An online preview of ‘The Gavin Newsom’ show released by Current TV has created mystery surrounding Google’s ‘Project Glass’ and the device’s navigation function. Since Google’s introduction of ‘Project Glass’ (the ‘insider’ name for the augmented reality glasses) earlier in the year, speculation has surrounded the device by technological enthusiasts that are eager to under stand how it works, despite Google revealing little information. The main concern was how the user navigates through the interface, some fearing it was controlled by where the eye was looking, whereas others mentioned the possibility of a ‘track pad’.
Recently the gadget’s co-creator Sergey Brin appeared on the brand new American talk show ‘The Gavin Newsom Show’ and gave a brief demonstration of the device’s functions.
After taking a ‘sneaky’ picture of Newsom, using the glasses, he handed them over to the host, telling him “don’t touch the pad on the side”, and went on to touch the right arm of the piece in a scrolling motion, confirming the device does in fact use a track pad to aid with navigation. Brin is presumed to have been scrolling through a gallery of pictures for Newsom, although this has not been confirmed.
However, uncertainty still surrounds the device’s navigation function, despite the telling demonstration given by Brin. Many observant viewers of the clip have noticed that Brin does not use the track pad when he takes the ‘secret’ picture of Newsom. This has lead to some confusion still surrounding Project Glass. Brin has not reacted to the questions put to him about how snaps are taken, leading many to assume he is merely leaving hints in the lead up to the gadget’s official release, which Brin stated he hopes will be in the nest year.
Newsom was the first person to wear the glasses that does not work for Google, making the Californian Lieutenant Governor and former San Francisco mayor an unlikely source of information on Google’s developments. He has since stated that “The image was remarkably clear,” and that “You can easily forget you have them on, and sense the capacity of use in the future”.
