Here’s the bad news: Google Glass has not yet become a magical life-changing piece of hardware for me. A few problems linger, and a few apps are still downright baffling for me. The good news, however, is that the software is evolving. I’ve played around with a few new apps since my last Glass post, and I still see the potential. It’s not a device that’s ready for a wide consumer audience quite yet, but it’s finding its way.
MYGLASS FOR IPHONE
Functionality for with iPhones has improved significantly since Google released this iOS app in December. Nevertheless, some frustrations persist. You can now get step-by-step directions with Glass when linked to an iPhone. Unfortunately, you need to have wireless hotspot functionality enabled on your iPhone to do that, and for many users, that privilege requires paying your carrier (in my case Sprint) extra money. I haven’t done that, so cannot yet bask in the wonder of a hands-free guide as I walk around D.C.
GOOGLE PLAY MUSIC
This app is fun. It’s sort of like a voice-activated Spotify. It may not understand everything you tell it to do — and consequently play you some Thai pop music when you request “Pixies” tunes — but if you’ve got an ear piece, it’s decent, and I like using it while I’m doing household chores.
As soon as the weather gets a bit nicer, I want to try out the Strava apps. I also just downloaded the Glass team’s new set of mini games, so expect to see some reactions to that in the near future.