Snap's New Spectacles Let You See the World in Augmented Reality (theverge.com) 34
Snap's new Spectacles glasses are its most ambitious yet. But there's a big catch: you can't buy them. From a report: On Thursday, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel unveiled the company's first true augmented reality glasses, technology that he and rivals like Facebook think will one day be as ubiquitous as mobile phones. A demo showed virtual butterflies fluttering over colorful plants and landing in Spiegel's extended hand. The new Spectacles have dual waveguide displays capable of superimposing AR effects made with Snapchat's software tools. The frame features four built-in microphones, two stereo speakers, and a built-in touchpad. Front-facing cameras help the glasses detect objects and surfaces you're looking at so that graphics more naturally interact with the world around you.
[...] The idea is to encourage a small portion of the 200,000 people who already make AR effects in Snapchat to experiment with creating experiences for the new Spectacles, according to Spiegel. Like the bright yellow vending machines Snap used to sell the first version of Spectacles several years ago, the approach could end up being a clever way to build buzz for the glasses ahead of their wide release. Spiegel has said that AR glasses will take roughly a decade to reach mainstream adoption. "I don't believe the phone is going away," he told The Verge in an interview this week. "I just think that the next generation of Spectacles can help unlock a new way to use AR hands-free, and the ability to really roam around with your eyes looking up at the horizon, out at the world."
[...] The idea is to encourage a small portion of the 200,000 people who already make AR effects in Snapchat to experiment with creating experiences for the new Spectacles, according to Spiegel. Like the bright yellow vending machines Snap used to sell the first version of Spectacles several years ago, the approach could end up being a clever way to build buzz for the glasses ahead of their wide release. Spiegel has said that AR glasses will take roughly a decade to reach mainstream adoption. "I don't believe the phone is going away," he told The Verge in an interview this week. "I just think that the next generation of Spectacles can help unlock a new way to use AR hands-free, and the ability to really roam around with your eyes looking up at the horizon, out at the world."
Not the first nor the last (Score:2)
Until Apple or Samsung put their efforts into AR, I don't see anyone else being able to go to market with a VR solution. Even Google tried and failed with the Google Glass a decade ago. While I love the idea, I don't think the market is there for this yet (and might not be for a long time outside of large cities).
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The biggest problem for augmented reality, accidents caused by augmented reality, cut fingers when handling knives, walking into things, missing steps and stairs and falling down them, car accidents, bike accidents. Lots and lots and lots of accidents, you don't want to distract people's vision when they are doing something critical, where a wrong move can cause a severe accident. The insurance risk is very high, insurance companies could well baulk, to high an accident cost, even if the companies insurance
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Big co's often realize their bureaucracy makes them lousy at fresh R&D. Thus, they typically wait for start-ups to experiment and find the right formula, and then buy them up.
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30 minutes (Score:3)
At a time!
A little boxy (Score:2)
What I meant to say is "they look so stylish"
This is a thing that will happen in the future, I'm just poking fun.
A little McFacey. (Score:3)
Oh of course. Everyone remembers the era of coke bottle glasses. Now it's ARs turn. At least it's not as bad as VR's Ice Cooler strapped to face look.
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Always two uses there are (Score:2)
In general, there are always two uses for any human creation: good and bad (or useful and stupid, as the case may be). E.g. Ford Pickup. Useful for hauling heavy loads. Also can be converted into a Somalia Technical. Augmented Reality is no different. There are some very good use-cases for AR glasses. There are also some really stupid ones such as virtual butterflies.
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Augmented Reality is no different. There are some very good use-cases for AR glasses. There are also some really stupid ones such as virtual butterflies.
The AR future is really, really stupid [youtube.com].
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The hard things to predict about the technology don't have to do with the technology itself, but (a) what people will use it for and (b) when the technology will be ready for those applications.
I think the one application (other than porn) that is becoming inevitable is tracking human behavior and then altering them, particularly *buying* behaviors. That's how we got the "smart speaker", which an Orwellian name for an Orwellian application of technology. For decades science fiction has depicted computers
Butterflies and plants? (Score:2)
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I've always though video games could hint at the potential of AR like say Watch Dogs 2's voyervision.
Curious about the optics? (Score:2)
AFAIK, Google, Sony and MagicLeap hace patents for waveguide displays that somehow solve this problem, but they don't seem to be ready for prime time yet.
Re: Curious about the optics? (Score:2)
Cowboy Bebop (Score:2)
I assume that with a CEO named Spiegel, the phantom butterflies were an homage to "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie". Or neurological damage from a nanovirus ...
No longer reading with enthusiasm (Score:2)
Been reading new-tech announcements on /. for what, over a quarter-century now?
It's really lost its appeal. Now, I read something like this, and I think, more loss-of-privacy, another thing they can hack, and it would be soggy with ads and other manipulations.
There's no business model developing products that people pay for, own, and work for them. Everybody wants free services, and throw away their privacy to get them, so those are the only products available.
After this year, I really value getting out
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Agreed. There's this post I saw on here that really made me almost make a spit-take.
https://slashdot.org/comments.... [slashdot.org]
In 2014 this user wrote "PM me in 5 years, and if there aren't at least 100 million people owing VR HMD's, I'll eat my shorts."
I found that so absurdly naively over-optimistic that I bookmarked it. It still cracks me up.
The same way the usual geek over-hyping of 3D printers cracked me up: "It's a game changer! It's the end of factories! We'll live in 3D printed houses and drive in 3D printed
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Perhaps its generational, perhaps its a function of age, but I agree that 'tech' that is literally in your face is no longer appealing. There's probably already a 'Black Mirror' episode combining augmented reality glasses w/ personal databases. You look at someone in the restaurant and can 'see' if they have had their covid vaccine, their marital status, credit score, Facebook page and so on. Barf.
I would really like to see technology disappear into the background Less blue LED's flashing to tell me the
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The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most [amazon.com]
I can imagine a day (Score:2)
Say you're sitting in another worst meeting ever. Until the next meeting.
Switch on the tactical display, kill everyone in the meeting (virtually) by just targeting them and blinking.
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Boss: "Bob, why are you smiling, sweating, and refusing to respond?"
Actual target market (Score:2)
"Wait Cindy, it really is 12 inches; here, try these and look again!"
Every day we stray further. . . (Score:3)
Will they let you get happy? (Score:2)
...Or have bliss? https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]