Google Glass is quite possibly the most talked about and long-awaited gadget to capture the attention of tech lovers everywhere. It seems to perpetually remain in beta, and there’s no definitive release date on the horizon, so it’s open to a lot of speculation about exactly what it will be capable of doing.
What we do know about Google Glass is that it will let users “see” the world through new eyes, so to speak. With that said, here are a few apps we would like to “see” through the looking glass that is Google Glass.
Interactive Art
The art world is constantly reinventing itself — and rightly so. Art knows no boundaries; no steadfast rules; and no limitations. So of course if this sweet new technology is going to explode onto the market in coming years. There should probably be an app that integrates the beauty that is art into the marvel that is Google Glass.
If you’re skeptical about how awesome this concept could be, just take a trip to Washington D.C. and check out the Smithsonian Institute to see it in action. The new exhibit is called “Portrait of America,” and it’s by artist David Datuna. It depicts an American Flag covered in eyeglasses, along with four cameras that document visitor reactions. The fun really starts when patrons don Google Glass and the piece comes to life. It’s then that it reveals major cultural and historical events in American history, all the while filming the encounter. It opens up an entirely new realm of artistic possibilities, and we’re excited to see where this goes.
Unmentionables
It was recently announced that there’s an app in the works that actually helps users make their very own customized sex tape. Hello! Why hasn’t this been thought of before? Apparently all you have to do is say “OK glass, it’s time,” and it’ll start recording your special time. You can even tell it to set the mood by dimming the lights and playing music. You can even connect it to your phone and change up the angles. Lastly, in a simultaneously crude and awesome feature, you can tell it to stop recording. The command is “OK glass, pull out.”
The device stores the footage for five hours before it is permanently deleted, making it a discreetly fun way for couples to mix things up in the bedroom.
Health Apps
There are plenty of iPhone and Android powered apps that center around health and fitness. You can find just about anything, from diet tips and tracking to yoga exercises. You can even track your sleep patterns through motion detection. Since Glass is shattering all preconceived ideas about technology, why not up the ante with the health apps?
Let’s see an app that monitors your digestion. It’ll surely take some serious brain power to develop, but how cool would it be to track and test the way your body digests food? This process is responsible for so many physical ailments that it could really make a difference in people’s lives.
In all seriousness, make an app about poop. Though it’s typically the last thing most people want to discuss or research, your poop tells a very in-depth story about your body (no pun intended). How often your bowel movements come, as well as the texture and density of the waste, are all indicators of activity that is going on inside the body. A Glass app could utilize the device’s camera for good by helping people identify major health problems as early as possible.
Customized Video Options
Google Glass has been plagued with a lot of bad press regarding privacy and its built-in video camera. Despite its best efforts, Google has yet to squelch the chatter. Public opinion has become largely hesitant to the newfound technology, finding it intrusive.
Let’s use this superpower for good, shall we? An app that helped users customize their video recording experience could make for very interesting first-hand news accounts. Take Santa Barbara, Calif., newscaster Caroline Lowe, for example, who pointed out that it could be especially helpful for reporting breaking news and severe weather on-site.
We’d like to see a built-in app that allows users to record a fight or disaster straight from their glasses and then sends it directly to Vice for up-to-date news that isn’t going to be censored. This would create very urgent news and make anyone with Google Glass a potential reporter. Since video journalism is on the rise, Vice founder and CEO Shane Smith has recently added a video segment to the already successful news and cultural reporting website. Smith says that, though the terrain of news reporting is ever-changing and uncertain, “Dialogue always works. That’s what news is. And we’re going to show you what’s going on.”
Honest Advertising
How awesome would it be to live in an alternate universe in which advertising messages actually depicted accurately and honestly what it is they’re selling? This means that bright and shiny commercials for “fresh” and “healthy” fast food and soda commercials would be a thing of the past. Instead of listing the potential side effects of prescription drugs in super fast, monotone voice overs at the end of the spot, commercials would show them in action.
Do you accept the challenge, Google Glass? We want to see an app that shows what we’re really eating. It would have a feature that allows users to take a picture of a food product, and have Glass tell them about it. This would include where and how it was made, it’s actual nutritional information (along with the context), and any chemicals and pesticides that are likely lurking on its surface.
There you have it. Five concepts for sweet apps we’d like to “see” through Google Glass. Though some are more in depth than others, we’re sure they can be brought to fruition with a little finesse. What apps would you like to see available on Google Glass once it’s finally ready for the public? Please weigh in by leaving a comment below.
