Those who thought Google Glass was the first release in the technology have obviously never heard of GlassUp. But now that the issue has become more mainstream, word is getting around that they could be the alternative to the more pricey Glass.
Originally created two years before Google Glass, it is a less feature heavy version of the wearable computer. It was the brain child of Francesco Giartosio, Gianluigi Tregnaghi and Andrea Tellatin. All three had backgrounds in wearable technology, such as displays for interactive pilot visors and smart watches. Together, they released a product that combines with a smartphone to let you control tools and content within the lenses of a pair of glasses.
You should think of it less like Google Glass and more like a glasses connected app. GlassUp works by connecting to your mobile (which you must have on you at the time) to give you notifications. This works with email, Facebook updates, Twitter updates and text messages. They hope it will also work with other notifications in the future.
All of this shows up as a small, unobtrusive notice in your peripheral vision. You can then bring it to the main lenses to read when you have time and it is safe to do so. The format is read only, so you can keep up with what is going on without going to your phone. You can then answer via your mobile, or at a computer when you normally would.
Compatibility is with Android and iOS, but they are looking to expand to Windows. The glasses weight around 65 grams run Android OS. The resolution of the display is 320×240. You can use the touch-pad controls (tap, double tap, long press, swipe vertically and horizontally) to control different actions on the Glass. I guess we should be able to get more information about this when GlassUp will be officially released.
They are pretty much what you would expect from computing glasses. GlassUp is somewhat unattractive, lightweight, has a day’s worth of battery life and touch pad controls. You cannot combine the sensors with real glasses, though they say on their site they are working on that.
In the past, I have proven myself to be incredibly biased on this issue. I don’t understand the need for this kind of thing, I don’t think the evolution of the technology will be sustainable, and it seems like a serious case of flash without substance.
On the other hand, if you are going to be wasting money on something like this, GlassUp is a better option than Google Glass. It has less features, but it gives you pretty much all you can expect. They will also be a lot cheaper($199 right now) in the long run, so check out their Indie GoGo.
