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Google Looking for "Creative Individuals" For Glass Developer Program 144

Posted by Unknown Lamer from the twitter-hipsters-who-use-google-plus dept.
rtoz writes with a quick bite from rtoz.org about Google's latest news about Project Glass: "Google has released video preview of its forthcoming Google Glass wearable headset, providing a fresh, and more realistic look at the device's user interface. Based on the demo, Google Glass will allow users to receive and execute onscreen directions, send voice-controlled messages, and search the web through speech. The UI also includes voice-controlled photos, and suggests that the device will offer onscreen translation support. And, it looks like the Google Glass will be water-resistant. Google has previously said it is aiming to launch Glass by early 2014, though it is already pushing out developer editions priced at $1,500." They're looking for developers, but only if you're hip enough.
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Google Looking for "Creative Individuals" For Glass Developer Program More

Google Looking for "Creative Individuals" For Glass Developer Program

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  • Only the hippest H1-B visa candidates need apply.

  • It's bad enough.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by bradgoodman ( 964302 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @08:57AM (#42954981) Homepage
    ...that if I am deemed "hip enough" - to be "accepted" - I still have to pay $1500, and drive to New York to get the damn thing. But please don't make me have to "follow you" on Google-Plus!!!

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by gl4ss ( 559668 )

      you'll also have to tell your idea up front, publicly, to the whole world. for that 1500$ is a bargain!

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by hsmith ( 818216 )
        If you are scared to talk about your idea in public, it is a terrible idea.

        • Re:It's bad enough.... (Score:4, Insightful)

          by Applekid ( 993327 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @11:12AM (#42956097)

          If you are scared to talk about your idea in public, it is a terrible idea.

          You mean not enabling some mechanical turk of 12 bottom-tier developers crap something out and claim 100% market share for your killer idea while you're still in the system design stage is a terrible idea?

    • If you drive to New York you are not hip enough for Google Glass.

  • Stolen smart phones will be long forgotten (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    At 1500 dollars this screams, wear me, get robbed!

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by h4rr4r ( 612664 )

      People wear watches costing much more. Many women have purses that are that expensive or a significant fraction there of. I think you need to move out of the hood.

  • Hip == American (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward

    And only if you live in the US.

  • ...but if I were, shouldn't a $265 billion company being paying ME the $1500 to debug their alpha product???

  • Sounds like pitching a scam:
    - Only cool people can join us (the real message is: if you're accepted that marks you as cool)
    - You need to follow us on Twitter
    - You need to buy this $1500 "Explorer starting kit" (ah, now we see we're they're going with it)

    Unfortunatelly I'm a Tech Entrepreneur in his 30s with a company that makes software for smartphones including Android and I can actually check if something makes business sense for me and my company, so I'm clearly not the kind of sucker ^H^H^H^H^H^H cool p

    • Honestly I'm not overenthused by this technology. What niche does it fill, do I need to have information projected constantly over my field of vision, wouldn't a smartphone-headband-clip thing do the same job? Unless there are gaming applications, I didn't see any in the video there.

      • You can watch videos while you commute on mass transportation. Although it's a bit expensive for that.

      • This could get interesting when coupled with some powerful image recognition. Say, for example, you want to repair something on your car. Load up the repair manual, and let the overlay show you step by step what to do, e.g. a certain screw gets highlighted right were it is and the popup text tells you to now fasten this screw to this-and-that torque.

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by alen ( 225700 )

          cheaper to buy a new car instead of the glasses and the manual and the parts. or just pay someone to fix it

          • Not if you're the mechanic being paid to fix said car (think later down the road when they're affordable).

            • Or you're in the middle of a war zone.

              I saw a demo version of this tech at my university c1992-93. Of course, at the time the computer driving it was significantly bigger than what it's hooked up to now. And back then the grad students were excited about potential military and space uses.

        • This could get interesting when coupled with some powerful image recognition. Say, for example, you want to repair something on your car. Load up the repair manual, and let the overlay show you step by step what to do, e.g. a certain screw gets highlighted right were it is and the popup text tells you to now fasten this screw to this-and-that torque.

          Wait, are you implying that augmented reality glasses are a good idea for augmented reality applications?

        • What you describe wouldn't really work; it doesn't overlay your whole field of vision. It could, however, project the manual where you can look at it easily just by looking up and to the right, and you could use voice commands to navigate to what you need to see.

          I've been watching the application stream [google.com] on Google+ and so far the most interesting applications are all about what can be done with a voice-controlled camera on your head. So, like a GoPro, but smaller, lighter and more hands-free -- as well as

          • No, no, no! The killer app will be... (Score:1, Interesting)

            by Anonymous Coward

            Contact management memory.

            The glasses camera will scan faces in front of you and when one of them matches a face in your personal contact set then it will show you their name and a set of details you previously noted about them.

            EVERYONE over 40 will buy a pair for this function alone and if Google supplies this app they can get users to voluntarily submit 1000% more personal info than Facebook has ever seen.

          • Human augmentation (Score:4, Interesting)

            by TheLink ( 130905 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @12:42PM (#42956909) Journal

            Think human augmentation not mere augmented reality.

            Once you have a wearable computer+sensors+comms that are sufficiently advanced you can have them do the following:
            0) Virtual telepathy+telekinesis
            1) Continuous video+audio recording in high res of past X minutes, and low res for longer periods. This way you don't have to miss stuff - you can tell the computer to switch to high res till further notice (the past X minutes would already be in high res) and then save it. Eidetic memory for the masses!
            2) Continuous background image recognition (look for faces or objects)
            3) Continuous background audio recognition (voice, music ).
            4) GPS+ map + compass direction feedback.
            5) Work with "area/location computers" (so that you can more easily control/access location specific stuff - lights, jukebox, climate control, menus, ordering systems).
            6) Many more stuff (super PDA features e.g. context sensitive reminders/prompts time+location+history+surroundings+etc ) - see below too.

            If brain computer interfaces become safe, reliable and good, you could use stuff like "thought macros". For example a fancy computer program would let me link certain thought patterns with certain actions or objects.

            That way I can do: [start command][recall object]{some thought pattern}[go][end]. And then the computer recalls the relevant object which could be a video, photo, sound, file or whatever.

            I can also do [start command][recall previous][go][send to]{thought pattern of friend}[go][end]. Or get the computer to help calculate stuff, search databases. Or even do "rain man" counting (you could get the computer to highlight/mark the objects it is counting so that you can countercheck that it is counting correctly - humans are OK at detecting if something should be highlighted by the computer and isn't - counting large numbers of stuff fast isn't our forte ).

            Thought patterns in square brackets are commands. Though patterns in curly brackets are various thought patterns you choose to associate with a person or item.

            Put it all together you'd have humans with eidetic memory, telepathy, telekinesis, and other super/magical powers. The technology is already mostly there - we've already got some sort of telepathy with mobile phones etc. Heck in the 1990s I was hoping wearable computing would take off and we'd already have this "magic" by now.

            The main hindrance to progress I see would be copyright and patent law. You'd be crippled by DRM and you wouldn't be able to walk into a cinema without all that stuff being forced off.

            Ideas are easy. Implementation is the hard part. That's why patents suck in general ;). Go ahead implement this. All these patent trolls, suits and lawsuits are slowing down progress. Someone smart can probably work out the details and improve on the idea - I hope someone does soon - I'm getting old and tired waiting for the future to arrive...

            p.s. Military edition might have gun muzzle detection, military object identification (with data), camouflage countermeasures, automatic "crack-thump" sniper location, UWB radar+comms, range gated vision (the latter two can give away your position to enemies that are suitably equipped[1]).

            [1] That said, electronic devices emit signals that can be detected if you have enough fancy stuff.

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) *

              Continuous video+audio recording in high res of past X minutes, and low res for longer periods. This way you don't have to miss stuff - you can tell the computer to switch to high res till further notice (the past X minutes would already be in high res) and then save it. Eidetic memory for the masses!

              This is what really worries me. Our society requires that we tend to forget stuff after a while. As people with eidetic memories know it can be hard to interact with people if you remember every little mistake they ever made, every thing they ever said on every subject and in particular about you... Those people either ignore that ability for the purpose of having friends and relationships or they turn into Sheldon Cooper.

              It's bad enough that a photo of you doing something stupid 10 years ago can haunt you

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by TheLink ( 130905 )

                As people with eidetic memories know it can be hard to interact with people if you remember every little mistake they ever made, every thing they ever said on every subject and in particular about you.

                Then this artificial eidetic memory is better since you can choose to erase the bits you want and they won't come back (without data recovery techniques).

                It's up to the people using the tool. If you choose to forgive AND forget, delete all the related (tagged?) memories.

                Whereas if you want to keep score you can mark the relevant items. Then you can have some statistics over time ;). Then do some incident comparisons to see whether you are actually getting more/less sensitive, or the person is actually getti

      • Babelfish for international business (real-time subtitles). Also sub-titles for the deaf.

      • Re:Were do they get their marketoids? (Score:4, Insightful)

        by M. Baranczak ( 726671 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @09:59AM (#42955431)

        What niche does it fill

        If you went back in time to the 1970s and described a smartphone to someone, that's exactly what they'd say. Some products create their own niche.

        Imagine this: a construction worker puts on a visor. He taps a button, and the new building's frame appears. Another button, and the plumbing system appears. Another button, and the Red Sox game appears in the upper left corner of his field of view. Another button, and a busty woman appears and asks to borrow his hammer. Worker productivity plummets, and software companies get rich.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by alen ( 225700 )

          a smartphone is just a star trek communicator/tricorder and data device. it does things everyone wished they could have done in the 1970's like have an encyclopedia handy at home when you were doing your work or do video calling

          what does google glass do that people wish they could do now but can't

          • Example: you walk into a hospital and glance at the directory, the glasses automatically spot the QR barcode in the bottom corner and follow the link it gives to a downloadable copy of the map. You say "Glasses, find room 203", the map hovers over your field of view along with your current location. The glasses ask if you want navigation so you say yes, and a line appears on the floor directing you were to go. As you walk, the glasses build up a 3d model of the hospital and use it to keep the map up to d

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by amiga3D ( 567632 )

              You have remarkable vision to quickly grasp the possibilities where so many see only problems.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Quirkz ( 1206400 )
          Our utilities company is already using smartphones, GPS, and GIS apps to pinpoint underground cables and pipes with much greater accuracy than in the past, but a visual overlay from the glasses would be yet another improvement.

          Personally, I just want a Terminator-style HUD that shows me targets and vital stats so I can pretend I'm a time-traveling, killing machine.

      • do I need to have information projected constantly over my field of vision

        FYI, "over my field of vision" isn't a good characterization of Glass. It's more like having a screen floating a few feet from your head, above and to the right. It's not in the central part of your visual field.

    • It's deeper than that.

      The reason they are looking for 'cool' ideas is because they've built the device, but they can't think of any real purpose for it themselves. They are literally hoping they can find someone 'hip' who will think of a killer app for the device. Because they can't.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Qwavel ( 733416 )

      Okay, but you've left out the key detail. You have to apply via the #ifihadgass hashtag, so I assume that the pertinent question is - what did you have for lunch?

      Which brings us right back to the question about where they go their marketoids?

  • Does being a hipster make you hip? I used virtual reality headsets before they were cool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy [wikipedia.org]

  • Scarcity (Score:4, Interesting)

    by MojoRilla ( 591502 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @09:21AM (#42955141)
    They are using the allure of scarcity. Remember when people went crazy over GMail or Google + invites?

    This taps into a basic human driver. Scarcity makes people feel special, and working hard to get something makes people perceive the value is greater.

    Of course, Google needs developers to embrace Google Glass to be successful. The more the better. But by making it exclusive people will value it more. Such are the problems of a digital society, where almost all that is left is artificial scarcity.
  • ...if an obnoxious guy wearing a Bluetooth headset is referred to as a 'douchebag', what do you moniker an obnoxious guy wearing a Glass headset?

    • Re:So... (Score:4, Funny)

      by crazyjj ( 2598719 ) * on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @09:31AM (#42955221)

      Douchebag+

    • The douchebag title is more related to the obnoxious self-important behaviour than the headset. I'm thinking the people wearing these at the start are more likely to be the severely geeky that care little what others think and are not particularly obnoxious. I'd love one, but I won't pay that much for it without some pretty awesome software already in place to support it. As a developer, I think they should have people apply to get free ones for development purposes, or at least be reimbursed if they releas

      • No, they will absolutely be obnoxious. No way someone would ever want one of these without also being into social media. These are the sorts of people who take pictures of their food.

    • Re:So... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Rude Turnip ( 49495 ) <valuation&gmail,com> on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @09:33AM (#42955235)

      A glasshole.

    • Another commenter suggest Douchebag+ but I propose shortening it to D+

      That said, I would gladly be a D+ for some glasses like this. I can think of countless ways I would use them.

      >obnoxious guy wearing a Bluetooth headset

      I just don't get this. is it obnoxious because you can't tell he's talking in to a phone, or is obnoxious because one feels inferior (ie what am I doing with my life, look at this guy so busy he needs a handsfree and a nice suit, I bet this guy walks straight in to clubs without waiti

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Belial6 ( 794905 )
        It is actually neither. What it is is an earned stereotype that has been blown out of proportion and then clung to long after it stopped having any basis in reality. Stereotypes tend to do be this way. The early adopter demographics of bluetooth ear pieces was dominated by douchbags. Today, use of bluetooth earpieces has expanded to other demographics, and many douchbags have moved on to other trappings. But, as stereotypes tend to do, the guy wearing a bluetooth headset being a douch just hangs on in

        • This is a fairly even-handed explanation, but does not explain why google glass gets the same treatment. It's not even close to the same thing, nor is it a status symbol for social-like ability.

          GG is doomed to be a staple of AR nerds such as myself. The only way douches will wear these things is if they are covered in bling and released by a designer, like Ralph Lauren, DC or god knows what other corporate design master chooses to invest in AR.

    • Google Glass is the hipsters way of saying "I need a wedgie". For real geeks you just look for pocket protector, tape on the glasses, or a calculus textbook being carried. But this new hipster who thinks he's a nerd merely because he watches Doctor Who and know how use social media is much more insidious and deserves the wedgie much more. If someone wants to call themselves a nerd then they need to be prepared to accept the downsides that come with it. Ie, you can't be a cool nerd, it is against natural

    • Quite honestly the idea that one day these things will become ubiquitous horrifies me.

      I hope they go down the path of Bluetooth headsets (haven't seen many of those recently).

  • If I had Google glass.. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by xtal ( 49134 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @09:34AM (#42955255)

    I'd walk into a wall.

    Seriously, what about those of us who already have glasses? I guess I'm not hip enough. :(

    • I guess you (and I) will need prescription Glass...
    • Worst: what about when you use the restroom. Just don't look down in case someone is hacking your Glass!

    • I'd walk into a wall.

      Seriously, what about those of us who already have glasses? I guess I'm not hip enough. :(

      Looking at some of the pictures, it seems like it should be pretty straightforward to add prescription lenses. For example, look at the model with tinted lenses attached near the bottom of this page [google.com]. If your optometrist can get some lenses manufactured in that same shape, you should be able to screw them on just like the tinted lens.

      From what I hear, the image projected through the glass block appears to be floating at some distance from you (maybe 5-10 feet), so as long as your prescription allows you t

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Belial6 ( 794905 )
        Optometrists can get lenses in any shape these days. Many will literally let you bring in any set of frames, including a pair of cheap drug store sunglasses, and they will make your prescription lenses fit.
    • In earlier announcements, Google mentioned that the active Glass component can be removed from the included frame and clipped to the frame of your prescription glasses.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by xtal ( 49134 )

        I see no evidence of this anywhere as applicable to the proposed demo.

        Any GoogleDroids allowed to comment?

        I would love to be wrong, although as a Canadian, I can never be hip enough to be a release developer. Heh.

  • "Creative individuals"??

    I just sent Google a video of me dressed as Louis IV singing "Nessum Dorma" while accompanying myself on the washboard.

    I made the costume myself. I hope they pick me. I don't really want to work, but the benefits would be nice.

    • NOTE: above should read "Nessun Dorma". The "N" key and the "M" key are right next to each other and anyway, this is my first computer, so I'm still not used to having to type.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by rossdee ( 243626 )

        I'm giessing you also meant Louis XIV AKA Le Roi Soleil - I don't think there was anything special about Louis IV

        • I'm giessing you also meant Louis XIV AKA Le Roi Soleil

          Yeah, that's the dude. The Sun King.

          You should see this beautiful costume, with the stockings and the curly wig. . . Drag queens only dream about dressing like my man, Louis XIV.

          I left out the "X" in "XIV" I guess. Like I said, I'm not much on this newfangled typing stuff.

  • military equip? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by snemiro ( 1775092 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @09:41AM (#42955309)
    This looks like a product targeting soldiers to provide them some reality+ in the lens (threats, escape routes, blueprints, language translator, FoF id, remote video....). Probably they already have some of them....I would consider it interesting if there is a medical use to it. (help to people with blind issues).

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by rgbscan ( 321794 )

      After reading world war z, and hearing about their "landwarrior" system - I'm inclined to think maybe we don't want soldiers to have this technology. :-)

  • Are there some legitimate business applications for this? Sure. a few. Not many.

    Do i want this thing in my life, personal or otherwise? Well, I'll tell you what - the day that I need a glorified gopro camera to show people what i'm eating for lunch in real time, just shoot me already. You know those douchebags who wear those bluetooth phones in their ears? Goglass wearers will come accross as douchebags to them - kind of like douchebag squared for us normals.

  • They're looking for developers, but only if you're hip enough.

    Hip Enough for Google [botaday.com]

  • Based on the above comments... (Score:3)

    by RedHackTea ( 2779623 ) on Wednesday February 20, 2013 @10:19AM (#42955599)
    Looks like everyone is seeing this as the Glass is half-empty instead of half-full. Am I right guys? Eh? Eh? ... Huh, just got an email from google, something about non-hip comments...
  • Geez. Have to fork over $1500 for the device with no assurances you will get into the program; then add in costs of travel to NY for "a$$ kissing" session. Only companies with R&D budget or venture capital will have a chance to participate.

    • Maybe that's the idea. Can't add "must be currently employed" to the listing? Just get people with money and social accounts instead.

      Bonus: if they've already paid so much for the glasses, they won't just turn back and say no when asked for their Twitter/G+ password. Instant PR control!

  • I really would love to know the specifications of this device. I really can't see the battery and everything being in the frame like the pictures show. My Motoactv battery only lasts a day and that is if I don't use it as a mp3 player and lap counter for my workouts. This is going to be accessing the internet, video, etc.I really would love to know the specifications on how long it's battery may last. Or are the pictures not showing the cable to the power pack that will be on your hip?
  • Google aren't hip enough. "You must live in the U.S. to apply"

  • Hype about this kind of petered out and died last year, surprised Google didn't get the memo.

    Not sure the idea of wearable computer devices will ever take off, can't imagine more people looking like asshats wearing heads up displays along with their Bluetooth earpieces. If you need that much informational feedback about your surroundings then you might be a complete idiot.

    Having stuff available ready at my fingertips on a screened device is about as far as I need the constant connection to an online presen

  • ...the time you'd spend jumping through hoops would be worth more that $1500.

  • While I appreciate the marketing hype and the nice sample videos where everything is perfectly focused and easy to see, do they actually work? What I mean is, the eye is not meant to focus on things that close to it. How much will you actually be able to see/read/understand on a screen as close as your brow? And if you did try and read what is on it, the eyes take time to re-focus to that distance and then back out again to the rest of the world. It sounds fatiguing. I looked around and could not find
    • I think you could be on to something. Just like the "Opti-Grab" handles in "The Jerk" movie (1979) where everyone ended up cross-eyed who used them because the eye was drawn to the little handle that held the glasses on the face. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079367/ [imdb.com]

      http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079367/synopsis

      So this will be interesting to see what kind of ergonomic issues that will come up from using it.
  • I'll just wait for one to be left behind at a bar or tavern.
  • You finally make this futuristic device and it turns out it really isn't that practical or is too futuristic to be cool with anyone but nerds

  • Google is a joke, I would rather eat some fingers off my hand despite the amount of money offered.

  • ... and rather than getting anything in return you have to buy the Google glasses for $1.5K.

    I'd rather try to raise kickstarter funds if I had a cool Google glasses idea.

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