Since the initial release of Google Glass both the hardware and software have come a long way. It’s still not clear how far we are away from an official public launch but it’s getting closer. There is also now a new hardware version of Google Glass 2.0 that is being given out. I’m a Glass explorer and have opted to get the version 2.0 by trading my old one. I’m really excited about this new version and the potential. One new big improvement is the addition of an earbud which will help a lot with calls. But there are also tons of software updates as well. Let’s take a closer look.
With any hardware that comes out, the success will mostly be on the apps that are released for the device. Up until now the selection has been slim but that is expected since there has been no official launch and limited devices. But things are ramping up now with the Glass Developer Kit (GDK) and exciting new apps are being made available.
Just recently a bunch of new apps have been released for Glass that really show the potential and make the device powerful. We now have Google Play Music app with the ability to listen to radios and playlist if you have All Access subscription. You can now upload videos to YouTube directly which will be fantastic since photo and video is a hug use of Glass. There is official Wink app that will let you take photos with a wink. There is expanded Hangouts support with the ability to send and receive messages, photos, and make video calls. These are just a few of the apps and you can get the full list under your MyGlass application.
One of big improvements with Glass is the GDK which will allow apps to run on the device just like other Android phones and tablets. Up until now all the apps used the Mirror API which basically ran the apps from another website. The new apps will let you run them even if you don’t have connection to internet which is important. I’ve been using the Strava running app to recored my runs which is an example of a great use of Glass. The Glass team has also added a compass, stopwatch, and timer apps.
I’ll be getting my Glass version 2.0 in about a week and really look forward to the new hardware and increased functionality with the new apps. I think Glass does have a huge potential and can’t wait to see what happens when it finally gets released to the public. Until then, I’ll be bringing the Glass news straight to our fans. Stay tuned.
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