10:00 AM
Paul B
Sports coverage might be forever altered. Now, with Google Glass, we can see a hockey player's span of the ice, a footballer's view of the play unfolding or a snowboarders journey through the backcountry. Viewers watching at home could switch between network broadcast views or the Glass broadcast views.
Some surfboarders started using GoPro video cameras mounted to their chests, and while the views were cool, the wipeouts were even more spectacular. And yet, the cameras held their own.
Back to Back
Introduced nearly a decade ago, GoPro's HD cameras catered to the active image shooter crowd (i.e. sports buffs) and helped to change the way people view and explore high action sports. GoPro cameras gave an inside look at how snowboarders, skydivers and other extreme sports enthusiasts managed their craft. Using the cameras mounted to helmets or body areas gave the viewer a chance to see sports footage from the inside out, online and in stunning high definition.But having to mount the GoPro camera was a cumbersome task for some. And that's likely why the company did its best to create as many different types of mounts as it could think of for the cameras. But that opened the eyes of competitors to come up with a wearable camera.
Glass Action
That's where Google Glass shows its stuff. Users wear the Glass setup like spectacles, and speak short commands to shoot video or take images. Immediately capturing moments outweighs digging a smartphone out of a pocket or purse, turning it on, checking the focus and other settings, and then snapping. With Glass already on and waiting, a user simply has to say, "take picture, Glass" and it's done.Glass works great for a sunny stroll on the street, but in dim or adverse light conditions, it may not perform as well. Google set up Glass to record in 720p, which is not altogether bad resolution, but may not have the same quality as 1080p on mobile Internet. But the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition can shoot action-packed video in better than 1080p. It also manages to record great in slow-motion too. It records slow-motion at both 720p and 1080p resolution. Google Glass can't match that.
Currently available to a small number of influencers, Glass is gearing up for a mass market launch to the general public in 2014. But that hasn't stopped folks from experimenting. Check out this snowboarder using the perspective of Google Glass.
Wearable Tech
Other companies are also looking for ways to implement wearable camera technology. BusinessWeek noted other companies are promoting wearable cameras to more than just surfers and cops.GoPro cameras aren't going away, though. Forbes called GoPro the world's hottest camera company earlier this year. Glass has amazing potential, but the public will still have to decide how much is necessary for great image insights.
