It's not just the skydivers at today's Google showcase that are sky-high -- the price for the Google Glass Explorer Edition high-tech specs are sky-high too.
The lightweight, camera-equipped glasses were shown off by Google today at Google I/O, where the Nexus 7 tablet and Jelly Bean, the latest version of Android, were also unveiled.
Project Glass is still in development and is far from hitting shops for you or I to wear. But an early adopter's 'Explorer Edition' was unveiled today for attendees of Google I/O, for any intrepid developers who want to get their hands on -- or eyes under -- the high-tech goggles. US developers at the event are able to pre-order a pair for delivery early next year.
They'll have to be feeling flush though: the Project Glass Explorer Edition costs $1,500 (£965).
Google showed off Glass by skydiving into the demonstration, the live images beamed from the skydivers' point-of-view to our screens. Click play below to see how Project Glass literally fell from the heavens:
On the side of the glasses is a touchpad for control, with a small display positioned over your eye. The actual details are still pretty light, although Google did reveal they have multiple radios for data communication, and a gyroscope so the glasses can tell your position and orientation.
Google envisages two uses for Glass glasses. Firstly, wearers can capture videos and photos taken in those split seconds when you wish you had a camera but there isn't one to hand.
Secondly, the specs give you an augmented reality view of your surroundings, layering information over whatever's in front of you. That could be traffic updates, directions, or even information on the person you're talking to.
It seems fancy specs are the future: Sony is working on a Project Glass rival, with Microsoft Xbox Kinect Glasses also in the works.
Would you pay £1,000 for some sophisticated spectacles? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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Peter Hudson 27 June, 2012 23:56
"Would you pay £1,000 for some sophisticated spectacles?" No, just, no.
anonymous 28 June, 2012 05:09
I already pay 250 quid for normal specs. If they corrected my vision as well it's not as expensive as you think.Plus this could have lots of applications to really implement Augmented Reality.
Emergency and earthquake rescue situations (where street used to be for example and where colleagues are, where suspected casualties phones are under the rubble should there signals reach out...), offshore engineering orientation assistance where subsea position data is over laid for topside guys, various observers for witness records (Election observers, Police officers, etc)
tomfromaardvark 28 June, 2012 12:35
Think about it. £1000 is a lot now but the more the technology is used the cheaper it'll get... this isnt apple we are dealing with here :P imagine just about every single 1st person game you have every played... you may have mission objectives in one corner, your 'health' in another and a compass in the 3rd... this is what Google Glass could eventually become! endless information available to you literally right in front of your eyes! this cannot be a bad thing, even at £1000!!
anonymous 29 June, 2012 06:15
Yes Yes Yes. It just has to deliver on the promise of AR.
nightlore 10 July, 2012 16:08
Like most people who wear glasses, the cost each year for new lenses, and most of the time new frames, is about a quarter of the £965 cost of the Google Hi-tech Glass Explorer Edition. So as they start to roll out I'm sure they will go down in price to around the £500 mark, well I'd hope they would. If the picture quality is as good as a low end Video camera cost £100+ and glasses £250+ you are nearly at the £500 price. That's assuming they do go for the lower price it doesn't seem that expensive ! Yes I'd love a pair if the price is a lot lower.
anonymous 24 September, 2012 14:13
that is cool you can use the camera to take pictures if hot guys without them noticing