Will Google’s Goggles Be A New Accessory We Can Expect To See By 2013?

Image source Gearfuse

I was eight when I first dialed up on AOL.

I can’t imagine going to a library and using the Dewey Decimal System for research.

I get pissed if a public place doesn’t have wireless (does that still happen?!).

Technology has played a huge role in the way I grew up. Duh, old news, I know. But in response to our upbringing in the age of iPhones, Google, and Facebook, I think a lot of “millennials” have started contemplating where to draw the line between what’s cool and what’s borderline creepy.

Cue the introduction of “Google Goggles,” expected to be revealed by 2013. Resembling sunglasses, these babies sit centimeters away from your eyes and stream info about whatever you’re looking at. Stopped in front of a restaurant? Put on the glasses and reviews of its food and service will pop up. On vacation in Rome? Expect historical facts to appear on the lens. And my favorite — see someone you know but can’t place him? Face recognition technology, if approved, could pull up his Facebook page confirming his identity, location and education.

Cool? I guess. But I can’t be the only one weirded out by the idea of walking around with a computer on my face, right? Not to mention the whole lack of privacy thing. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but will people really be receptive to the goggles’ camera capturing everything they see in real time? Who knows — I also didn’t understand the point of Twitter three years ago and thought FourSquare was the equivalent of a stalker’s paradise…and look at me now. Maybe in 2015 I’ll have no other choice than to rock Google Goggles…in the most technologically stylish way possible, of course!

Posted by Kate

Google Goes From Geek To Chic

You might be hesitant to put your wardrobe into the hands of some nerds out in Silicon Valley. But trust me, Boutiques.com by Google is the coolest thing to happen in fashion technology since the invention of Jimmy Choo’s “Zap” sandals.

The site is a collection of hundreds of virtual boutiques categorized by trend (“Mad About Mad Men”), by celebrity (“Ashley Olsen”), or by blogger (Rumi “Fashiontoast” Neely). You can even build your own boutique and amass a following of enviable fashionistas.

Thanks to the genius of Google, Boutiques.com utilizes “visual search technology” to give buyers exactly what they ask for. Code writers and stylists actually collaborated to maximize the effectiveness of Boutiques.com as a style aggregator.

On November 17, at a swanky party in New York City, Google launched the site. No, I didn’t get an invite, but I did live the night vicariously through the Twitter feeds of lucky attendees.

Billionaire nerds have long dated fashion models, so I guess it was only a matter of time before High Tech met High Fashion…I can’t wait to see how this one plays out!

Posted by Hunter

As the Internet Continues to Grow, So Does Greg Rutter’s List of Must-See Web Sites

The Internet serves billions of users daily. From Google to ESPN to The New York Times to Twitter, our manmade online world has changed how we find, understand, interpret, and communicate information. Internet terminology has even become part of our everyday conversations (“I Googled you” sound familiar?!).

Since its development and commercialization in the 1990s, the Internet has become a platform for families to share birthday pictures, aspiring musicians to share original music, and a group of friends to recreate a music video – yes, I’m guilty. The Internet is a place of ambiguity and growing depth with more than 100 million Web sites currently online. With that said, I have a monotonous daily online routine: I read e-mails, check Facebook and Twitter, read the top headlines, check celebrity gossip news, and sometimes play around with shared links. I needed something new and exciting.

Luckily, I stumbled upon (literally, StumbleUpon-ed) a Web site titled, “Greg Rutter’s Definitive List of the 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced on the Internet Unless You’re a Loser or Old or Something.” The list, in no particular order, is comprised of many YouTube videos, including Susan Boyle (#41) and David After the Dentist (#30), Fail Blog (#19), and Funny or Die skit, The Landlord (#53). From funny to serious, Rutter’s list will expose you to some of the Internet’s most discussed and viewed material.

As Rutter’s title proposes, you should have already experienced all of these videos and Web sites. However, do not feel like a “loser, old, or something” if you haven’t. I suggest you bookmark the site and enjoy the comprehensive list over an extended period of time. Also, don’t forget to share the links you enjoy with your friends via…what else but the ever-changing, dynamic Internet!

Posted by Justin