Nobody shed a tear over the supposed "graduation" of Google Glass, which actually shows all the signs of a cancellation. This places augmented reality in an even more uncomfortable position, but Sony believes it has what it takes to change things with the new SmartEyeglass glasses, which, in the name of certain technical convenience, seem to have ignored any idea about aesthetics.
In the past we have seen wonderful concepts about augmented reality. People without mechanical knowledge repairing their cars, perfectly integrated GPS systems, real-time news... and none of that materialized. Wearable devices focused on sensors and notifications, while Google Glass kept accumulating criticism until it ended up hidden in the hallways of Mountain View. Many think that virtual headsets have almost everything needed to receive augmented reality in good terms, but that doesn't change the fact that their priority is something else. However, there are initiatives that seek to bring it to market. Maybe they are not the most appropriate, but augmented reality will never gain flight if it doesn't have commercial options.
The most recent comes from Sony, and it's called SmartEyeglass. As its name indicates, it adopts the format of a pair of glasses that remind us of swimming goggles, or those given out at the cinema for 3D movies. SmartEyeglass uses a monochrome 8-bit screen with an 85% transmittance, and both text and diagrams are presented at 15 frames per second.
The device includes a three-megapixel camera, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, speaker, microphone, and a sensor package. The main control for the glasses is in an external module connected with a cable, which completely ruins its appearance, and as for battery performance, there's no doubt it's its Achilles heel: 150 minutes in "normal" use without interruptions, and 80 minutes if the camera is activated.
The only thing that justifies (at least in part) the weakness of its specifications is that the glasses are aimed at developers, so Sony wants to verify if there really is a demand for SmartEyeglass, and a real interest among software creators. The official price is 670 euros (plus taxes), and it will go on sale next March 10 in ten countries (Spain appears on the list).
