Seeing Google Glass through the eyes of users

MICHAEL LIEDTKE

AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO

Geeks aren’t the only people wearing Google Glass.

Among the people testing Google Inc.’s wearable computer are teachers, dentists, doctors, radio disc jockeys, hair stylists, architects, athletes and a zookeeper.

Some 10,000 people are trying out an early version of Glass, most of them selected as part of a contest.

To get a sense of the advantages and drawbacks of the device, The Associated Press spoke to three Glass owners who have been using the device since late spring: Sarah Hill, a former TV broadcaster and current military-veterans advocate; David Levy, a hiking enthusiast and small-business owner; and Deborah Lee, a stay-at-home mom.

Glass is designed to work like a smartphone that’s worn like a pair of glasses. Although it looks like a prop from a science-fiction movie, the device is capturing imaginations beyond the realm of nerds.

The trio’s favorite feature, by far, is the hands-free camera that shoots photos and video through voice commands. (Images can also be captured by pressing a small button along the top of the right frame of Glass.) They also liked being able to connect to the Internet simply by tapping on the right frame of Glass to turn it on and then swiping along the same side to scroll through a menu. That menu allows them to do such things as get directions on Google’s map or find a piece of information through Google’s search engine. The information is shown on a thumbnail-sized transparent screen attached just above the right eye to stay out of a user’s field of vision.

Among the biggest shortcomings they cited was Glass’ short battery life, especially if a lot of video is being taken. Although Google says Glass should last for an entire day on a single battery charge for the typical user, Hill said there were times when she ran out of power after 90 minutes to two hours during periods when she was recording a lot of video.

Glass’ speaker, which relies on a bone-conduction technology, also is inadequate, according to the testers the AP interviewed. They said the speaker, which transmits sound through the skull to allow for ambient noise, can be difficult to hear in any environment other than a quiet room.

“If you are out in the street or anywhere else where there is any noise, it’s impossible to hear,” Lee said. “That has been challenging because there is no way to adjust it. If you could adjust the sound, I think it would solve a lot of problems.”

Hill, 42, a resident of Columbia, Mo., became a Glass evangelist shortly after she picked up the device at Google’s New York offices in May. As the AP watched her get fitted with Glass though a video feed on Google’s Hangout chat service, Hill quickly began to rave about her ability to take hands-free pictures and fetch information from the Web simply by asking the device to get it. “This is like having the Internet in your eye socket,” Hill said.

Hill became accustomed to the double takes and quizzical looks as she wore Glass. The encounters usually led to her offering others to try on Glass, and most were impressed with their glimpses at the technology, Hill said.

Hill, a former news anchor and reporter for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Mo., believes Glass is destined to transform broadcast journalism by empowering reporters to capture compelling images at scenes without the need for cumbersome equipment. She likens it to having a satellite TV truck that only weighs 1.5 ounces.

Hill has used Glass to provide a tour of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., for veterans gathered in St. Louis by Veterans United, where Hill works as the group’s chief storyteller.

Lee, a New York City resident, has been relying on Glass mostly to capture precious moments with her 9-month-old daughter, Maddie. Glass also allowed Lee to set up live video sessions with her parents in Oregon so they could see Maddie eat her first solid food just as she saw it. She also took pictures of her raising Maddie airborne that wouldn’t have been feasible with a camera requiring hands-on operation.

Some analysts question whether Glass will have mass appeal once it hits the market.

Angela McIntyre, a research director for Gartner Inc., believes the retail price for Glass will have to plummet to $200 to make a significant dent. Early testers had to pay $1,500 for the device, though Google hopes to bring that price down by the time of its mass-market release next year.