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Google Sees a Bright Future in Smart Shades

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Google Sees a Bright Future in Smart Shades
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By Richard Adhikari
TechNewsWorld
02/22/12 2:42 PM PT

Google is reportedly going ahead with manufacturing eyeglasses that display information to the wearer via an embedded screen. The devices were first talked about a few weeks ago; now a new report puts their prices anywhere from $200 to $600, with availability starting later this year. However, Google may not necessarily be the first in the world of wearable heads-up displays.


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Reports that Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) is working on special glasses that will stream information to a display in one lens in real time have once again surfaced.

The glasses will hit retail shelves by the end of the year, The New York Times reported.

They will be priced in about the same ballpark as new smartphones, meaning they'll likely fall into the US$250 to $600 price range.

The glasses will reportedly run on Android.

"The technology is not that far away for glasses that would even include enough processing [power] to support Android or other OSes," Paul Travers, founder, CEO and president of video eyeware maker Vuzix, told TechNewsWorld.

Google did not respond to our request for comment for this story.


Possible Details of the Google Glasses
The so-called Google Glasses will reportedly include a small screen that will sit very close to the wearer's eye.

They will apparently sport a 3G or 4G connection and several sensors, including a motion sensor and GPS.

The glasses will also reportedly have a low-resolution built-in camera that can overlay information about locations, surrounding buildings, and nearby friends.

Augmented reality technology will let the glasses tap into various Google products. The glasses will interact with data in the cloud.

Striving to Be First
Google's not alone in working on enhanced glasses. Vuzix has a $1 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop prototype glasses of this sort.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Vuzix also announced SMART Glasses, a line of sunglasses that would integrate HD displays and waveguide optics. The glasses will work with devices connected to the Internet and will be able to be used at night or outdoors in full daylight.

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