“Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you.” (Prince)
Executive Chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt insisted to the Wall Street Journal that Google Glass is quite alive and following the announcement of cessation of the Glass Explorer program in January it will make quite an impact on the audience since the work is being moved from Google’s secret lab Google X to Google.
However, Schmidt’s announcement doesn’t cover up the fact that Google Glass needs a complete overhaul if it is to succeed amongst the masses. The device needs to be changed in plenty of ways which might actually end up changing it from its present form.
We believe that Google Glass would become a compelling product of technology if certain tweaks are done and we would list down the flaws that we believe are responsible for the failure of this highly hyped-up device:
INCORPORATE THE SCREEN INTO EYEWEAR
Google has hidden Glass behind actual glasses which no matter how elegant don’t cover up the fact that the little chunk of plastic which serves as a screen is quite weird looking. For the product to be a success, Google needs to incorporate the Glass into existing eyewear.
Another fair reason to make the Glass disappear is the fact that privacy advocates have raised an issue that Glass can be used to capture images and videos. To silence their critics, Google took pains and introduced a light next to the glass which illuminates when videos are being recorded or photos are being taken. However, that only raised attention towards the device. So, if video and image capture is to remain a factor then Google needs to minus on the light because it annoys a large segment of the population.
ADD FEATURES THAT AUGMENT REALITY
Google Glass is more of a data capturing device than a way to augment reality. It would do Google good, if they overlay the real world with useful contextual references. Even though the main purpose of Glass was to allow users to get online and use web-based services, however turn-by-turn directions and references to real world objects would do the product so much better.
DROP THE PRICE
A significant price drop is really needed in order for this product to really kick amongst the masses, because a $1500 device is quite pricey if nothing else. It wouldn’t be a bad trade, even if that requires cutting down on a bit of capabilities of this device.
KEEP THE PRESS AWAY
The PR people should be kept away until the product managers at Google are convinced that the device would be compelling amongst the masses. Even then the device should be kept under the wraps because critics are ready to leap in to exploit.
A NAME CHANGE
Finally as we said that the device needs a total revamp, it should also get a name change since pitching in the same name would yield the wrong expectations from the users.
CONCLUSION
Even in its present form Google Glass is a useful device since it is convenient to say “OK Glass” and be able to listen to songs, get directions or search anything up on the internet.
And even though the criticism that Google has no killer apps for the device is quite true, so Google needs to strategize and harness data from people and what they expect from a computerized eye wear that they cannot do from their smartphones. Otherwise, the device will fade into nothingness and be placed in the list of failed tech gadgets.
“As a child I was very into gadgets and machines and robots. The idea of experimenting with machines to create art was always something I tinkered with.” (Reggie Watts)
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