Turlockers Look to the Future with Google Glass

Only a handful of early adopters currently own Google Glass, the Silicon Valley tech giant’s revolutionary new wearable computer.

But several Turlockers are already seeing the world through Glass, including three members of TurlockCityNews.com.

Google Glass generally looks like a pair of eyeglasses to the casual observer. A small, transparent screen is projected in front of the wearer’s right eye, giving quick access to all the world’s information.

Google Glass runs apps similar to most smartphones. It can show GPS directions, translate speech in real-time, or even display news articles. Wearers can access Google Glass by touching it, using gestures, or simply talking to it with commands like, “Ok Glass, take a picture.”

The wearable computer was previously available only to those with an invite to the “Explorer” program, effectively an early test of the hardware.

But as of yesterday, Google Glass is available to anyone with the $1,500 needed to purchase it.
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This so-called “Explorer” edition of glass isn’t the final model which will end up on store shelves at an undisclosed date. Many apps are still in development, and the hardware has yet to be finalized.

TurlockCityNews.com owner and publisher David “DJ” Fransen has owned Google Glass since Dec. 15. He uses the Glass to help run Pressert Marketing, a separate company which oversees TurlockCityNews.com’s strategic business marketing and advertising programs.

The tool allows Fransen to keep an eye on what’s happening in Turlock at all times.

“Besides the obvious features of taking pics and video by just speaking commands, or pics by even just winking, there are some app features (I use),” Fransen said. “I get to see a live feed of pictures uploaded to Instagram within a specified five mile radius… even if I’m connected to the people on Instagram or not.”

He notes that the constant feed of information may be overwhelming for some, but is crucial to his business’s operations.

“It’s normal for me as I run a daily news site with hourly activity all day, everyday, along with a fast-paced marketing company,” Fransen said.

The distinctive frame of Google Glass draws attention in public, Fransen said. Most people are excited to see it and try it out for themselves, he said.

“People who know what it is just shout out as we’re walking by, ‘Glass!,’” Fransen said.

It’s not only TurlockCityNews.com employees who own Glass. Dr. Rob Santos, a veterinarian and owner of Monte Vista Small Animal Hospital, is using his Glass to help with physical therapy for dogs.

“I’m incorporating Glass in our Canine Rehab program through gait analysis,” Santos said. “The gait will be digitally recorded and used to compare future gait.”

TurlockCityNews.com will soon add a dedicated page to document our usage of Google Glass, with photos, videos, and posts detailing a world (but mostly Turlock) seen “through Glass.”

The view from the Google Glass Basecamp at The Embarcadero in San Francisco
12-15-13 #throughglass

A Google employee giving a tutorial on Glass 12-15-13 #throughglass