ImaginativePRO Blog

WARBY PARKER FACING ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, REDUCES SALES OUTLOOK AND TRIMS COSTS TO REDUCE MOUNTING LOSSES FOR THE YEAR 2022

Warby Parker on Thursday joined the slew of retailers that have cut their financial forecasts for the year, even as it reported a narrower-than-expected loss in its fiscal second quarter and sales in-line with analysts’ estimates.

Chief Financial Officer Steve Miller said the eye glasses maker is facing an “uncertain macroeconomic environment.”  

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Miller said in a statement:

“We are taking a disciplined approach to managing costs to set us up for sustainable growth and profitability.”

As part of its efforts to trim expenses, Warby has cut 63 jobs, representing about 2% of its total employee base and 15% of corporate positions, a spokesperson confirmed to CNBC.

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In recent weeks, retailers including Walmart, Best Buy, Gap and Allbirds have lowered their expectations for sales or profits as they begin to see consumers cut back spending on discretionary items, such as apparel or electronics, amid soaring inflation. At the same time, though, luxury brands like Ralph Lauren and Versace owner Capri Holdings say people are still splurging on expensive shoes and handbags.

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At Warby, customer demand started to fall off in the second half of May, executives told analysts on a conference call Thursday morning. The company also said it pulled back on marketing spending as fewer people visited its brick-and-mortar shops.

Still, the retailer’s shares rallied Thursday, closing up more than 19%. Investors cheered the cost-cutting efforts as Warby attempts to turn a profit while still in growth mode.

Here’s how Warby did in its fiscal second quarter ended June 30 compared with what analysts were anticipating, based on Refinitiv estimates:

• Loss per share: 1 cent adjusted vs. 2 cents expected
• Revenue: $149.6 million vs. $149.5 million expected

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Warby’s loss for the three-month period ended June 30 widened to $32.2 million, or 28 cents per share, from a loss of $18.8 million, or 35 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, it lost a penny a share.

Sales grew roughly 14% to $149.6 million from $131.6 million a year earlier, boosted in part by loyal customers spending more money on average.

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The company said its count of active customers increased 8.7% to 2.26 million. It defines these customers as people who have made at least one purchase of any product or service from Warby in the previous 12-month period.

“While the losses are disappointing, they are somewhat understandable given that the company remains in expansion mode,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail.

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However, Saunders said, the main concern is that the money spent needs to translate into delivering stronger returns.

For fiscal 2022, Warby is now calling for sales to be within a range of $584 million to $595 million, down from a prior range of $650 million to $660 million.

It sees its adjusted EBITDA amounting to about $22 million to $26 million, including a $7.5 million hit related to pandemic-related disruptions to its business.

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In its latest quarter, Warby said it opened nine stores, bringing its total count of physical locations to 178. The retailer, founded online in 2010, has been ramping up its investments in real estate to reach more customers and market its brand. It hopes to one day grow to more than 900 stores.

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Beyond its glasses, Warby has a contact lens business and offers services in its stores for eye exams. The company has said that people who buy contacts from Warby end up spending more than those who only shop its eyewear.

Including Thursday’s gains, Warby shares have fallen more than 60% year to date.

COMMENTARY:   Warby Parker's sales began to soften about the same time many retail brands began to feel the effects of inflation and slowdown in buying by consumers.  Warby Parker joined the slew of retailers that have cut their financial forecasts for the year 2022.  Warby Parker reported a narrower-than-expected Q2 2022 quarterly loss and sales in-line with analysts' estimates. 

Warby Parker opened a record 35 stores in 2021 to end the year with 161.  Warby Parker plans on opening a total of 40 stores in 2022.  Warby Parker had 188 stores in the U.S. on July 27, 2022, but the economic uncertainty will probably put a halt to any new store openings in the second half of 2022.

Warby Parker's primary target customers are hip and fashionable millennial-aged consumers between 25-34.  Warby Parker customers are socially active, purchase online, overshare and engage on social media channels.  Warby Parker understands them very well. These young consumers have a bustling loyalty to the brand.  This may be Warby Parker's Achilles heel for the following reasons:

• Millennials have the highest median income but are burdened with high levels of debt from home loans, automobile loans, personal loans and student loans, and this debt is growing at a faster rate than any other generation.
• Millennials are the largest generation and growing as a group because lower wage earning middle class workers are falling behind economically and trickling down into the millennial generation group.
• A 2019 survey by Fannie Mae found that 55% of millennials and Generation Z believe that homeownership is “out of reach financially.” Several factors, including the rising cost of housing and pre-existing debt (often from student loans), present barriers to homeownership for these generations — and new obstacles continue to emerge.
• Millennials cannot afford today's high rents and utilities and often have one or more roommates to lessen this burden.  
• Millennials do not make enough to save for retirement or emergencies and often resort to credit cards to make ends meet.    
• 60% of millennials (those born between 1983 and 2002) are considered middle-class, compared to 70% of baby boomers (those born between 1943 and 1964) when they were in their twenties, according to the report, “Under Pressure: The Squeezed Middle Class.” Worldwide, the share of households considered middle-class has slipped from 64% in the 1980s to 61% today. 

It is not all bad news for Warby Parker.  Growth opportunities include progressive lenses, which account for 20 percent of Warby’s mix versus 45 percent of all prescription glasses sold in the U.S. Progressive glasses start at $295, Warby’s highest price point and highest margin.  Buyers of progressive lenses tend to be 45 years or older.  Dave Gilboa, co-CEO at Warby Parker said, “Progressives purchases tend to skew more toward bricks and mortar given the complex nature of the prescription and the older customer demographic.”

Stores also enable eye exams, which accounted for less than two percent of Warby’s sales in 2021 compared to 10-to-15 percent at a typical optical retailer. Neil Blumenthal, co-CEO, said exams also “give us greater control over the customer experience.”

Finally, in-store exams support sales of contact lenses, which doubled in 2021 to four percent of Warby’s sales versus 15-to-20 percent at a typical optical retailer. Industrywide, 70 percent of consumers buy glasses and contacts in the same location where they have an eye exam.

Courtesy of an article dated August 11, 2022 appearing in CNBC, an article dated April 27, 2022 appearing in Seeking Alpha, and an article dated March 24, 2022 appearing in Retail Wire, and an article dated April 12, 2019 appearing in CNBC

GOOGLE GLASS IS NOT DEAD, AMAZON'S LAB126 ENGINEERS HIRED TO DESIGN 2ND GEN OF GLASS, NEST CEO TO HEAD 'PROJECT AURA' TO DESIGN NEXT GENERATION OF GOOGLE EYE WEARABLES

 

Google is working on a new wearable technology effort known as Project Aura and is hiring consumer electronics experts from Amazon's secretive Lab126 to jump-start the new group.

Project Aura appears to have gotten started in June and is focused on reviving Google's troubled Glass computer eyeglasses, as well as accelerating Google's efforts to develop related wearable technology.

Project Aura will remain within Google rather than being a standalone company under the new Alphabet holding company or being folded into the Nest smart appliances business, a source familiar with the matter told Business Insider.

Nest CEO Tony Fadell will continue to have high-level oversight of the project, though it's unclear what will happen after Nest becomes a separate Alphabet company, the source said.   Ivy Ross, a fashion industry veteran that Google hired to lead the Glass team in 2014, is heading up the Aura group.

Google has hired at least three employees from Lab126, Amazon's hardware division, to work in the new group and Aura has a dedicated recruiter tasked with bringing in more talent.

Several LinkedIn profiles and job listings viewed by Business Insider describe Project Aura as "Google Glass and Beyond."

Project Aura is not be be confused with Project Ara, Google's modular phone concept.

Beyond Glass

The new Aura group provides a much-needed re-branding to the tattered Glass image as well as opening the door to a broader scope of wearable technology initiatives to help Google compete against rivals such as Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft.

By remaining within Google, the Aura group will be able to collaborate more closely with other advanced technology efforts such as Soli, which allows consumers to control gadgets through gestures such as rubbing fingers together, and Cardboard, which turns ordinary smartphones into virtual-reality devices using a cardboard headset.

While virtual-reality technology is an growing area of focus within the technology industry, particularly as Facebook preps the release of its Oculus VR headset, the source said it's still too soon to know whether the Aura group will be focused specifically on VR.

Although Business Insider first spotted Google job postings that indicated that the company planned to release other products in the Google Glass division besides just smart eyewear back in May, the existence of the Project Aura group and its new hires has not been reported until now.

Google stopped selling the initial $1,500 version of Glass to consumers earlier this year following waning interest and criticism that the device was too expensive and clunky, without enough practical-use cases. The head-mounted device, which allowed users to record video, also raised privacy concerns and caused a consumer backlash.

Google continues to sell Glass to businesses for use in the workplace and is reportedly working on a new enterprise version of the device.

Google Glass History-Making Unveiling

Google co-founder Sergey Brin officially unveiled Google Glass at the Google I/O 2012 Developer's Conference held at Moscone Center in San Francisco.  It was one of the most exciting, buzz-filled new product unveilings that I have ever witnessed.  If you didn't catch the Google Glass unveiling here's the Google Developer's video.

 

Incidentally, both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak shotdown the idea for wearable VR glasses. Jeff Soto – an ex-Apple employee and founder of TENDIGI – a mobile development firm, writing on his personal blog – I am not Robot narrates an interesting story, which explains the reason Jobs shotdown wearable glasses like Google Glass.

"As soon as I saw the video for Google’s Project Glass I instantly recalled a funny story from my time at Apple. I was once at a Town Hall meeting in Cupertino where Steve Jobs commented on this type of wearable computing. An Apple employee in the audience asked Steve a question to the extent of: 'How can we reach out to our leadership if we have a really good idea'. Steve immediately put him on the spot and made him pitch the idea in front of everyone there. An opportunity to pitch Steve Jobs. What?  The employee proceeded to pitch an idea about glasses you can wear that display various types of information. A heads up display a’la terminator cyborg vision if you will.  He continued to explain how he wished he had a way to see projected information while he perhaps went for a run outside. Keep in mind this is happening in a room filled with a lot of people.  Steve immediately shot his idea down and told the guy that he would probably trip and fall if that were the case. Steve also suggested he should get a girlfriend so he has someone to keep him company while running. I can not watch this Project Glass video without recalling this moment. So if you’re wondering what Steve would think about Project Glass, that’s pretty much it."

Google Glass Sales Suspended

The original Google Glass cost $1,500, and was only available to conference attendees.  An estimated 2,000 people placed pre-orders.

Almost a year later, despite outstanding pre-orders, Google expanded the project.  A competition was set up where the public were invited to explain what they'd do with Glass. They had to use the hashtag #ifihadglass.

In May 2014, Google started selling its new Glass Explorer for $1,500 through Google Play store to anyone who wanted it after months of exclusive, invite-only availability.  

Google hasn’t disclosed sales of Google Glass, but Statista estimated that more than 831,000 units were sold in 2014.  (NOTE:  I find this number difficult to believe)

In January 16, 2015, Google suddenly suspended sales of Google Glass Explorer, its most hyped new product offering to come along in a long time.  Sales were suspended not because Google Glass failed commercially, but because of the controversey Googe's "smart glasses" raised.  The following infographic lists several issues that many people raised about Google Glass.  

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Ori Inbar, the chief executive of the non-profit AugmentedReality.org, said it couldn’t be “farther from the truth” to call Google Glass dead, or a failure. He says Google has sold more hardware in the smart glass category than anyone else so far, which has helped to raise public awareness and create inroads for competition.   Inbar said.

“Google elevated public awareness to smart glasses to an unprecedented level.”

Google's suspension of Google Glass gives competitors like archrival Epson, which was at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January 2015 full force showcasing its eyewear enterprise apps, the opportunity to grow their own installed base in its wake.

The popularization of smart glasses in the workplace has created inroads for other tech heavyweights to launch their own augmented reality glasses, attachments and goggles as well. Sony and Microsoft both stepped into the breach in January 2015, Sony with its SmartEyeglass Attach prototype that would clip into an existing pair of glasses, and Microsoft with HoloLens, a headware that implants holographs into the physical places, spaces and things of a wearer’s actual reality.

Lab126 Experts

Dima Svetlov, whose LinkedIn profile says he worked on Amazon's TV streaming stick, joined Aura as a software development manager in May.  Amir Frenke joined in June as a director of software development.  Tina Chen left Lab126 in August after working on its TV streaming box and smart-home assistant, Echo, and now works as Aura's manager of technical program management.

Lab126, which makes consumer devices like Amazon's Kindle e-readers, TV streaming products, and the ill-received Fire smartphone, reportedly laid off dozens of engineers who had worked on the phone earlier this summer.

Svetlov, Frenke, and Chen, whose LinkedIn profiles don't reveal any details about Project Aura besides the description that it works on Glass "and beyond," are joining Apple veteran Max Ratner, who worked on the iPhone.

The project even has its own designated recruiter, Jessica Bailow, who has been focused on Aura since June, according to her LinkedIn profile.  And Google recently posted several job openings for the Aura team, including a program manager for category development, an industrial designer and a UX designer.

Business Insider also recently reported that Adrian Wong, the former Google Glass lead electrical engineer, who had defected to Facebook-owned virtual-reality startup Oculus, quietly rejoined Google in June.  His LinkedIn profile describes his new job only as "building blocks" for Alphabet/Google.

But the added description that "G is for Gadgets, Glasses, and Goggles" suggests that he may be working on Project Aura as well.

Google declined to comment. 

Courtesy of an article dated September 16, 2015 appearing in Business Insider, an article dated April 12, 2012 appearing in iPhoneHacks.com, an article dated January 30, 2015 appearing in MarketWatch, and an article dated September 5, 2014 appearing in The Verge

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GOOGLE GLASS, NOW AVAILABLE WITH DIANE VON FURSTENBERG FRAMES

The new Glass models will be available on Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter on June 23. (Click Image To Enlarge)

GOOGLE HAS TAPPED FASHION DESIGNER DIANE VON FURSTENBERG TO CREATE LIMITED-EDITION FRAMES TO MAKE THE FACE COMPUTER LOOK MORE CHIC.

In yet another attempt to class up Glass, Google has tapped Diane von Furstenberg to design limited-edition frames. Much like the in-house designs that came out earlier this year, DVF has created more fashionable frames that attach to the high-tech headpiece. The line, which Google will unveil June 4, includes five new frames and eight new shades. Interested buyers can purchase the accessories on Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter starting June 23.

DVF already featured Glass on the brand's runway show earlier this year and with Google's partnership with eyewear giant Luxottica, you may see the face accessory in your local Lenscrafters soon. (Click Image To Enlarge)

The new specs are an incremental improvement from other recent attempts to make the face computers look less awkward. The already-available Glass frames come in one shade of black; DVF offers a bit more flair with frames available in brown and four other colors. The sunglasses also sport the "DVF" logo in the top corner, a la Ray Ban. The main appeal is exclusivity, something Glass has started to lose as it has allowed more people to purchase the device. For this promotion, Google is only selling a limited, undisclosed number of DVF creations.

As with many high fashion items, exclusivity is a large part of the appeal--Google will be selling an undisclosed, limited amount of the new DVF frames. (Click Image To Enlarge)

There's only so much Google can do to dress up (or hide) the chunky metal object protruding off of a Glass wearer's face. Certainly more frame options in different shapes, sizes, and colors will appeal to a broader set of people. But will this partnership help Glass overcome its cyborg reputation, when not much else has worked? The initial frames, which came out in January, were a huge step up from naked-Glass. This doesn't push the needle too much further.

Could more frame shapes, sizes, and colors help bring Glass to the mainstream audience? (Click Image To Enlarge)

Nor does the mere attachment to DVF's brand guarantee success. Since its inception, Glass has made alliances with the fashion world. Diane Von Furstenberg has already collaborated with Glass, having her models walk the runway with the face accessory. That, plus a spread in Vogue, plus a push at fashion week, haven't diminished the curse of the Glasshole. What makes this DVF partnership any different than those efforts?

The Diane Von Furstenburg partnership represents one of many to come for Google Glass, as it continues to work with eyewear designers to lessen the stigma of the gadget. (Click Image To Enlarge)

Google, to its credit, has not given up on the fashion angle. Earlier this month, the company hired marketing fashion guru Ivy Ross to improve Glass's mass perception. Ross has worked with Calvin Klein, Swatch, Gap, Coach, and others. This DVF collaboration will likely be the first of many brand partnerships. Google's deal with eyewear giant Luxottica suggests Glass frames will eventually be available in many varieties at a mall near you.

Style is probably the easiest fix of Glass's problems. As Wired's Mat Honan argued after a year of wearing Glass, the gadget just isn't that useful.  He wrote.  

"Aside from directions, it's more novelty than utility. The really cool stuff remains on the horizon, which means I got tired of it before I’d had it for even a year."

The shunning of Glass wearers has pushed even the most vocal of fans away from the device.

But Google remains committed to Glass and the idea that it will eventually be embraced by mainstream wearers.

Isabelle Olsson, the lead designer for Google Glass, told Fast Company. 

"From smartphones to high-waisted jeans, it takes time for society to get used to new ideas, Explorers always tell me how much they love being able to get the information they need from Glass and then get on with their day. A lot of people want that freedom. Today, the majority of consumers haven’t had a chance to try Glass out. That’s why I’m looking forward to moving from our beta phase to a consumer launch down the line."

Diane-Von-Furstenberg-sports a pair of original Google-Glasses during a runway show in September 2012 for the DVF Spring 2013 during New York Fashion Week. (Click Image To Enlarge)

COMMENTARY:    I am very disappointed in Diane von Furstenberg's eyewear sporting Google Glass.  I really expected a lot more.  The eyeglasses look boring.  They really don't excite me or give me a reason to go out and buy me a pair.  Here's the DVF Spring 2013 fashion show with the models sporting Google Glass during New York Fashion Week in September 2012.  With the average runway fashion show using 25 to 35 models, That's $35 to $45,000 just for Google Glass at $1,500 a pop.

 

Courtesy of an article dated June 3, 2014 appearing in Fast Company

GOOGLE GLASS' SHORTCOMINGS, AND WHY MOTOROLA'S MOTO 360 SMARTWATCH WILL KILL GOOGLE GLASS

In November of 2013, I became a Google Glass Explorer. Part of this endeavor involved forking over $1,500 and tax for a technology device that was still in beta. The hardware was beyond prototype, but not in the mass production scale that would be necessary for worldwide distribution.

 

Just a few years ago, smart watches such as those made by Sony and Pebble were very limited in their functionality, battery life and technical specifications. When Project Glass was announced in 2012, it was seen as a revolutionary technology. It was wearable computing to the next level. Google Glass enabled people to have the information they “needed” in the corner of their eye and gave them instant access to the world wide web with just a simple voice command.

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In theory, the technology is great. However, in practice, it’s a different story.

I have been a Glass Explorer for just shy of six months and I have to admit that I (like many other Glass Explorers) use the technology much less than I ever thought I would and here’s why:

Battery Life:

Most of the applications for Google Glass can be a battery hog. However, with “regular” use throughout the day, I can usually squeeze a good 6-8 hours of casual use before the battery is depleted. Many of the augmented reality applications such as World Lens, require a lot of battery use because they involve the use of the camera, display, wireless data and heavy processor use. Doing something as simple as taking a video can deplete the device’s battery in just 20-30 minutes. Granted, Glass isn’t designed or intended to record long form content, but more or less “moments” which is why the device records 10 second video clips by default.

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Security “Issues”:

Many workplaces will not allow the use of Google Glass because of exposure to sensitive information and PII (Personally Identifiable Information). I would not be surprised to see if the PCI standards change to ban the use of wearable cameras in areas where employees are able to see credit card numbers. Sadly, most of the concerns about Glass are around it’s camera, which brings me to my next point.

Social Acceptance:

Wearing a computer on your face is about as acceptable as riding a Segway around your office. The simple truth is that we aren’t there yet. The fact that we recently learned about the largest government surveillance scandal in recorded history doesn’t help either. People feel that their privacy has been invaded enough by companies reading their e-mail, governments listening to their phone calls and more surveillance cameras than we realize. Until these fears are settled, wearing around a camera on your face will remain a faux pas in many settings.

Google Glass' facial recognition capabilities presents controversial privacy invasion issues (Click Image To Enlarge)

Reliability:

Google Glass is not reliable. Plain and simple. Switching between Bluetooth and Wifi data is never seamless. The device is incapable of connecting to Wifi networks that require TOS agreements or have any sort of splash page login method. If you leave the device turned off and unplugged for a period of time, the battery mysteriously depletes itself. The most frustrating reliability issue is related to connectivity. You can have Google Glass successfully paired to an LTE device with great signal strength and still see the dreaded “can’t reach Google right now” message.

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Moto 360 Won’t Have These Problems

The most exciting thing about the Moto 360 is that it won’t have most of the problems that I encounter on a daily basis with Google Glass. First of all, it’s on my wrist, so it’s much less conspicuous than a face-mounted computer. This definitely helps us in the social acceptance arena, and makes it a wearable that I’m comfortable wearing everywhere (except maybe not the shower). Battery life may be a problem, but not in a way that it is for Glass. I expect overnight charging for my smart watch and would love to see wireless Qi charging integration to make that process just a little bit easier.

 

Better App Development

I don’t think I’m alone in assuming that there will be more and better apps designed for wrist-mounted wearables. Although the Android Wear platform may look completely analogous to Glassware, it’s a much more practical form factor which means more users and more potential for success of any certain app. Also, apps can be designed to work on a number of devices, not just Motorola’s upcoming offering. Developing for a multi-device platform is a no-brainer when compared to developing for a single device on a different framework.

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Sex Appeal

Men love watches. It’s really the only jewelry that most guys wear, and a lot can be inferred by the watch someone wears. For example, during the work week, I wear a Seiko stainless steel watch with a black face and very minimalist design. It shows that I am polished, responsible and punctual. On the weekends I like to wear a leather-banded “easy read” by Timex that is reminiscent of a standard GI watch from decades before.

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With the ability to instantly change the face of your watch and select a stylish band, this wearable becomes less of a computer and more of an accessory.

Safety

With Moto 360, you don’t have to brag to the world that you’re wearing a computer. A fringe benefit of this design is safety, as we recently learned from the woman wearing Google Glass that was allegedly mugged inside of a San Francisco bar.

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Affordability & Luxury

$1,500 was a lot of money to thrown down on a prototype. Especially something that won’t get daily wear. I don’t expect that Google Glass will dip below $800 any time soon, either. Moto 360, on the other hand, is likely to come to the market with a sub-$500 price tag. The competition in the market will surely help keep prices down as other manufacturers continue to innovate.

However, as in the world of watches, history tells us that consumers will spend thousands of dollars for a rare timepiece. If any of the major watch makers join the game, we might see an emergency of luxury smart watches which will only drive more consumers in the middle class to pick up a lower priced model.

I wanted Glass when it was announced. It was new, it was fresh and it was unexplored territory in the real world. Now that I’ve seen Moto 360, I see elements some elements of Glass that I love that will fit much better into my daily life.

COMMENTARY:   I always thought that Google Glass was a cool wearable android device,  but upon reading McDermott's comments about Google Glass' shortcomings, and Moto 360's strengths, I have come to the realization that Google should rethink the design of Google Glass. I knew that battery life was a serious problem with Google Glass if you constantly use it to video things you see or run online queries constantly.  There should definitely be a "sleep" feature built into wearable devices.  Wireless power sources are now within reach, and Google should consider acquiring one of three or four startups that are innovating in the wireless power source space. This could be a possible solution to the problem. 

Peter G McDermott is a technology enthusiast and community builder dedicated to helping small businesses connect with their customers online.

Courtesy of an article dated March 20, 2014 appearing in Mashable 

RECON, A GOOGLE GLASS COMPETITOR, HAS ALREADY SHIPPED 50,000 DEVICES, TARGETS ATHLETES LIKE CYCLISTS AND SKIERS

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RECON, WHICH BILLS ITSELF AS A GOOGLE GLASS FOR ATHLETES, HAS ALREADY SHIPPED THOUSANDS MORE DEVICES THAN GOOGLE AND SECURED INVESTMENT FROM INTEL CAPITAL TO BOOT.

Recon, maker of a $600 Google Glass-like wearable device marketed toward athletes,  reports it has already shipped 50,000 of its "Snow" model, geared toward skiers. That's many thousands more than the number of Glass devices Google has shipped to date. Google has instead chosen to roll out its device very slowly, to only a few thousand people to start.

 

Recon has also secured an investment from Intel Capital to continue development on what Recon calls "the world's most advanced wearable computer." Although the debate over which wearable device can claim the title of "most advanced" is still up for discussion, Recon's current niche is high-performance athletes, which means it's more durable than the shatter-prone  Google Glass.

Intel VP Mike Bell, who manages the corporation's new devices group, said.  

"In Recon Instruments, we see compelling technology and a solid strategy to capitalize on the wearable revolution.  This is an area of significant focus for Intel Capital, and our investment in Recon Instruments is a key part of our approach to innovation in this emerging space."

COMMENTARY:   In terms of design, Recon glasses are reminiscent of the futuristic  Oakley sports shades that are so popular with many top tier sports professionals. An interesting difference between the Recon Jet and Glass is that the former puts the display lens at the lower part of the wearer's vision rather than at the top.

According to a statement on the Recon Jet website,

"Research has shown that looking down is an easier eye movement than looking up. Jet is also designed for outdoor use, where looking up could result in looking directly at the sun, something we want to avoid."

Another important difference is that the Recon Jet is controlled only by a touch-pad on the side of the device, no voice control feature is included.

As for the technical specifications, the Recon Jet is equipped as follows:

• 720p HD video camera. 
• 3D accelerometer. 
• Built-in microphone and speakers. 
• 8GB of flash memory. 
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability 
• Micro USB port. 

The device functions on an open platform that anyone can develop apps for, but right out of the box, the Pilot Edition of the Recon Jet comes with software that allows users to track their speed, distance, and heart rate. Users can also connect the glasses to their smartphone to see SMS alerts and caller ID.

And while you might think that Google wouldn't want to give exposure to a potential competitor, it appears that the company's reps were welcome at a Google recent conference. Recon Instruments CEO, Dan Eisenhardt, said,

"We introduced Recon Jet to the developer community at the Google I/O tech conference last month. To say the response exceeded our expectations would be a massive understatement."

Pricing for the early adopter Pilot Edition was $499, a deal that expired on July 21, to coincide with the end of this year's Tour De France event.  Delivery of the device is expected to be December 2013 through early 2014.

RECON Jet Pilot Edition

The advantages of the Recon Jet over Google Glass are apparent:

• Cheaper price (for now). 
• First to market. 
• Open platform (no worries about Google controlling your personal data). 
• Targeting athletes is smart. 

Athletes have been looking for something like this for a while now, particularly now that wearable performance trackers are taking off.  But the notion of a normal personal walking around wearing Glass in the same way that they might utilize a smartphone has struck some as impractical at best, and a capital offence against fashion at worst.

George Hincape wearing a pair of RECON Jet glasses (Click Image To Enlarge)

And, beyond all the other considerations, Recon Jet is simply the best alternative for anyone who wants most of the facility of something like Glass, but without having to lock yourself into Google's cloud apps that spread your data throughout the search company's software ecosystem.

Given those factors, the Recon Jet has a lot going for it.  However, the major advantage Google has is that scores of people have been enthusiastically testing Glass in the public eye for months now. In fact, in July Google uploaded a video of Wimbledon tennis pro Bethanie Mattek-Sands training with Glass, a clear indication that the company is trying to get more sports pros to adopt the device.

RECON Jet Features (Click Image To Enlarge)

Tour de France veteran George Hincapie testing out the Recon Jet in the video below.

 

RECON Jet Technical Specifications

Recon Jet is a powerful standalone microcomputer with the onboard processing power, suite of sensors and networking capabilities you would expect from a tablet or smartphone. It's open platform and SDK allows developers to create apps for any activity where information, relayed direct-to-eye, changes the game.

ONBOARD SENSOR FRAMEWORK	9-Axis sensors • 3D accelerometer • 3D gyroscope • 3D magnetometer Pressure sensor • Altimeter & barometer application Ambient temperature sensor Optical touch sensor for UI control Works in all weather conditions, and with gloves on
PROCESSOR SUBSYSTEM	1 GHz Dual-Core ARM Cortex-A9 On-board memory • 1GB DDR2 SDRAM  • 8GB flash
ULTRA-COMPACT DISPLAY	Wide screen 16:9 WQVGA display Virtual image appears as 30" HD display at 7' Power-saving sleep mode High contrast and brightness for readability in high ambient lighting
NETWORKING SUBSYSTEM	Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth Smart) • Apple MFi Bluetooth support GPS • MEMS GPS/INS Kalman filtering fusion algorithm ANT • Support for connectivity of up to 8 ANT+ peripherals Micro USB • Device charging/power • Data transfer
EMBEDDED  AUDIO & VIDEO	HD camera Integrated speaker and microphone

Courtesy of an article dated September 27, 2013 appearing in Fast Company and an article dated June 27, 2013 appearing in DVICE

CHICAGO WRITER MARGO ROWDER TESTS HER FIRST PAIR OF 'GOOGLE GLASS' AR GLASSES AT GOOGLE'S VENICE OFFICE

Chicago writer Margo Rowder was one of the few selected to try Google Glass, and here she is at Google HQ trying them out for the first time (Click Image To View Video)

During the month of May 2013, Google has been handing out the first editions of its much-anticipated Glass wearable computer devices to a select group chosen to try it out.

One of them was avid bicyclist and science-fiction writer Margo Rowder, who was invited to pick up the high-tech eyewear at a Google office in Los Angeles. All those selected to buy the glasses must pick them up at a Google office and go through a Google initiation-like process.

Rowder allowed me to tag along and experience the whole process with her.

She applied to receive an invitation to the Google Glass Explorer program in February, telling Google she was interested in using the device to help her get around Los Angeles on her bike.

In her application, Rowder also said Glass would make it easier for her to record any thoughts that came to her that would be useful for the book she is writing called "Thirty Decibels," which is about a futuristic society where most people are forbidden from speaking any louder than a whisper.   Rowder said she was very excited to receive her invitation to purchase the $1,500 glasses because in her book, which she began writing in 2009, she imagined a device that's very similar to what Google has made.

Riding on her blue Raleigh hybrid bike, Rowder pulled up Wednesday afternoon to Google's offices in Venice, located inside the Binoculars Building, designed in the 1980s by architect Frank Gehry.

Google office in Venice Beach, California (Click Image To Enlarge)

A look at the sleek interior of Google's Venice Beach, California  (Click Image To Enlarge)

The cafeteeria at Google's Venice Beach, California office (Click Image To Enlarge)

Inside we were greeted by half a dozen Google employees, all wearing Glass.

After Rowder finished putting on her contact lenses (you can't wear prescription eyeglasses while using Glass) we were escorted to the Glass team's wing of the building. Along the way we got an inside peek of what employees have access to: a Google L.A.-imprinted burgundy pool table, a large snack room and an open courtyard complete with a human-size chess board.

The team’s room looked like an Apple store that had been converted into a theater dressing room with vanity mirrors. On one side were counters with numerous glasses in various colors, and on the other, were vanity tables with black bags labeled with the “Glass” logo. Google's staffers offered drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Rowder had no interest in the white, black or gray glasses and instead focused on those that were in orange (tangerine) and blue (sky).

Glass is essentially made up of five parts: a titanium frame, two nose pads that hold up the frame, a counterweight on the back right side of the device, the main component which sits next to the right temple of a user's face and doubles as a touch pad, and a glass cube, which houses the tiny screen.

Once she picked out her color, Rowder was taken to one of the vanity tables, where she was presented with an encyclopedia-sized white box. She opened the box slowly, hoping to take in the full experience like a tech geek unboxing a new device. Once she got to the Glass, she lifted the device and examined it before putting on her very own head-mounted display for the first time.

Pat, a Google Glass team member, asked Rowder how the device felt before giving her tips on the proper way to wear it: The frame should sit straight across her brows and once she turns it on, she should be able to see the screen in the glass unimpeded.

She said.  

"Oh I see it." 

Pat asked her.

"You see the screen already?" 

Rowder said with an excited chuckle.

"Yeah." 

Another Glass staffer asked if I would like to try on the device. We went to the stand and I picked out the shale gray model -- I've always gone with dark and cool colors when it comes to my devices.

Margo tries on a light blue pair of Google Glass glasses and checks how the new augmented reality glasses look on her in a mirror. (Click Image To Enlarge)

Margo Rowder wears her new pair of Google Glass glasses for the first time (Click Image To Enlarge)

After putting it on and turning it on, I had to tap the touchpad on the main device (quickly tilting your head 30 degrees also works) to bring up a floating screen with a transparent  “OK Glass” written across it. It was like looking through a heads-up display on a fighter jet.

Along with “OK Glass” the see-through screen displayed the time of day. The display of “OK Glass” signaled that I could give it commands, to take a picture for instance. 

I instructed.  

“OK, Glass, take a picture.”

And the device snapped a photo, which I could see immediately on my display screen.

With the touch pad, I could scroll the screen left or right using a finger. Scrolling to the left displayed various information, including weather.  Scrolling to the right, I found the picture I had just taken.

After a few minutes, my eyes were beginning to strain -- I felt a little bit overwhelmed by the new technology -- so I took it off and handed it back to the staffers.

I rejoined Rowder as Pat helped her set up the smartphone app that works with Glass, check out the website where she can adjust Glass' settings, and add Glass apps (or Glassware as they are officially called). Rowder tried out all Glass’ functions, shooting video of us, searching images of actress Julia Roberts and sending her first Glass-written text message.

Rowder said aloud, specifying the punctuation marks, which Glass transcribed, turned to text and sent to her mom.

“Hi mom I'm talking to you from Glass. What do you think!?” 

After about half an hour spent setting up the device, Rowder was finally good to go. The Glass team walked us out and gave her as much information as they could before we said our goodbyes, like a couple of parents sending their daughter off to college for the first time.

Outside, Rowder popped on the sun visors that came with the Glass, put on her helmet, and hopped on her bike. For a moment, though, she seemed in an odd daydream-like state as she tried to get the Glass to give her directions.

I told my colleagues all about this weird instance that must surely happen to all Glass users as they scroll through their device looking for information. We came up with a term for it: Glass-eyed, as in,

“That girl’s totally Glass-eyed right now.”

COMMENTARY:    Sure looks like Margo Rowder had a great time experiencing Google Glass. Here a few of our Google+ posts shortly after she began using her glasses.

Courtesy of an article dated June 1, 2013 appearing in The Los Angeles Times

GOOGLE'S PROJECT GLASS FLEXES ITS MUSCLES, DEMONSTRATES ITS LIGHTNING FAST AND ACCURATE SEARCH CAPABILITIES

 

In a blog post dated May 15, 2013, I told you about the facial recognition features of Google Glass, and how this could create a new level of creepiness and consumer privacy concerns, and how Google Glass may need to be banned under certain circumstances.  

I am happy to report that Google Glass is not all bad, but could revolutionize search.  The following video of Glass team members +Mike LeBeau and +Amanda Rosenberg  demonstrates the speed and accuracy of Glass search and how natural searching on Glass feels.

 

One of the most magical things about Glass is its ability to get you the answers you want almost instantly. As soon as you think of something you want to search, all you need to do is ask. Simply long press the touch pad with one finger and say your query. It's the easiest and fastest way to get the answers you want, when you want them.

Courtesy of  an article dated June 10, 2013 appearing in YouTube

DOES GOOGLE GLASS HAVE A BRANDING PROBLEM? MARKETING EXPERTS MAP STEPS TO MAINSTREAM SUCCESS

Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin wears a pair of Google Glass AR glasses (Click Image To Enlarge)

Still in its test phase, Google Glass may be dorked to death before it gets the opportunity to take off. Here, marketing players from a range of agencies provide their assessment of Glass’s chances and some suggestions for paving the way to mainstream success.

Google’s much-hyped wearable computer, Google Glass, has been touted by the tech elite as one of the leaps forward of recent times, but those same elites may hobble mainstream adoption of the device.

While privacy concerns have blossomed (the device may be on its way to being banned at a number of locations), it may comfort those worried that we are all about to become spies for Google that the early adopters of Google Glass are helping to give it an image problem it might not recover from.

Technology venture capitalists Marc Andreessen, Bill Maris and John Doerr model Google Glass AR glasses (Click Image To Enlarge)

Marc Andreessen, a partner in the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, said, 

”You put it on and you’re like ‘Oh my God, I have the entire Internet in my vision. Where have you been all my life?’ ”

Kleiner Perkins venture capitalist John Doerr noted last month when unveiling Kleiner Perkins’ Google Glass-focused investment fund. 

"For paraplegics and quadriplegics, Glass could be a stunningly useful way to get information and interact with it."

The futuristic-looking headset can augment our everyday reality by putting data in our field of vision as well as allowing us to take pictures, and translating the spoken word on the move. But unfortunately, it also appears to have unintended contraceptive powers, as illustrated by this Tumblr featuring members of its decidedly unhip core fanbase.

Google CEO & Co-Founder Larry Page wears a pair of Google Glass AR glasses (Click Image To Enlarge)

It’s all very well having wearable technology that lets you livestream yourself hang gliding. But if it has all the sex appeal of orthodontic headgear, it’s unlikely to catch on. Google’s Glass Explorer program has put Google Glass in the hands and on the heads of developers and tech pundits who Google has selected to test it and have paid $1,500. Google chief executive Larry Page has indicated that the product won’t be in stores for about another year, by which time it may be hard to separate it from its association with tech fanatics.

Arguably, success in wearable technology hinges on making people look and feel good as much as providing a functional service. Developers might be happy to fork vast sums for the privilege of being a Google Glass owner, but when the product goes to mass market, fashion, or at least some sort of coolness and covetability will be as critical as functionality.

Tech pundit Robert Scoble wrote a glowing review about the augmented reality glasses and said, "I will never live a day without them." He then showed off a picture of himself showering while wearing the glasses.  Google co-founder Sergey Brin looking cool wearing a pair of Google Glass AR glasses onboard a bus (Click Image To Enlarge)

With this in mind, we asked five marketing experts: How would you position Google Glass to make sure it achieves mainstream success?

AFTER NAILING THE EARLY ADOPTERS, FOCUS ON LESS-EXPECTED APPLICATIONS.

Jinal Shah, digital strategy director, JWT New York

Google is embracing its influencers. Make no mistake though--they aren’t just going after the nerds. They are strategic in who they’ve invited to their Glass Explorers program, an influencer program that allows a handpicked group to use the first generation of Google Glass. Google has carefully curated a group of people who sit at the intersection of nerd and celebrity. For example, tech celebrity Soraya Darabi, among others. People like her not only bring their passion for technology but also their massive audiences (500K+ followers in the case of Soraya) into the conversation.

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, and former mayor of San Francisco, tries the glasses on Current TV (Click Image To Enlarge)

There’s incremental innovation and there’s wow-your-pants-off innovation. Google Glass is in the latter category. We tried it on last week at Google and it was pretty amazing. Mainstream success will happen as it expands the breadth of its audience and also as its simplifies its technology. What we’ll end up with in a few years is just a tiny camera that we’ll be able to attach to any eyewear. To the broader point, wearable technology is the future. Making it as nerdy as possible at the outset is a smart strategic move to get those who will engage most with the glasses to develop their capabilities and advance them to a place of general adoption. It should be no surprise that Google has already developed a partnership with Warby Parker. The aesthetic will change over time, and this will be one of the many norms of wearable tech.

The Google Glass initial approach has focused on driving exclusivity in select communities. And they’ve nailed it. In the next stage, I’d focus on creating desire by introducing a library of plain interesting to bizarre applications of Glass. Think government, music, Hollywood, retail partnerships--maybe even an episode of Family Guy with Stewie touting Glass.

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT NERDS.

Jonah Disend, CEO and Founder of Redscout

When we look at the challenge of extending Google Glasses out of nerdom, we believe that the challenge is first, one of execution and second, one of positioning and targeting.

• First, in terms of execution, Google Glasses inherently plays in two worlds--fashion and technology--and they haven’t created “cool kid” lust in either area.  It is neither an incredible fashion accessory that you would want to wear, nor is it a beautiful or obviously useful gadget that you would want to own.
• Second, in terms of positioning and targeting, today Google Glasses is seen as a barrier to social engagement as opposed to an enabler. While it may make your world more exciting and dynamic (as the promotional video might suggest), it does not currently enhance socialization nor have they shown how the value of the glasses increases with additional users (there is currently no clear Network Effect).

Now for our gross generalization about nerds versus everyone else. Nerds actively look to create barriers to protect them from the world, mitigate social engagement, and connect through virtual worlds (thinkWorld of Warcraft). In this context, Google Glasses are the ultimate tool for nerds to add a layer of protection between them and others and potentially seal the fate of Google Glasses as something that only the geekiest of the geeks would ever want to wear (or even own).

WORK WITH TRENDSETTERS.

Lloyd Salmons, Director of Digital, Saatchi & Saatchi London

I love Google. It gives me convenient access to a world of information and that’s something I want. I don’t love their glasses, because they don’t give me what I want. What I want is my glasses. If you’ve ever chosen a pair of glasses you’ll know how long it takes, how many opinions you seek, how many photos you’ve texted and images of celebrities you’ve looked at, be they fashion, sport or sunglasses. What I want is the Google I love, in the glasses I love. I want Google in my glasses.

Open APIs, products as platforms, and cocreation are the norm for tech companies. There is no way Apple or Android could have brought the level of innovation needed to create so many apps personalized to individual needs. Just because Google Glass is a physical product doesn’t mean Google should change the approach to creating the range of glasses needed to facilitate individual tastes.

To facilitate this, we’d build a platform allowing us to work with a range of individuals and the people who make their glasses. These people would range from well-known celebrities in fashion and sport, to everyday style leaders. The content generated across the journey from inception, build, and trial to launch would provide both broadcast content and ways to engage.

Google in Bradley Wiggins’s glasses: We follow the journey of Bradley and his glasses climaxing at the start of the Tour de France. Google in Elton John’s glasses: No one has more glasses than Elton John; he’s given us a hundred of his best to create a range of Google glasses and we’re going to find the perfect person for each of them. You get the picture. Google in P.Diddy’s glasses. Google in Sven Göran Eriksson’s glasses. Google in Victoria Beckham’s sunglasses.

If you try on anyone else’s glasses, you look like a nerd; that’s just a law of the universe. If you don’t believe me, try it. What I need is Google in my glasses.

IDENTIFY AND EMBRACE THE USAGE SWEET SPOT.

Brian Carley, SVP, Executive Creative Director, Rokkan

It’s a challenge, specifically because of the stigma that was quickly attached to them. Putting aside all flaws in its physical appearance, it would be ideal to tap into how people would realistically use them day to day. Very few people are going be wearing them ALL the time, but there are times when it would be useful to have a device such as this and also have complete use of your hands. We all assume that our mobile devices have no boundaries, but there are instances when we are apprehensive about having them on our person. I think that utilizing those moments is the sweet spot for this product. It’s a more useful Go-Pro and those are wildly popular within their specific usage, which is quite broad. There’s no real need for these beyond enjoyment, and so it would be wise to illustrate the truly hands-free experiences that surround the product beyond the dorkiness we’ve experienced already. At least they’re not as cumbersome as a Segway.

DON’T CHANGE A THING.

Bud Caddell, SVP, Director of Invention and Digital Strategy, Deutsch LA

Yes, white middle-aged men love Google Glass. Is it a problem? Of course not. Wearable tech has hardly fallen down Geoffrey Moore’s chasm. We’re seeing early adoption, and in tech (if we’re not counting Pinterest), white men from the Valley with disposable income tend to be first in, first out. And that didn’t stop iPads, laptops, or the mobile phone from reaching mass adoption. Yes, Robert Scoble in the shower is frightening. But take a breath. Google has already tapped Warby Parker, who I personally trust in putting things on my face, and I think Google Glass (in one iteration or another) is here to stay.

COMMENTARY:    

What Tech Guru's Are Saying About Google Glass

I am discounting by about 95% the positive comments made by most of the above technology pundits, expecially some of the above VC's in favor of what other technology pundits are saying:

Marcus Wohlsen, a tech reporter for Wired, on May 2, 2013, gave some hints that Google Glass could end in failure by making these comparisons: 

“The Segway. The Bluetooth headset. The pocket protector.”  

Rebecca Greenfield of The Atlantic, called the secret photo-taking application a “privacy nightmare,” and she also said:

“The Creepiest Google Glass App Is a Stalker’s Dream.” 

Jason Perlow of ZDNet wrote:

“Google Glass: Let the evil commence."   

Perlow also noted that in the “Explorer” version of Google Glass that shipped in early May to first generation of users,

"There is no recording LED indicator light on the device, so that one could stealthily record without any indication to the subject that they are being captured on-camera.”

Jason Zada, an award winning director, wrote on Twitter.  

 ”White Men Wearing Google Glass. This doesn’t make me want a pair.”

Another person simply wrote that Google Glass looks “lame.”

The Google Glass Is Banned List Grows

Privacy and security have become major concerns and as the list of concerned protesters continues to grow, we began to wonder: Where will we be most likely to see this Glass resistance moving forward?  This is a short list of businesses and places who will ban Google Glass:

• Movie theaters and concert venues - It's interesting to consider what Glass could do for film piracy and that annoying guy in front of you who waved his phone snapping photos through an entire two-hours concert. But these are two of the most obvious examples of places that traditionally prohibit cameras.
• Public schools - Or nurseries, or playgrounds. Really, anywhere with an influx of children is going to be a potential hotbed of legal headaches.
• Behind the wheel - The West Virginia legislators' attempt to ban Glass while driving will inevitably gain favor within other states, which will likely include many of the country's 39 states and Washington, D.C., where texting while driving is prohibited.
• Hospitals - Hospitals house boatloads of some of our most personal data, including medical records and insurance information. A stray paper or tilted clipboard could easily find its way into a Glass photo.
• Banks and ATMs - Similar to the hospital example, it's not unfathomable to imagine a Glass-clad someone hovering a little too close to your left shoulder to peep a glance at (not to mention a photo of) your credit card.
• Dressing rooms, locker rooms, and other rooms with people who are potentially naked - Think everywhere from department stores to your gym to strip clubs.

I might also add to the above list:

• Law enforcement - The police will absolutely hate Google Glass.  They don't want you recording their every move and what they say, because this could be used against them in court.
• Courts rooms - Court rooms often ban photographers from their court rooms, especially high-profile and controversial cases.  This is often necessary in order to protect the identity of the jurors and individuals making testimony.  
• Military bases - Any military personnel on military bases who enter or work in highly classified and secured areas will definitely be banned from wearing Google Glass. 
• Schools and colleges - Google Glass will definitely be banned from the classroom. Instructors will be weary of students who might use Google Glass to teach on tests.

On the other hand, I can definitely see immigration inspectors, airline security, law enforcement and even retailing establishments benefiting from Google Glass, in helping them identify criminals, security risks, people of interest and shoplifters before they commit crimes. Companies that want to protect their valuable intellectual property as a matter of practice will ban Google Glass.    

In my opinion, any technology that raises the high level of privacy and security concerns and could lead to consumer litigation potentially in the billions, has a huge PR image and this has the ability to permanently damage or destroy a brand.  This is what I see happening with Google Glass.  If Google wants to market Google Glass to the masses, they will have to severely limit or block its use in certain situations.  

Google needs to be careful that it does not damage its own brand reputation as the company whose motto is: "Don't Be Evil."   Google Glass has the potential to turn Google into the feared "Big Brother,"  that Steve Jobs warned us about when he tried to portray IBM as "Big Brother" in the famous TV commercial.  The company has to be very careful how they launch Google Glass. The company has a social responsibility to uphold (its motto) and it should not take us for granted.   The small cadre of tech geeks and very early adopters who now love and applaud Google Glass as the next big thing, may later learn to hate if they are not too careful.

I keep hearing that Google Glass represents the next evolution of the social network. Bringing the social network experience into the real world and sharing what we see and do with others.  Is this what Google (and Facebook) really wants?  God help us if this is where social networks are headed.  I don't want that kind of "social media experience" biting me in the butt, and I am sure you don't either.   Left to its own accord, without any controls, I believe that Google Glass crosses a line in the sand where our privacy is not only violated, but completely destroyed.  We lose our individuality as human beings, and we become an open book to anyone and everyone.

So keep in mind the old adage: "What goes around, comes around."       

Courtesy of an article dated May 15, 2013 appearing in Fast Company, an article dated May 4, 2013 appearing in CNN Tech, and an article date May 3, 2013 appearing in The New York Times Bits and an article dated May 15, 2013 appearing in VentureBeat

 

GOOGLE UNVEILS THE FACIAL RECOGNITION FEATURES OF GOOGLE GLASS, BUT LAWS TO PROTECT CONSUMER PRIVACY OR OUTRIGHT BANS WILL BE NEEDED

For those who wish they could better remember names and faces, a new demo app for Google Glass gives you notes on how you know each person.

Although the concept seems perfect for party or networking events, the app — called MedRef for Glass — was actually designed for hospital employees. By using facial recognition technology, staffers wearing Google's high-tech specs can pull up patient folders with photo, voice and text notes.

 

For example, a doctor might want to record that a certain patient likes to be rolled over on one side of their body or is allergic to nuts. And because the data is shareable with Google Glass, other nurses and physicians can have immediate access to this information.

The app was created by a team of computer programmers at a medical hackathon.

Here's how it works: MedRec adds timeline cards and sharing contacts via Google Glass. By saying a patient's name or taking a picture of their face, the device will bring up their records.

Lance Nanek, a computer programmer who worked to develop the app says. 

"Hospitals are full of very busy people — often with their hands full — who work with a lot of information.  Google Glass and making [data] wearable is especially being looked forward to there."

For a full look at how the app works, check out the video above.

Do you think Google Glass and its apps will revolutionize how we use technology across various fields, including the medical world? Let us know in the comments.

COMMENTARY:   So far Google Glass is not illegal, but some businesses have began posting "Google Glass Is Banned On These Premises" signs.  Despite a front page story appearing in the May 7, 2013 issue of the New York Times suggesting that Google is already facing a bunch of legal pushback over its face computer of the future, there are no laws on the books that make Google Glass illegal -- Yet.  

Click Image To Enlarge

A Los Angeles privacy lawyer tells the New York Times's David Streitfeld.

"This is just the beginning.  Google Glass is going to cause quite a brawl."

It's unclear how true that is, of course, because there hasn't been much actual courtroom brawling so far — mostly just Internet whining, really.

The New York Times cites a proposed bill from West Virginia statehouse politicians who "were not joking at all" about a ban on Glassing-while-driving. Except the bill seriously hasn't made it to the house floor yet. And while the New York Times cites the bill's sponsor in saying he's "likely" to reintroduce the legislation, well, Rep. Gary Howell has also said that he will introduce a study resolution to see how dangerous Google Glass really is. You know, in the meantime, and in the reality outside front-page privacy freak-out trend stories:

"If we do that, I would like to invite Google to provide a demonstration and explain if they will have some type of feature that will turn off everything."

Howell has said, in addition suggesting that he's open to other alternatives outside of the anti-Google Glass law.

But even if Howell takes his law back to the West Virginia state legislature and it passes, that hardly makes Google's new device illegal. After all, according to the New York Times,

"This is the most anticipated piece of electronic wizardry since the iPad and iPhone we're talking about here." 

And by the logic of the New York Times's scare tactics, cell phones would be considered illegal in all these states that ban use while driving. Even the group Stop the Cyborgs, which has launched an anti-Glass campaign, doesn't want to outright ban the devices.

"We don't want a total ban but do we want people to limit it's use."

the group insists (in bold), in the About section of its website. While other, logical places — like strip clubs, or casinos — have banned Google Glass, people don't necessarily need laws or formal prohibitions to tell them how to properly regulate their usage of the world's foremost walking computer.  Already a whole bunch of people have written about their inclination to have specific etiquette while using Google Glass. 

However, even Google admits that its much discuss hardware is still in beta — and that the company is open to changes to better suit our apparently myriad privacy fears. That's basically all the Stop the Cyborgs of the world want, anyway. The Cyborgs group has three main points suggesting ways in which Google can build in enough privacy to placate the interests of privacy hawks the tech world over:

• They will never allow any face recognition system or any app which automatically identifies people to work on Google Glass or on any server system connected to Glass.
• They will implement a do not track system which allows people to opt out of being tracked or having information captured about them by Glass. This system should not require the person to identify themselves.
• That all information gathered by Glass will remain the property of the owner or subject and will be encrypted so that it is impossible for it to be data-mined, made available to security services or used for commercial purposes.

Google chief Eric Schmidt sounds equally as open to those kind of changes himself. Schmidt said in response to a question about the scary future of data-tracking that Google will help create. 

"I think you're describing a world of tracking which I think is highly unlikely to occur, because people will be upset about it in the same way you are."  

He continues: 

"Governments won't allow it, and it'll be bad business. And ultimately, in a competitive market, companies want the consumers to be happy. So it's true tracking in this context...you're taking a much broader view of the word ['tracking'] than any I would use. A situation where you go to people and say, 'Oh, here's our phone, and we're going to track you to death,' people are not going to buy that phone. It's just a bad business model."

I am in total agreement with The Cyborgs group recommendations to limit how Google Glass can be used.  We certainly do not want automobile drivers to know the identity of random people by glancing at their vehicle plates.  Individuals have a right to their privacy and preventing the disclosure of their identity to the masses.  Google Glass' face recognition technology opens a can of worms that will become a legal nightmare for Google.  I understand that Google has over 100 attorneys on their staff.  They better get them ready for the onslaught of lawsuits that are likely to come if face recognition and private information about individuals is disclosed without permission.  

Courtesy of an article dated May 13, 2013 appearing in Mashable and an article dated May 7, 2013 appearing in The Atlantic Wire

A LOOK INSIDE ONLINE EYEWEAR E-TAILER WARBY PARKER'S NEW NYC FLAGSHIP STORE

 

THE STYLISH EYEWEAR PURVEYOR OPENS ITS FLAGSHIP STORE TODAY. COFOUNDERS NEIL BLUMENTHAL AND DAVID GILBOA SHOW US THE MAGIC BEHIND 121 GREENE.

Warby Parker stormed the retail glasses industry in 2010 with a novel way to sell its affordable, stylish specs: online. Hundreds of thousands of sold pairs later, the boutique glasses purveyor is today opening the doors to its brick-and-mortar flagship store, at 121 Greene Street in NYC's SoHo neighborhood.

The Warby Parker storefront at 121 Greene Street in New York City (Click Image To Enlarge)

Front door entrance to the new Warby Parker store on Greene Street in the SOHO district of New York City (Click Image To Enlarge)

Warby Parker rapidly built a thriving e-commerce business through an innovative model that eschewed costly expenses, such as brand licensing fees, and sold product directly to consumers, allowing the company to sell glasses for as low as $95 a pair.

Warby Parker cofounders Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa in the new Greene Street store (Click Image To Enlarge)

But cofounders David Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal tell Fast Company their brand has had a brick-and-mortar presence almost since its inception. Their first retail location? Blumenthal's apartment.

Blumenthal says.

"We literally would invite people to come to the apartment and we’d lay the glasses on the dining room table.  We thought it was going to be this sub-optimal experience, and it ended up being something really special."

They eventually opened up a showroom in New York City and set up displays within several smaller boutique retailers across the country, including The Standard hotel chain's Los Angeles and Miami locations, where guests can visit Warby's kitschy, '60s-themed "Readery" kiosks.

What you see when you walk in. Hopefully you see it even clearer when exiting (Click Image To Enlarge)

Custom terrazzo flooring embedded with the Warby Parker logo. Partners & Spade dreamed up the store's design conceit (Click Image To Enlarge)

Books by 14 partner publishers in Warby Parker's lobby remind you just how bad you need to be at this place (Click Image To Enlarge)

But Blumenthal and Gilboa have sprinkled the flagship store with an extra dusting of retail magic, taking a few cues from their neighbor across Greene Street: the Apple Store.

 Gilboa says. 

"What I think Apple did tremendously well when they launched retail was not to focus on how to shove as many products into the footprint as possible.  It was really focused around creating a magical experience.  That's what we've tried to create here."

When you walk into 121 Greene, you'll find rolling library ladders, a photo booth, reading materials from Warby-approved independent presses, and mirrors upon mirrors, so you'll never have to travel far to peep a glance at your bespectacled self.

Literary themes abound: The look of the store is inspired by a library. Books on Warby Parker's shelves are color-coded--eggshell, kelly, cerulean, crimson, and aubergine. And the cofounders combined the name of two early Jack Kerouac characters, Zagg Parker and Warby Pepper, to name their company (Click Image To Enlarge)

Warby Parker eyewear is prominantly displayed on well-lit shelves for close inspection and test wearing by customers (Clik Image To Enlarge)

Blumenthal and Gilboa say the store is an early testament to where the retail industry is headed.

Gilboa says.

"The future of our business and all retail is going to have some online and some offline component.  The world doesn’t have to be black and white."

The store's high ceiling has four rolling ladders attached to the walls. Here's the view from a top one of the ladders (Click Image To Enlarge)

Sunglasses and optical glasses--men's and women's--are mixed throughout the display around the store (Click Image To Enlarge)

The store sells books, too. Warby Parker teamed up with 14 publishers to display selected books from their catalogs on 14 different shelves. Shown here are Melville House Books (Click Image To Enlarge)

COMMENTARY:   What was inevitable that Warby Parker would have to open retail stores. Eye vision examinations, filling eyewear prescriptions and fitting glasses requires a lot of personalized service.  You cannot do this online.  It's a real hassle for Warby Parker customers to have to go to an optometrist to have their eyes examined and obtain a prescription for their lenses, then have to provide this information to Warby Parker so that the lense prescription can be filled.  A store provides a completely new customer retail experience that you cannot get from an online store, no matter how well designed your online store is.  

Having a brick-and-mortar eyewear store fills another very useful purpose -- it provides an additional level of convenience for existing Warby Parker customers.  Warby Parker probably sold a lot of eyewear to customers living in New York City, and having a local store to serve those customers, and future customers, will be very good for business.  

The New York store will doubtless increase Warby Parker's operating expenses.  Retail space is very expense in New York, and you have also have the added cost of store clerks and an on-premise optrometist.  

Warby Parker's original strategy was to disrupt the present retail eyewear industry, but it now appears to have taken a 180 degree turn in that strategy.  Only time will tell whether operating real stores will economicaly feasible without disrupting its original strategy.      

Courtesy of an article dated April 14, 2013 appearing in Fast Company