsourcing the R&D of accessories. Why pay for it when you have hundreds of devoted followers who will do it for you?

      And then you buy them out.

      Not really a bad idea, for the seller that is. Come up with something really novel and you could be racing yachts with Larry Ellison before you know it.

  • ...they'll probably make it as far as iPhone accessory makers have. The most successful will have strictly protective or ergonomic function. Any hardware that attempts to interface with the device itself will be: 1. For a tiny niche market (scientific equipment, RC transmitter, etc...) 2. Rapidly adopted and replaced by branded version (game controllers) 3. Fought by firmware updates till it's useless (ethernet adapter, iPhone interface cable (that would be interesting), etc...)
  • Nobody's going to spend their day wiggling their finger around on their ear.

    The problem is that the "Remotte" is basically trying to cram everything into one hard to hold candybar with 15 flashing lights (wtf), when what we really need is something shaped more like a Wii nunchuck.

  • Rule 34 (Score:4, Interesting)

    by fermion ( 181285 ) on Tuesday January 28, 2014 @07:04PM (#46095597) Homepage Journal
    The killer app, apparently, is going to be p0rn [mercurynews.com]. An app [huffingtonpost.com] apparently is already in the works, though Google officially says such things are not to be done.

    My question is what does Google, in the current form, expect the glasses to be used for. In the current incarnation, it is the equivalent of wearing mirrors on the top of your shoes. Releasing them without some alternative storyline was a mistake.

    Now, when these become available I can see buying a pair and putting prescription lenses in them. OTOH, it does show that Google does not really know what to do with a new product. Everything else it has done in the consumer space has been a refinement or copy. Search using graph theory, phones that were open and now less so, a languishing Office app. What it does with Glasses will determine the future. It could be really good, if they release as a tool instead of a toy.

    • Re:Rule 34 (Score:5, Insightful)

      by foobar bazbot ( 3352433 ) on Tuesday January 28, 2014 @07:31PM (#46095779)

      My question is what does Google, in the current form, expect the glasses to be used for. In the current incarnation, it is the equivalent of wearing mirrors on the top of your shoes.

      While I get the connection to Rule 34, I'm pretty sure Google Glass in its current form doesn't help you catch glimpses up strangers' skirts.

  • by Anonymous Coward

    Captain Picard to the bridge! Captain, we’ve got a problem with the warp core, or the phase inducers – or some other damn thing

  • and other "add-ons" in the same spirit?

  • The first time I read that I thought it said someone had put a screw in their right arm to attach accessories
    then I realized they were talking about the right arm of the glasses not of the person.

  • I would pay for an accessory that interferes with the electronics in google glass anytime it is on within range of me!

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