Google Glassを使ってみた

2014年4月15日、Googleは開発中のメガネ型ウェアラブル端末「Google Glass」の1日限りの一般販売を実施した。まだ正式版ではなく、多数のバグがあることも予想され、利用できるサービスや機能も限られているベータ版を、1,500ドルという価格で一般に販売するとは異例だ。しかもGlassを購入した人は「Explorer」としてGlassを試用してGoogleにフィードバックし、無報酬でGlassの開発・改良に貢献することが期待されている。
その上、最近、Glassをかけて街を歩いていたら襲われた、Glassを奪われたなどの物騒な事件が多発している。攻撃の理由は単なる不快感からだけではなく、IT企業の興隆とともに社会の格差拡大が顕著となり、しわ寄せを被った人々の怒りの矛先がGlassに向けられているという側面もある。Glassをかけて街を歩くと攻撃される可能性があるというリスクを覚悟する必要がある。
そこまでしてGlassを購入させ試用させるからには、購入者にはそれに見合うだけのメリットがきっとあるに違いない。それを検証すべく、この機にGlassを購入してみた。現時点で利用可能なさまざまな機能やサービスなどを試してみた。本稿ではその結果を、使用感や課題などとともにできるだけ具体的に報告することとしたい。

On April 15, 2014, Google made its wearable computing device, Google Glass, available to the general public for one day only, even though the eyeglass-type device is still under development. It was odd that the device was sold to the public at the high price of $1,500, considering that it is not a final version, and is still in a beta testing supposedly with lots of bugs and limited availability of services and functionality. In addition, those who purchased Google Glass are called “Explorers” and are expected to try it out, give feedback to Google and contribute to further development/ improvement of the product without any compensation.

Furthermore, Glass wearers have recently been continually experiencing disturbing incidents, such as being assaulted or having their devices ripped off from their faces on the street. The reasons for such assaults are not only from the feeling of discomfort, but also from the antipathy toward the prosperous high-tech companies which have caused widened social disparity and gentrification. Glass has now become a symbol for such techie companies, and a target of anger for those who feel victimized by the technology. The Glass wearers should be well aware of such risks as being assaulted while walking on the street.

In this research, the author proposes a hypothesis that there should be some benefits to the Glass wearers to justify such costs and risks associated with purchasing and wearing Glass, and actually purchased and tried out Glass to verify the hypothesis. This report shows the result of the trial use, illustrating the features and applications currently available with Glass along with usability and areas for improvement, trying to go into specific detail as far as possible.