via GregEnslen.com | Tech Corner, 05/01/13: Tech News: Exploring the world of technology…this week, we’re covering some of the latest tech news from around the country…
Google Glass is Coming
Over the next year, Google will be rolling out a new technology — Google Glass. Unlike a cell phone or tablet computer, this new piece of technology will be worn by the user — in fact, the Google Glass device looks like a strangely-thick pair of glasses. The user will wear the “glasses” around in their daily lives, but the wearable computer will be available at all times to take photos, respond to spoken questions, and search the Internet instantly.
The glasses display what looks like a small computer screen in one corner of the user’s vision — the small screen can display photos, directions, emails or anything else that a user might see on their cell phone — but instead of looking down at their screens, users of Google Glass will see the text or directions “floating” in the air at the edge of their vision.
Google has been testing the technology forover a year and has recently been allowing testers to try out the technology. The camera is interesting — photos are taken by speaking directly to the device and are obviously hands-free, so photos can be captured instantly instead of fumbling for your phone, then turning it on, then selecting the photo app, then snapping the photo. This should capture more candid photos and photos of activities that require both hands — one memorable test photo was of a user swinging his child around in the air, a photo that would be impossible to take with a standard camera.
Of course, alway-on wearable cameras raise all kinds of privacy issues that will need to be addressed — in fact, some places area already banning Google Glass wearers, even though the glasses aren’t even really out yet. Google has released an “Explorer Edition” to select beta testers willing to pay $1,500 to try out a test unit. Public availability will follow, probably in 2014. For more information, see www.google.com/glass/start/.
New Versions of Xbox and Playstation Coming This Year
Video gamers are having quite an exciting time of late: first, the newest Nintendo system was released last November, and the Playstation 4 was recently announced from Sony and should be out by Christmas.
Now, Microsoft has announced that the planned new iteration of Xbox will be revealed at an event on May 21. Rumors abound, but it sounds like the new (and as yet unnamed device) will be available at two price points: a $499 retail version and a $299 version that will require a two-year subscription to Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service.
Other rumors include news that the system may not be backwards compatible (or just the more expensive version will be), and that all the new versions will require an always-on Internet connection. Still no confirmation on a release date, but expect the unit to be in stores well ahead of Christmas 2013.
And some Tech Tidbits:
Samsung and Apple are duking it out with new products and services – Samsung is planning to launch a new eight-inch tablet, while Apple is reportedly creating its own Pandora/Spotify-style music streaming service…a set of Android-powered cell phones was recently launched into space by NASA…gamers can now order Pizza Hut directly from their xboxes…and users on Facebook recently collaborated to solve the 45-year-old mystery of the hit-and-run death of Carolee Ashby in 1968. For more information on these items, hit up the Google.
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