glass

Conan can't resist making an ass of Google Glass

When it comes to late-night talk shows, I am not sure if Conan O'Brien is bringing up the rear.

He seems, though, to be keen on suggesting that Google Glass might be scraping the bottom of the barrel.

It's not so much that Google has created these new glasses through which you can have a richer, more informative view of the world. It's that the company has created a sister device, intended to be worn as, well, a back-up.

And so we see Google Glass from the other side of life. It is the side most familiar … Read more

How Google is getting human with Google Glass

I've always felt a little skeptical about Google.

To be honest, not just about Google.

But in the case of the men from Mountain View, there's always been something so touchingly gauche about the way they've gone about their business.

None of this was assuaged by the recent sight of Google's Sergey Brin sitting on New York's subway wearing his Google glasses and looking like, well, a nerd on the subway wearing silly glasses.

I feared, therefore, for the world's nerve ends when I heard that Google had launched a site to promote those … Read more

Google Glass patent application gets really technical

Google sure is trying to head off any possible Glass copycats with its detailed patent application, published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The application, originally filed by Google in August 2011, goes into deep detail on how the glasses could be constructed, with long sections describing factors seemingly as mundane as the arms and bridge of the glasses frames.

As for the display, in a section of the application labeled "Background," Google explains that some head-mounted displays can "almost entirely obstruct the wearer's vision outside of the screen." Others can be &… Read more

Google wants to de-geek its glasses, says report

Those of you who think Google Glass eyewear looks a bit geeky may be in store for a more fashionable approach.

Google is chatting with eyeglass maker Warby Parker to bring a touch of style to Glass, The New York Times said today, citing its sources as "two people briefed on the negotiations."

Neither Google nor Warby Parker would comment on the reported talks to the Times. Google also told CNET that it had nothing to share. CNET contacted Warby Parker for comment and will update the story if we receive any information.

A startup company that's … Read more

How Google is preparing the world for Glass

Early this morning, while most of the West Coast slept, Google took the next steps in introducing Google Glass to the world.

A sleek website, highlighted by a crisp, new video, started to answer basic questions about the device for the broader world. How does it look? What does it do? Can I use it while dancing with a ballerina? (You can.)

Along with the new glimpses of Glass came a contest designed to lure early adopting enthusiasts in the United States. The simple request: "Using Google+ or Twitter, tell us what you would do if you had Glass, … Read more

Google looking for Glass Explorers

Wednesday's CNET Update does a barrel roll:

Google wants you to fall in love with the idea of a computer on your face. It has released another promo video showing what Google Glass could do (even though it's not a real product yet), and launched a contest for a chance to buy a $1,500 prototype. But as Forbes points out, people are using the #ifihadglass hashtag contest to point out the drawbacks of Glass.

Today's tech news roundup also looks at the redesign of Yahoo's home page, and the updated SwiftKey app for Android.

Watch … Read more

Google's electronic eyewear gets 'OK Glass' voice commands

"OK Glass."

Those are the two words that Google showed today will initiate a variety of commands for its Glass computerized eyewear.

In the Google Glass "How it Feels" video, people speak the words "OK Glass" and then pick from a list of featured voice commands to send a message, record a video, take a photo, launch a video-chat hangout, conduct a search, check the weather, or get driving directions.

The demo is a concrete illustration of how Google is evolving its technology from a mere search engine to a constant personal companion that augments your mind. … Read more

Transparent smartphone prototype is clearly cool

Many smartphones look the same from afar. I bet most of you own one that's thin, rectangular, and features a big screen. Boooring!

A fully transparent conceptual smartphone, developed by Taiwanese company Polytron Technologies, gives me hope for a future full of fancy smartphones far different from the common designs seen today.… Read more

Google posts pictures from last month's Glass Foundry event

We still don't know what exactly happened during Google Glass Foundry, last month's two-day hackathon designed to let developers get their hands on Google's wearable computing project for the first time. Developers signed nondisclosure agreements, and haven't been forthcoming when we've asked them to comment.

But while Google isn't saying much, the company did post a gallery of pictures from the event today to the Google Developers page on Google+. The event took place in both New York and San Francisco, and apparently the developers were quite busy. Says Google:

They formed teams and … Read more

The most anticipated tech of 2013

It's looking to be a banner year for tech fans.

We're just two months into 2013, and we already have a long list of hotly anticipated products due by the end of the year -- everything from the PlayStation 4 to the upstart Ouya game console to the Razer Edge. And that doesn't even include the rumored (but likely) products such as the next Xbox or the new iPhone, or the more ephemeral "iWatch."

Since we originally created this list on February 8, we've added some new entries to the list based on your … Read more