a pair of spectacles with Google's applications.
Photo #throughglass: Maarten Lens-FitzGerald
“So there’s like 20 to 50.000 in the world, and I think we’re at a 100 now in Holland.”
Who gets to have it, just the company leaders?
“No, you just have to be crazy enough to get an invite. Which is pretty doable; and because I have one, I can give invites to people. Then you have to be even crazier to pay $1500 dollars for it, and you have to be US-based. I was still in New York, so that’s how I could get it.”
So a friend of mine at the Google Campus in Tel Aviv can’t get one?
“Probably then because you’re with Google, for example a French friend has one, cause he works with Google. They just opened it up last Thursday; anyone in the US can buy it. So technically it’s only legal for the Americans; even if just for the practical reason that there’s lots of new things, legal issues and Google is so rich, that if they did it France, everyone would sue them.”
What makes it so expensive? “Technically they don’t have to, cause they’ve got enough money. But personally I think they made it so expensive to make it exclusive, you really need to want it. You could also wear a big hat with a beacon on top, it would create the same effect! It attracts a lot of attention.” Could you briefly explain what it actually is and what it does? “Basically a phone attached to your head; imagine using your phone without your hands. Its services are designed to help you live seamless. So for example we’re talking, the bill comes, Glass takes a picture *click*, and it pays instantly. That little bridge is being eliminated, and in core it wants to make computing disappear; a seamless part of life.” So you’ll have to ask to take a picture? “Yeah, my ex-partner just launched ‘Nod to pay’. And if I want to take a picture, I wink at people…” *takes picture* “Ok glass; share this with ‘Google+ Public’. Ok glass, my neighbor is interviewing me about Google Glass.” |
“Now that’s been added to my feed… hahaha
But the other day I was texting my wife, and it sent a lot of gibberish.”
Does it allow you to multitask more?
“No. I’m a man, it doesn’t really.”
In reality, would you be able to look up info about someone, e.g. their facebook?
“You don’t want to. In groups, it’s not that welcoming. If you do that, it’s obvious and just lame. But you could definitely take pictures and film...”
Is it handy for daily use?
“I use it mostly for music. Ok glass, listen to ‘Johnny Cash’… Can you see Cash?
Love using it as a phone and seeing my e-mail on it. Then I also take a lot of pictures, but you could manage your running if you want, too.”
Is it then enjoyable for music?
“There’s a bone-conducting thing on the side, but with the headphones it’s really good. Since I was your age I always listened to music continuously, and this lets me do that even more.”
Would you use it for navigation while driving?
“Oh, definitely. What’s actually pretty handy, but I don’t really use it… is Maps. Once in New York, I had a dinner, but didn’t know where it was. Googled it on my computer, walked out and then Google Now suggested the address. That was perfect, cause I needed that. I thought it figured it out through e-mail, because of course they also read your e-mail… Though in Amsterdam, I know my way around, so I don’t need it.”
Since you can’t type with it, how difficult is it to use voice recognition?
“I really enjoy using it for texting and messaging now, all in English of course, because it’s so easy! I’d ask my wife ‘Hey, what do you need?’ and get it along the way. But when I wanna listen to Röyksopp, it takes me half an hour! How do you say that in American English? You need to know what you’re saying, be somewhat articulate, not mind talking outside and focus; so it’s almost like a whole new skill that your generation will learn quicker than I will.”
What kind of reactions do you get?
“A little while I’m biking, but when I walk to work; this guy is like ‘Wow!’ or ‘Hey, is that Google Glass?!?’ Overall very positive reactions, I remember having one rather negative reaction of ‘Don’t film me!’ which is not the case, it’s on stand-by.”
Is it awkward to walk around; knowing that people think you’re filming them?
"Yeah, it is. It’s really weird. I like attention so I’m good with it, but you have to feel up for that. And I think the biggest disadvantage is the attention. It’s like having the spotlight on you."
There’s no flashing LED, so do you think Google could switch it on whenever they want?
“They can. But it’s like when they introduced cars and trains; people were afraid they couldn’t breathe if it went over forty. So it’s the standard waves of acceptance, and we are already recorded everywhere. You travel, and everything is known about you, especially going across borders. I’m not bothered by it; it’s much worse already than we assumed, that’s specifically the US-government since 911 how they work. And yeah, so be it.”
Do you like the idea of having Google as a personal assistant?
“Personally, but that’s pure random branding, I’d rather have them do that than Facebook for instance; I don’t trust Facebook.”
Why not, yet you do trust Google?!?
Is the phone totally out of the picture?
No, now the Glass is on my WiFi, but when I go out it will automatically switch to my phone’s connection. It reduces the phone’s use for connectivity.
So maybe in the future we’ll only need the Glass?
Probably. Mainly, it’s a battery issue. Its’ the big thing in the back, and dies pretty quickly.
Is it a problem with wearing the weight on one side?
“Well, there is an issue you can actually see; there’s a break coming there, so that’s a normal wear situation.”
Are you more excited or worried about how close technology is getting to our bodies?
“I’m very excited. I know technology is going to be in us even, and love the idea that half of my world could be digitized; I can play a game with a virtual dog if I want in 10 years. Or it knows me, and helps by saying “Hey, your eggs are done. I saw you put it in a moment ago.”
Do you then see this as the step in between where we are now, and Google implanted chips, when all we need is the thought?
“Well that will be forty years, but that will happen.”
How has it influenced your company – to have this device?
“We are a logical app for it, so for us it really helps to show ‘Hey, Google believes in the future we’re pursuing’, and we work on it really well. It strengthens our endeavors, we can do cool projects with it… For instance, we’ve talked about having Glass tours in the Rijksmuseum, people look at the painting and see cool content, more about the painting.”
What can Layar use Glass for, specifically in the future?
“In the future, when you are reading or looking at anything, Layar will be a great way to get more information on it. From your soda cans, to your newspaper and school textbook; it could come alive with data either from other students saying ‘this sucks’, ‘this is good to read’, or the teacher saying ‘here’s more info about this’. That’s for instance a school thing, but anything which is visually rich and enhancable, will be done for Layar using Glass.
The cool thing is, is that we’re going earlier into the production process. So when they’re still doing the mark-up of the magazine, they will automatically be layered as well.”
Have you worn it to the cinema yet?
*laughs* No, I’m a young father! That has to do with the scarcity of information; people in the ‘old world’ still try to control. Text even used to be controlled, with the web, information for the first time, really became free. And this device totally breaks all that up, now with augmented reality, space is free! If I want, I can build a big, augmented reality tower here, and don’t have to ask anyone for permission.”
With an altered reality at my fingertips, I asked Maarten one last question; ‘can I try it on?’. To which he said, “Be very careful!” I’m about to realize this isn’t a toy for kids…
I asked about the best coffee in the area, directions and could see all his recent searches/commands, just by swiping along the side of the Glass.
Imagine a transparent, rectangular screen (basically a magnified projection) in the upper right hand corner of your vision, wherever you go. “I’m looking at you, but I’m not looking at you!” I said while looking at Maarten behind the projection. He showed me how his company, embedded a video of someone speaking, on top of the magazine cover with the speaker himself. It’s like having a hologram talk to you, not many people have seen that.
Maybe one day all our neighbors will be wearing digital glasses instead of lenses. But until then; an unreal, hidden world awaits.
google_glass_interview_maarten_lens.docx |
de_buurman_heeft_google_glass.docx |
Click above to download either the full English or partial Dutch interview which was written for my high school's newspaper; Cygnus X-21! Thanks a lot for reading this extensive, yet fun interview. Hope you enjoyed it... please share if so! |