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Microsoft Granted Patent For Augmented Reality Glasses
another random user writes with an excerpt from the BBC about Microsoft's vision for augmented reality glasses: "A patent granted to the U.S. tech firm describes how the eyewear could be used to bring up statistics over a wearer's view of a baseball game or details of characters in a play. The newly-released document was filed in May 2011 and is highly detailed.
... Although some have questioned how many people would want to wear such devices, a recent report by Juniper Research indicated that the market for smart glasses and other next-generation wearable tech could be worth $1.5bn by 2014 and would multiply over following years."
Noticeable differences from Google's version: two lenses, a wrist computer, and wires.
I am with Richard Stallman and the FFII: Stop all the nonsensical software patent granting. All of them are a disgrace to professionals in the field, a hostile takeover from laywers and patent parasites.
Why can't they be indistinguishable from normal glasses? Google's prototypes are pretty close to normal glasses already:
http://blog.sitestogo.biz/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/google-glasses.jpg
You think that thick part can't be integrated into the frame and the screen can't be part of the main lens?
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
I would hesitate getting Google's reality glasses because it would mean that all my data would go to Google. Instead of that, Microsoft's version would process things independently on the wrist computer. That's a huge difference and suits to people who want to keep their privacy.
Doesn't look like it:
It indicates that most of the processing work - identifying people and other objects in view, and deciding what information to show about them - would likely be carried out by remote computer servers in order to keep the equipment slimline.
So you'll probably need a .NET Passport/Windows Live ID/Microsoft Account/whatever-they're-calling-it-tomorrow to use it.
No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun
In copying everything Apple, Microsoft wants a 'Reality Distortion Field' and has to resort to hardware to do it.
Not at all, if you're willing to back it up.
I don't know about you, but when someone with a brand-new account kicks off the discussion with a first post that praises Microsoft and denounces the competition, and that is their only comment, that looks rather odd to me.
When you remember that there have been a lot of new accounts doing exactly that over the course of this year - the Visual Studio ones being some of the most blatant - well, writing that off as normal user behaviour starts to look like burying your head in the sand.
My watch glows in the dark so I only have to look at my wrist at night to see what the time is. It is powered by my wearing it so I don't need a mains supply (and cable / proprietary adapter) to recharge it. It can withstand water pressure of 10atm.
It also only cost me £30 a decade ago and hasn't had any problems whatsoever.
Until my smartphone can do all of those things I'm keeping it.
"Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"