Google have been getting lots of column inches for their new Google Glass. The new product from Google that has been undergoing testing by many a writer of column inches, will shortly be available to the world. Google are very proud of their new baby, and rightly so, but they are however not the only ones who have been working on a glasses based interface for digital connectivity.
Lawyers acting for Google have requested that another company, Glassup, do not use the word glass for their product. Every company has a right to product their intellectual property but to make claim to the word ‘glass’ would seem excessive.
Two years ago, probably well before the word ‘glass’ was ever written on a white board at Google HQ, Glass Up started work on developing a heads up display from a pair of glasses. The Glass Up glasses work by projecting data into the air in front of the wearer from a device, such as a smartphone, connected by Bluetooth.
Glass Up has developed API’s for Android and iOS allowing the device to be used for a broad range of functions including map data, subtitling and sightseeing. Currently the Glass Up device only functions in one direction meaning that data is only sent to the devices not away, so as yet, no replying to emails.
Glass Up looks to have developed an interesting product but has yet to actually sell any units. The company is currently looking for funding through an Indiegogo campaign to get the device to market. Glass Up and Google are already locked into disputes that could end up costing the smaller company a lot of money to fight.
It remains to be seen if Google are successful in securing the rights to be the only company to make glasses and call them glasses. Hopefully it will be as successful as attempts to get exclusive rights to the ‘world’.
