Abdul Moiz

SE Electrical

Breakthroughs in technology are always awaited with a lot of vigor with every new technological discovery leading people to dream of stuff made of sci-fi flicks to turn into reality. Google Glass, one of the upcoming products that is ready to hit the markets in late 2013 or early 2014, is one such product which has got people talking in the past six or so months.
When talks about glasses which could replace Smartphones and cameras started doing the rounds, people expected that such a product won’t be in the market till 2015 or so. However, it came as a shock to almost everyone when the giant corporation tested its amazing product with a developer version before reportedly giving the go-ahead for mass production of the product at the start of 2013. With the product ready to hit the market within the next six months or so, let’s see what is the idea behind Google Glass and whether it would substantially revolutionize technology as we know it or prove to be nothing but a failed experiment on the part of Google?

Google Glass’s main concept revolves around bringing the functionality provided by smart phones to be available in front of your very own eyes. With every functionality being controlled either through voice control or through the touch-pad on one of the arms, the lens would prove to be the screen of the glass.

The most amazing and the most fearsome feature of Google Glass remains its ability to take pictures and make videos on the go without anybody even noticing it. So, you may go out in public and take a photo of whoever you like or capture any live moments that you would want to capture without even making a sound. While many believe that this doesn’t attack the privacy of a common man, many believe that the feature can be misused heavily and can create privacy problems for every commoner on the road. Yet, the possibilities it holds for a number of professions including film-making and live reporting are immense.

Other than the basic camera feature available, other impressive features and usability of the Google Glass revolves around the control it can provide you. With in-built Bluetooth and WiFi, you would be able to easily go through various tasks over the web using the voice control feature. With easy access to Google Maps, directions would also be easily visible while being on the road.

And it doesn’t end here. While Google Glass lacks the ability of texting or calling, any Bluetooth enabled phone can be attached with it and thus, using the Voice-to-Text feature of Google, one would be able to direct the Glass to type out a message or mail and send it too. Moreover, with Google and third-parties already creating apps to enhance the functionality of the glass, the usability of the Glass would only continue to improve. Of the few apps available for the glass with the developer version, one could read news, set alarms, find friends within a crowd just with voice control.

Google doesn’t intend to finish it here either. While most companies like Microsoft and Apple have just started working on creating competition for the GG, rumors say that Google has already started working on its next installment (seems too proactive on the part of Google ). However, with so much interest already present in the product even before it has hit the markets and has been made available for the general public, it is only a matter of time before the entire world would be wanting its own Google Glass for sure!

So, in my humble and fickle opinion, let debates of privacy stay away at the moment and let the world anxiously wait for the product which can make as big an impact on our overall lives as computers did a couple of decades ago. However, I do hope that when Google Glass comes to Pakistan, the law and order situation would take a turn for the better or otherwise even normal glasses would start getting snatched by the robbers! 😛