So I was about to go on a short trip today to drop off the car for its annual servicing at the car dealership. I was curious whether the people at the Epsom Benz service centre would recognise and know about the Google Glass, since Mercedes has a very good history of adopting high technology very quickly in their cars.
Upon arrival at the car dealership, it was clear that I became the centre of attention quite quickly, though no one dared to ask me really what it was until the gentleman who was my account manager came to chat to me about the car servicing, and then asked about it afterwards.
I find it particularly sad that every single time someone asks me about them, they are expect me to shout it’s praises and glorify the product, but in reality I had to let them down and just tell them what I really thought about them.
No doubt this isn’t what Google want from their explorers, but I cannot deny the truth, and every man is entitled to their own opinions.
No, people who ask me and expect a positive answer will be sorely disappointed as I go into detailed discussion about the flaws of Glass.
I was yet to discover another flaw as I left the car dealership, using the Glass directions to get me back home, via public transport. What I wanted to test was this whole idea that the Glass could show me the right information at the right time, as wonderfully demonstrated in their launch video which shows a young lady boarding public transport and Glass showing her the right platforms and times for the correct train.
First off, still annoyed that I have to open MyGlass app in order to issue permission for Glass to know my GPS. Each time I do this I think to myself, why don’t I just use my phone maps, which is infinitely better at this stage.
Once again I experienced how Glass would be late on turn by turn directions, I’m glad I knew the way already to the nearest train station, but Glass really should have helped me out. I was expecting Glass to tell me what train and what platform I needed to be on when I reached the train station, and it didn’t.
In fact on further testing whilst at the station, Glass didn’t have a clue how to get me back home via public transport. So basically at this point it already failed. Not only did it not know what to do, it also didn’t know about the train station.
On the platform the train arrived so I got on and saw on my Glass that the maps opened and started to move. At no point on my train journey was I told about which station was coming up or where I might have to exit.
Directions via public transport, FAIL.
