Are you a teach freak excited with the nearing Google Glass consumer launch? Google in a bid to spread the buzz, already organizing hackathons and distributing advanced pairs to the winners. Pricing is estimated at $1500 a piece.
It’s going to be a novel device carrying the Google legacy where you can run apps and connect to the internet instantly. Not only the gadget lovers are excited by its potential, also joining them are digital marketers and eCommerce enthusiasts. Here’s why?
A Disruptive device in the horizon?
Google glass, like Smartphones and tablets , can capture input and receive and send information. Like latest smartphones, it can take a picture, record video, surf web, mail, check stock figures, message and more. However the debate that is looming – is there anything that smart phones cannot do as the ‘glass’? The differentiator is the hands free approach ( except the side controls), enabling faster connection and bringing ‘technology closer to ‘senses’.
Here are some reactions from popular publishing houses:
“ Google Glass is an attempt to free data from desktop computers and portable devices like phones and tablets, and place it right in front of your eyes.
Essentially, Google Glass is a camera, display, touchpad, battery and microphone built into spectacle frames so that you can perch a display in your field of vision, film, take pictures, search and translate on the go”
James Rivington, Techradar.com
“I can see niche markets that will embrace Glass. Anyone whose job requires having both hands free or looking up details (from a manual?) Will find them a boon. Surgeons have already found uses for them. I can imagine delivery drivers and repair mechanics getting plenty of use from them too, for taking a picture of a signature at an address, or of a faulty part and its replacement. The potential there is huge.”
Charles Arthur, TheGuardian.com
In short, developers will be busy shaping utilities, but consumers will decide what ‘sticks’ . Let’s wait and watch!
Redefining Search
The glass’s biggest disruptive potential is how you can search on the move. The mobile search app on Google supports image capture . Here is how you can capture the barcode of a book from The ‘glass’ –
Image link – http://goo.gl/2ulSOi
You can search Google shopping and view Google books with amazing ease
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Google shopping in glass can be further filtered for specific vendors and local search !
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The Google search app is familiar. Using maps and local product inventory is a no brainer along with leveraging GPS , for getting directions easily. And with Google glass all these can be done without pulling your hand out of the pocket !
Google is more ambitious with this project, with the introduction of card based android app called ‘Google now’ . ‘Cards’ are bundles of information organized around specific subjects like sports , travel, finance, water, food joints and much more. ‘Cards’ is your ‘digital butler’ on the move.
How about a google shopping integrated with Google wallet that results in an amazing purchase experience like never before? Watch this –
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Why Will You Need a Google Glass?
To start with, it’s not here to replace Smartphones, but to complement it. It can be paired with a mobile device, thus leveraging existing phone apps . It’s here to give a boost to already popular android market, especially related to mobile commerce.
Worldwide smartphone sales figures will show you how big the market is-
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2573415
Disrupting the Nature of eCommerce
This cloud based platform-based apps can disrupt browser based world wide web, and experts predict commerce will be majorly conducted through these APIs. How? Lets wait for the release of Google glass and its API and watch the mass reactions. The question remains – Are you ready to make your business future proof against this revolutionary technology and ensuring accessibility of your products and services to the right customers , in the right context?
