Project Glass "Explorer Edition" Finally Visits FCC
Looks like Google wasn't too far from its January 2013 target for developers.
Google's Project Glass (Google Glass) "Explorer Edition" has arrived in the hands of the FCC, meaning the $1500 heads-up display specs, aka XEB, is one step closer to reaching developers. Google first introduced this version of Project Glass back in May 2012, during Google I/O, saying the gadget would be launched sometime around January 2013.
According to documents submitted to the FCC for approval, the Explorer Edition hardware will include a Broadcom 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi radio paired with a Bluetooth 4.0+ LE module. It was first tested by the FCC on November 19, and the documents show that the FCC also tested another model using Bluetooth 4.0 HS.
The Explorer Edition filing also talks about the audio aspect, backing up a recent patent submitted by Google that discusses delivering audio to Project Glass users through bone conduction. Elements embedded within the frames will vibrate, sending a stream of audio into the ear canal via the wearer's skull. Bones won't be directly vibrated, but will instead merely receive the transmission.
Because the FCC is now making the documents public, it's assumed that Project Glass, or at least the Explorer Edition, is safe for human consumption. When exactly these specs will ship to developers this quarter is unknown, but it looks like Google wasn't far off its January target – maybe sometime this month?
Google previously stated that Project Glass will be ready for consumers in 2014. That gives developers at least a year to create cool Glass apps before then.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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wannabepro If they can get the price tag in the $250 range.Reply
GOOGLE, TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!!!!
In all seriousness, it needs at least 1 full day of battery life..
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CaedenV getochknNo wifi N in today's day or age?I kinda thought that was a little odd as well at first, but then I got to thinking, the only time that 11n saves your battery is if the device itself is fast enough where it can download, process, and turn parts off fast enough to make it matter. However, due to the form factor, and the sheer use case of these glasses only requires the most basic in hardware specs. So if we are talking about only using the most basic arm single or duel core CPU then perhaps there would simply be no use for including the 11.n radio this time around.Reply -
house70 getochknNo wifi N in today's day or age?For real, dude?Reply
This is the first device of it's kind, first edition, and you complain about wifi N? What next, OMG, no LTE bands? And if they have some LTE bands, then OMG not ALL LTE bands?
I will be interested to see day-to-day user reviews first, to see what type of battery life we should expect and what kind of modifications they will make after receiving feedback.
I am sure that when all the kinks have been ironed out (and there will be kinks, no doubt, in this first release) somebody will put a chip that has all the wifi bands you want. -
jkflipflop98 Expect to hear a lot about devices like this in the future. All the major players are working on them.Reply -
Apart form a few fad early adopters, the *look at me* crowd....this thing is going to fail hard.Reply