After more than a year and a half of standing by as Android tablets collected dust on store shelves, Google finally took action June 27 with the announcement of its own tablet, the Nexus 7, running the latest version of Android, 4.1 “Jelly Bean.”
That along with the fact that the diminutive tablet is a quad-core processor-packing power house that retails for only $199, is big news. But somehow Google found a way to upstage the Nexus 7 with a demonstration of another highly-anticipated and futuristic product: Project Glass.
For those unfamiliar with Project Glass, it’s Google’s aim to create the first pair of Internet-connected, smart glasses. Glass is the evolution of augmented reality apps, which overlay a user interface and other information onto a real-time image. That’s done on current smartphone apps though the phone’s camera lens. But rather than look at a phone screen, Glass projects its interface directly into your field of vision. Google has a concept video of a first-person experience that shows text messages popping up over a bowl of cereal as the user eats, and later walking navigation directions updating as he turns a corner.
Glass also features voice assistance like Apple’s Siri on the iPhone 4S. A guy in the video sees a poster for a concert and simply asks the glasses to remind him to buy tickets. It also depcits him seeing some wall art and taking a photo. A frame appears in his vision and the glasses snap the photo.
But these early demo videos were nothing compared to what Google showed off on June 27. Just after unveiling the Nexus 7 at its I/O developers conference, Google began broadcasting live video to those in attendance of a team of skydivers readying for a jump. Two of them were wearing Project Glass glasses and proceeded to jump from the plane, broadcasting their jump live thanks to the prototype glasses. You can watch the highlights of the demo below.
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It went off without a hitch. Obviously, this had everyone excited for a couple reasons. First, it proved that Google is serious about this. So serious that they upstaged their first official (and badly needed) tablet. Second, we know now that the Glass prototypes are actually capable of doing some of the cool things Google has waxed on about.
