Google’s intriguing Project Glass will be available to buy in shops for everyone and anyone by the end of the year, the company itself has confirmed.
Speaking to Joshua Topolsky of The Verge, Steve Lee, product director at Google, confirmed that the product will launch by the end of the year, with a clear aim to bring it to anyone – provided you can afford it, of course.
Earlier this week we learnt more about what the product could do thanks to a new demo video from Google. The super-slim frame houses a tiny screen positioned above the wearer’s right eye, which displays all sorts of information from maps to language translations and even video chats.
Speaking of frames, it looks as though Google is looking at partnering with various companies to make Glass something personal and suited, even for those with sight issues. Various colours were on display at Google HQ in The Verge’s video, ranging from bright orange to pale blue and a slick looking chrome. It seems that the lenses can also be altered from regular clear lenses to polarised or even prescription ones. Google will ship Glass with swappable darkened sunglasses-style lenses, presumably to make the product look slightly more normal on your face.
We’ve also learned a little about how you operate Glass from The Verge‘s article. On the right arm of the eyewear is a touchpad which can be tapped or swiped to scroll through menus and options, with a tap to select something working the same way as on a smartphone. You can also control Glass using voice, with the phrase “OK glass” activating it, followed by a request along the lines of “Google nearby restaurants”.
We also now know how Glass gets its internet connection; you can either connect it to Wi-Fi on its own or tether a 3G connection from a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, which is what we’d hoped for. It’s also got its own GPS chip so that you can bring up Google Maps and use Navigation for turn-by-turn directions.
Google confirmed that it hopes to launch the device for ‘less than $1,500’, which is rather pricey if you ask us!