Google Glass Beta testing hits Australian soil

0
1933

Fred Armisen in Saturday Night LiveWhilst there is no official date for consumers yet, developers and a lucky few commoners are already in the midst of testing pre-release versions of Google Glass. This gives developers ample time to begin working on Google Glass apps. The first known Australian company to have received theirs is Safety Culture Australia, which develops apps and other technology solutions for the workplace.

Although the employees have also confirmed the glasses are fine to drive with (thanks for doing so, we were curious!), the real reason they’ve obtained the glasses is to look into an app for health and safety reasons at work. Luke Anear, managing director of Safety Culture Australia, sees a lot of potential in the product: “Google Glass gives us the ability to extend those apps into a platform that is wearable and hands-free.”

For one, the product could be quite useful to those who are working on dangerous matters and need some guidance. Google Glass attaches its “computer” to the right lens, where users access a screen to browse the internet, record, take pictures and send text messages through voice activation. Previous apps by Safety Culture Australia allowed users to efficiently perform safety checks and inspections with a smartphone.

Non-developers will be happy to know Google Glass has also proven to be popular amongst their peers, one of them being American technology journalist Joshua Topolsky, who said: “It’s clean, elegant, and makes relative sense. The screen is not disruptive; you do not feel burdened by it. It is there and then it is gone. It’s not shocking. It’s not jarring. It’s just this new thing in your field of vision. And it’s actually pretty cool.”

Time will tell if the technology turns out to be a fad, or the next step in our slow transformation into cyborgs. To fellow doomsday thinkers we can only recommend “The Entire History of you”, the season ender to Black Mirror’s first season. The ever positive English mentality will definitely alleviate your fears!

Leave a Reply