Monday, November 25, 2013

Where Are My iGlasses?

By Mila D. Aguilar

Who would use Google Glass while walking or driving? Anyone crazy enough to do so would most likely run into an accident. Or at the very least get dizzy viewing the Internet on a jog. So what is it for, then? There are already all manner of iDevices for Internet consumption purposes.

The iGlasses I want are more practical. They could serve as real eyeglasses and sunglasses, and could even take photos and videos -- using my eyes as point of view.

I don't have 20/20 vision. I'm near-sighted and astigmatic. I don't appreciate Google building a pair of glasses that's not meant for my eyes, and will take one more year to upgrade to optical lenses.

The iGlasses I want will adjust to my grade according to my optician's prescription, without her having to keep on grinding lenses for it. For a start, she may program it, but later, as the iGlasses acquire better hardware and software, the device itself will adjust to my eyes' visual needs.

Since I'm already a senior citizen, it can even adjust to my reading needs, obliterating the need for "doble vista," or two different lenses stacked one on top of the other.

Now wouldn't that be something!  It will also darken and lighten automatically according to my location. When I'm outside my house, it becomes a pair of sunglasses. At night, it lightens my vision so well it could even lend me infra-red, if I so wish.

In fact, I could zoom in on the tiniest speck of dust if I wanted, and zoom out just as easily.

But that wouldn't be all I could do with it.  I am both a photographer and a videographer, and have always believed that the eye is the best camera in the world. With the iGlasses, I could take the most artistic photos and videos in the world, and upload them to wherever I want with the flick of a finger.

Of course, this last function would need the aid of another iDevice, like an iWatch, iPhone, iPad or iPod. Whether through Bluetooth, WiFi, or more advanced means of communication, the iGlasses will be able to stream or send the photos and videos it takes to the Internet through these other more robust devices, which can be on my wrist or in my pocket or bag.

I can tap on the rim of my iGlasses to take a photo, then double tap to send.  To assure accuracy, I can view what I am about to take on any of my iDevices and tap or send from there.

That will also make it possible for me to place my iGlasses on the table and take a photo or video without my subject knowing!

And because my iGlasses can zoom in and out according to my instructions, whether by moving two fingers on my iDevice or sliding my hand over the handles of the glasses, I can take a telephoto or macro shot whenever I like.

Wouldn't that be exceedingly more fun and creative than viewing the Internet from a Google Glass? Or shooting photos and videos from a helmet perched on my head? It will take a lot of product research and development, but I know that, given a year or two, or perhaps three, it can be done.


Especially if Apple with its excellent fashion design sense were to put its mind to it.

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