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Google Technology

Google Glass is Still Around (nymag.com) 70

Google may have discontinued the sale of Google Glass years ago, but die hard fans have not given up. From a report: Glassholes still exist, just not as boogeymen haunting the tech section of your newspaper. 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; somebody with questions about installing an older operating system onto Glass Enterprise; another person looking for foldable frames; somebody else trying to fix a broken device; people looking to buy, as well as a number of people asking if it's even worth it to spend any money on the now-defunct tech. (Spoiler: survey says it's not.) There is also, weirdly, somebody asking if Google nixed Google Glass "because 'someone' was made aware of the book 'The Circle' by Dave Eggers?"

Reading through the forum, it seems wrong to regard the dwindling frequenters of /r/googleglass as Glassholes. On the contrary, they seem to bust out their devices at incredibly appropriate moments. "I pretty much only use Glass for taking pictures/video while running/hiking or anywhere 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, for instance, without having to stop and pull out a phone." "Text notifications. Phone calls whilst driving, pix and video while on the go," writes another.

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Google Glass is Still Around

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  • The walk-in services part of one of my local hospitals has some doctors use Google Glass. It is great for several reasons. The doctor can focus on care while an associate that has eyes on a computer screen can do 2 things to help the whole process: deal with documentation and provide research into records info as needed. It is really a good fit for healthcare in this way. They see 100's of patients a day at the walk-in services location, this saves time for the doctor, they don't have to write up very much
    • by Vanyle ( 5553318 )

      Just what I need, my Proctologist to have a camera that can upload to youtube with an accidental click....

    • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      The walk-in services part of one of my local hospitals has some doctors use Google Glass. It is great for several reasons. The doctor can focus on care while an associate that has eyes on a computer screen can do 2 things to help the whole process: deal with documentation and provide research into records info as needed. It is really a good fit for healthcare in this way. They see 100's of patients a day at the walk-in services location, this saves time for the doctor, they don't have to write up very much

      • The fearmongering killed google glass before it got out of beta. TFA talks about legislators in West Virginia trying to outlaw it, but fails to mention that the those legislators had never touched or used the device.
    • It isn't going to disappear. Its current incarnation is technically inadequate for widespread adoption. However the technology to do it well is not that far out.

      Glassholes are dead, long live glassholes.

    • What? That makes no sense. How would Google Glass help with documentation or research. Give me a break.
  • by Seven Spirals ( 4924941 ) on Monday January 28, 2019 @05:07PM (#58036238)
    I am a photographer. I'm often surprised at how camera shy people are, considering that they are being photographed and under video surveillance nearly constantly when in public. Nevertheless, I still ask permission most of the time when taking candid shots of people and I can tell you that they fully expect you to do so or they will get pissed very fast. There are good reasons people act like this, though. So, I imagine the same is true about "Glass" since it's a real live person there videotaping you.
    • by Anonymous Coward

      "glassholes" is the word given to those who do not ask permission.

      • No "glasshole" is a generic term idiots gave to google glass users without actually ever asking them what they were doing or if they were recording.

    • As the old saying goes: out of sight, out of mind. If it's not obvious somebody is being recorded, then they don't think about it and hence don't get nervous about being recorded.
    • by dfghjk ( 711126 )

      As a photographer, should you be surprised? People don't like lenses pointed at them, even amateurs know that.

      People are also unaware of the degree to which they are subject to surveillance so, even if is as pervasive as you say, that would not change their discomfort.

      At least it's good you realize that a constant "surveillance state", that you claim exists, doesn't give you the right to intrude in people's space. People like their privacy respected even if they don't have a right to demand it in public.

    • I'm often surprised at how camera shy people are, considering that they are being photographed and under video surveillance nearly constantly when in public.

      Intent! People being photographed by a security camera to end up in some generic filing cabinet by some generic government or company unlikely to ever actually review said footage is quite different from a specific person pointing a specific camera into your face.

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      People object more when they are the subject of the photo. If they are just there in the background when you take a selfie or snapshot some landmark they don't care so much.

      They haven't caught up with technology like Facebook that can identify and tag them automatically yet.

      Google assumed that having Glass was just like having a smartphone with a camera. People assumed that having Glass was like pointing a camera at them.

      • Yep. I don't think Google counted on that happening (people feeling "filmed"). Of course, one of the biggest issues is that there is basically this obvious camera right next to your eye (where many folks are looking) as you walk & talk to everyone. I honestly think that, even though people will hate it and it'll be illegal in some places, the future will involve hiding the cameras so that the user gets more mileage out of their AR viewing. The whole point of a glasshole is that they violate your rights
  • The actual concept behind Google Glasses wasn't a bad idea par say. There are a lot of people who want overlay smart video technology. For something such as Car Navigation where it virtually pops up an arrow or indicator in your vision for where to go is a lot better for example than having people look at their GPS and then crash into things or people! Unfortunately both the ability to miniaturize this technology and battery isn't quite there yet so it was more of a test concept than a real device.

    • by Anonymous Coward

      Anonymous person here. No offense intended, just trying to be helpful. The phrase is "per se", not par say. Just a little pedantry so that you can improve the appearance of your posts in the future. Have a good day!

  • Honestly, sheet music is a pretty genius use for something like glass. That would be way better than paper music or tablets or whatever, especially for instruments you have to hold with your hands and use a stand for.

    But I'd love this even for the piano.

  • by Dallas May ( 4891515 ) on Monday January 28, 2019 @06:03PM (#58036550)

    Glass should never have been a consumer product. Hindsight 20/20, that was foolish of Google.

    That said, Glass DOES have LOTS AND LOTS of obvious business related uses. Any professional, technician, or worker that uses their hands could have made a lot of use of this product. It's a tragedy it was killed. It should have just been rebranded and re-marketed to professional customers.

  • I have never seen these things. But Ashland, KY is far from anywhere.

  • by BeerMilkshake ( 699747 ) on Monday January 28, 2019 @06:56PM (#58036842)

    Remember the story of a guy with GG who went into a bar (in Seattle I think) wearing them and got punched out, glasses broken. Why?

    Theory: People HATE being recorded all the time, and REALLY hate being recorded in the bar. Maybe they're meeting someone they shouldn't be seeing. Maybe they are making a deal with someone. Whatever. Bars had always been the last bastion of private socialization.

    Yeah cell phones can do it but video recording is obvious when they are doing it so you can defend yourself by shutting up and getting out of the camera eye. Some people use their cells to record audio but that's considered dirty. Prepare to be hated if you get caught.

    The difference with GG is it made surveillance easy and obvious and personal. It became a focal point for society's brewing anger around being watched all the time. Knowledge is power, data-gathering is bullying.

    • Recording audio is often prohibited, depending on your state. Video is generally acceptable. Audio is considered private because you can lean in and whisper, while video is considered public (in a public place) because you can see someone from across the room.

  • it seems wrong to regard the dwindling frequenters of /r/googleglass as Glassholes.

    Based on what I see here on Slashdot the term Glasshole was used to describe generic use of google glass. A generalised statement along with a counter-intellectual assumption.

    I originally thought it was something that Slashholes here came up with but apparently making broad negative generalisations about people is something that is done elsewhere too.

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