Project Glass: Google’s Augmented Reality Glasses Take Hands-Free Computing to the Extreme

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You already move from your desktop to your laptop to your tablet to your smartphone — but what about those few moments when you’re walking around on the street? You’re wasting valuable time listening to birds chirp and being alone with your thoughts when you could be sharing photos on Google+.

Fear not, tech addicts: Google has confirmed that it is working on something it calls “Project Glass,” which is focused around augmented-reality glasses.

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The biggest surprise is that Google actually made them look pretty wearable instead of some futuristic monstrosity that Geordi La Forge might wear in Star Trek: The Next Generation. They’re your standard wraparound glasses with a metal frame, equipped with a clear display that serves as a camera and microphone.

The video above gives an idea of what they could one day be capable of: sending instant messages, giving directions, snapping photos, noting reminders, video chatting, etc. The New York Times talked to someone who actually wore a pair, who said:

They let technology get out of your way. If I want to take a picture I don’t have to reach into my pocket and take out my phone; I just press a button at the top of the glasses and that’s it.

Cynical person that I am, I have to admit that sounds pretty convenient, although I do worry that they might cause me to accidentally walk into oncoming traffic. If you have any brilliant suggestions for what Google’s engineers should add to the glasses, you can leave a comment on Project Glass’ Google+ page.

Fun Fact: Google’s augmented-reality glasses are basically the same thing as the eyePhone from the infamous Futurama episode that spawned the “Shut up and take my money!” meme, which, incidentally, is what I’ll be yelling once these things become available.

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