02/13/2012

Google reported building augmented-reality glasses

Google has built prototypes of a glasses-based heads-up display that would double as a smart phone, say company sources. The glasses reportedly sport a one-sided display, a front-mounted camera and gesture-controlled navigation. "I imagine reading email, text messages, social network updates and receiving phone calls will be some of the main functions . . . Imagine being able to see who’s trying to contact you without ever having to reach for your phone," wrote one reporter.

■Class discussion: Would you be interested in a device like these glasses which would keep you constantly connected to the Internet? Find news articles about the benefits or dangers of being tied in to technology. Are people becoming distracted with shorter attention spans and unable to concentrate on a single task? Or, are they growing better able to multitask and use the wealth of information available online? What is information overload? What about driving – or even walking – while using electronic media? Are younger people better able to cope with technology?