I don’t know about you, but it feels like a lifetime ago when Google tried to get Google Glass off the ground with little (immediate?) success. The privacy concerns, lack of style and price held back all but the most die hard Google fans from trying it out. Despite that, there have been some real world uses of the technology and so it shouldn’t come as much surprise that a glass-like device is being released from a big company.
Welcome Spectacles from Snap Inc (previously Snapchat Inc).
Spectacles share some similarities with Glass, but are very different at the same time. The key similarity is the built in cameras for recording video clips. After this point almost every similarity breaks down. The spectacles can’t display any information to the wearer as they have no screens, instead the recording is transferred to the Snapchat app in the users phone. Another key difference is Spectacles have a ring of bright lights around the camera which light up when recording. Although Google Glass did have a LED light when it was recording, it wasn’t as obvious as this. This will alleviate some privacy fears.
The final key differences come in both the price and style, although the design doesn’t appeal to me, it is clearly designed for a different audience who actually actively use Snapchat. For them, I believe, it is a great implementation. The price is being advertised at $130, almost a tenth of the price of glass. Admittedly they lack some of the functionality and features, but this is precisely why they will probably be so popular. They help fulfill the function of the Snapchat app (recording instant videos of spontaneous moments), fit the culture they are aimed at, and aren’t too expensive to put them out of reach. They also have an easy to understand clear purpose.
Church Tech Implications
Other more experienced writers have covered the implications of Snapchat for churches, so I’ll just link to them instead of repeated those points. A quick summary would be, this is where teens are, so it can be a great way to reach them. In addition, it’s informal, temporary nature makes it good for sharing behind the scenes info, interacting in off-hand ways, and sending out quick blasts.
Spectacles add the ability to share more behind the scenes activities and now you can hand the reigns over to someone else, but still get editorial approval over what gets sen (the snaps are saved to your device to be uploaded). Imagine handing them over to your drummer to film 10 second clips of his view from Sunday, or to a youth member to share their experiences during the service or out on a mission trip?
What Do You Think?
What do you make of Spectacles?
Personally I find it an interesting idea and more importantly, I view it as a step towards a more useful wearable tech, like a more approachable Google Glass.
Speak your mind...