Looking through the Google Glass

SINGAPORE — Wearable technology has come a long way since we were clipping pagers to our belts, while smartwatches are the buzzword these days.

However, the ultimate for many is to have the information you need pop up right in front of you. While that might still be some years away, Google Glass takes us a step closer to that reality.

But that reality is still some distance off, as the Glass is available only as part of Google’s Explorer programme, in which United States residents can apply for a chance to buy one. Those who have managed to get into the programme did not get the Glass cheaply either, with one item costing US$1,500 (S$1,900).

However, the price has not scared off everyone — at least 8,000 people have their hands on the Glass right now.

This sense of exclusivity got me excited: I have seen the Glass during trips to the US, but having it in my hands (and on my face) was thrilling — and gave me an idea of what the future of wearable tech might hold.

What makes Google Glass stand out is a tiny display that sticks out of a frame that sits on your face like a pair of spectacles. But while two grippers generally held the titanium-framed Glass firmly on my face, it would sometimes slide down slowly.

The screen rests slightly above your line of sight, needing you to look upwards when using the Glass, thus not hindering your normal vision.

Using the Glass is simple. Tap on the right side of the frame and say “OK Glass”. From there you can tilt your head up or down to scroll up and down a list of commands and speak the command you would like the Glass to follow. The right side of the frame also works as a touchpad — for example, it can be used to scroll through and select options when voice recognition is spotty.

During my test run, voice recognition was good — I did not have to change the way I spoke into some aberration of an American accent for the Glass to understand what I was saying.

There is, however, a huge caveat: The Glass can only parse words it has in its dictionary, which is still largely based on American pronunciations and locations.

Finding my way to Andrew Road, where MediaCorp is located, was no issue. However, MediaCorp became “Media Com” while Potong Pasir completely befuddled the Glass and did not register a result.

Googling will usually result in a summary screen with a single result, from which you can search for alternatives or read further. This means that, yes, you can surf the Internet with the Glass, but in its current iteration you have to be prepared to be constantly zooming and scrolling with your fingers if you want to be able to read text that can be tiny on the screen.

At any rate, you are probably better off taking out your phone to read something long — complex searches are unwieldy in the Glass and constantly glancing upwards while tapping the Glass is a chore.

There is also a 5MP, 720P HD camera and you can use voice commands or tap to take a photo or record a video, which allows for near-instant image capturing.

I spent a very short time with the Glass, but even so I could see where it will be useful. Using it while travelling, for example, would be perfect — I would not have to keep whipping out my phone to figure out whther I was headed in the right direction.

Quick and simple searches, such as for the weather, translations and definitions, will be particularly useful, as would taking a photo or video.

Even using it via Google Hangouts to show someone what you are looking at would be great for discussions and collaborations. Anything deeper, like reading a full Wikipedia article, would be beyond it right now and would require too much effort to use while you are doing something else — glancing up would be a danger on the roads, and even commuters might find themselves falling down a flight of stairs.

It is still early days for the device, but, even so, I can feel myself wanting to own the Glass. But given the current price and the US-only availability, for most of us getting a Google Glass right now is just a pipe dream. Still, broader availability is expected by the end of the year, so it might not be too long before we also have the future in our hands.