Google Glasses Start Looking Like Glasses

"Earlier today we reported that Google was looking to improve their awesome augmented reality glasses by making them a bit more stylish and fashionable. Because no matter how great they are, people need to want to wear them. Well this evening we’re now seeing a new patent that gives us an idea of what they’re aiming for, as well as what Project Glass could look like on a nice frame," says Android Community. "They certainly aren’t Ray Bans, but can you imagine rocking some awesome Aviator or Wayfarer style glasses combined with Project Glass. Sign me up for a pair right this minute. We’re getting ahead of ourselves though, Google has just started looking into alternative styles and we’re probably far from anything extremely fashionable." Read more.

Google to Ship Project Glass to Developers

"Google is gearing up to ship its Project Glass technology to developers prior to the public launch, according to Ieee Spectrum,” according to a MacWorld UK post. “Project Glass prototypes will start to arrive in developer's offices in the next few months, although Google isn't expected to ship the consumer version of the technology until 2014. Tech fans have been getting excited by the prospect of heads-up display consumer eyewear for a while now, and Google has consistently announced its plans in this area being put into action by the Project Glass research and development team.” Read more.

What Is the Future of Augmented Reality Eyewear and CLs?

Consumers’ first taste of Augmented Reality (AR) has so far come from predominantly gimmicky marketing apps built for today’s smartphones. However, a new study from ABI Research predicts that it won’t be long before the next, more meaningful wave of AR apps will start appearing. The verticals driving this wave will include interactive print, mobile shopping, and children’s education. Meanwhile, there is little doubt that the future of AR is not in smartphones or tablets, but in more natural, eyewear-based interfaces. The real question is when that future will actually begin. Could Google’s widely-discussed Project Glass, for example, already mark the start of this paradigm shift? Read more.

Apple Patenting AR Eyewear

BGR  reports that "Google unveiled the first iteration of its “Project Glass” connected eyewear this past April, and reports emerged soon after suggesting Google’s rivals were already working on similar solutions. According to a patent granted to Apple earlier this week, the company is among those toying with the idea of wearable displays. As noted by Apple Insider, patent No. 8,212,859 covers “peripheral treatment for head-mounted displays,” specifically mentioning see-through display technology that may find a home in some type of connected eyewear." Read more.

Round-Up of Google's Virtual Reality Eyewar

Time reports that "given that the first version of Project Glass could be a year away, don’t get your hopes up for contact lens computing any time soon. But seeing as Microsoft is already researching the concept for medical applications, Lee’s claim that smartphone-like contacts are the next natural step in the process doesn’t seem so far-fetched." Read more.