back to article Ray-Ban to produce Google Glass data-goggs: Cool - or Tool?

Luxottica, the holding company for pricey eyeware brands Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol and even Burberry, has inked a deal that will see it design stylish versions of Google's “glass” tech specs. The eyewear company's canned statement says it will work with Google“ on the creation of innovative iconic wearable devices”. To do so the …

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  1. corestore

    Hah! That's what I said when I first heard about Glass.

    Google aren't in the hardware business. It'll be 'Oakley - Powered by Google'.

    Mike

    1. Martin Budden Silver badge

      Google aren't in the hardware business? Who do you think owns Motorola? And lots of robotics companies including Boston Dynamics and SCHAFT?

      1. abu

        Don't know about him but I for one think Lenovo owns Motorola......

        Owning robotics company doesn't mean being strong in marketing consumer gadgetry.

        And anyway, even if Google was, wearables are another further step from their core competencies - it's not merely hardware gadgetry, it's gadgets that have to be built and sold with a strong understanding of the fashion market.

        1. Dave 126

          Oakley have a history of integrating technology into their wares, not to mention design styles that occasional verge on the 'cyber-punk' or 'alien tech', like their wristwatches that look like they fell off a Terminator.

          Exhibit A, sunglasses with integrated MP3 player,

          B goggles with a HUD, GPS, speedo and altimeter for snowboarding,

          C, bloody weird glasses that fit over the head instead of having arms over the ears ) http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/04/oakley-shades-2012-04-17-494.jpg )

          Matey from Oakley went on to found RED cameras.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        They sold Motorola Mobility, do keep up.

        http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25956284

        Boston what? do they make tea? I thought Shaft was a detective?

      3. Tom 38

        Google aren't in the hardware business? Who do you think owns Motorola?

        Lenovo?

    2. Filippo Silver badge

      more accurately

      Google used not to be in the hardware business.

  2. Martin Budden Silver badge
    Go

    Glass is still very much in beta with a loooong way to go to maturity, but Google does seem to be making big steps forward with it, generally in the right direction.

    I'm still not convinced I'll ever want Glass myself, but then again it was only a few years ago I thought I'd never get a smartphone and now I love my Nexus, so the lesson there is never say never.

    1. VinceH

      "I'm still not convinced I'll ever want Glass myself, but then again it was only a few years ago I thought I'd never get a smartphone and now I love my Nexus, so the lesson there is never say never."

      My original thoughts about Glass were the same - but I can see potential applications that would be useful or interesting to me, such as using Glass, or something similar, to record a time lapse of hikes.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      You can't get over the fact that people are pissed off with charging stuff up already.

      I have a phone, pebble watch, fitbit flex. I also have a sports GPS thing.

      I also have mountain bike lights and on my commuting bike I stuck a dynamo hub on it as I was sick of charging stuff up.

      It's about time someone solved this bloody mess of chargers somehow.

      1. Martin Budden Silver badge

        You mean with a wireless charge pad, for example? They aren't perfect yet, but again, it's still only early days: give it a couple of years for the tech to mature and wireless charge pads will be much better.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ooooohhhh Shiny-shiny

    The hipsters will love this.

    The Fandroids will go into shock at the thought of their beloved Android becoming 'hip' just like Crapple.

    1. JDX Gold badge

      Re: Ooooohhhh Shiny-shiny

      Pretty sure hipsters don't wear Oakley, do they?

      1. dogged

        Re: Ooooohhhh Shiny-shiny

        No, but I do. Hope I can still get them without Glasshole circuitry.

        1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

          Re: Ooooohhhh Shiny-shiny

          Hope I can still get them without Glasshole circuitry.

          It will be interesting to see how it falls out. I can well imagine this sort of scene:

          "Hey, those Oakley glasses, are they the Google spy ones"

          "No"

          "You sure? Take them off, I don't want you recording in here"

          "No, I need them to see"

          "Hah, think I'm stupid? That's a lens there, isn't it? Get outta here, pervert!"

          Bit like when MFI (reputation for cheap crap) bought Hygena (reputation for decent mid-range kitchens). Instead of seeing MFI as a more up-market company, people just said "Oh, Hygena kitchens, they're just MFI crap now. Perceptions can go either way...

        2. JDX Gold badge

          Re: Ooooohhhh Shiny-shiny

          >>No, but I do. Hope I can still get them without Glasshole circuitry.

          Is this your entry for "stupid comment of 2014"?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Ooooohhhh Shiny-shiny

      Just waiting for the monocle version to appear.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I hope Glass becomes popular!

    If only to see the reaction of all those saying it'll never catch on...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I hope Glass becomes popular!

      I'm hoping it does catch on so people who do wear them get a smack in the face for perving on people.

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Re: I hope Glass becomes popular!

        Ah yes, the smack in the face that you would never dare deliver yourself but hope to live vicariously through.

  5. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

    Thank God..

    .. I prefer Serengeti :p

  6. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. dervheid
      Meh

      Hmmm.

      Making Google Glass 'cool' is the first step to making them Ubiquitous.

      I predict that sooner rather than later, Our Lizard Overlords will decide that these are such "a good thing" that their wearing will become mandatory, then we'll ALL be part of the Survelliance State. Powered by EE of course (becoming Everybody Everywhere).

      That said, they'll have to improve their network a shitload first.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hmmm.

        I can still remember a time when conspicuous cellphone use made people laugh at the show-off behind their back. I'm fairly confident that the same acceptance will happen sooner or later, however you feel about that right now.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Hmmm.

          True perhaps, but privacy issues with cellphones were about the users privacy, not everyone else's. Which is a bit of a hot topic at the moment.

          1. dervheid

            Re: Hmmm.

            Indeedy.

            But Our Lizard Overlords don't currently seem to give too much of a fuck about our opinions on anything. Can only see that getting worse instead of better (HMRC given powers to simply take what you 'owe' them from your bank account, without oversight; the steady grinding down of the NHS; privatisation of just about everything; a semi-militarised police farce (BoJo wants them to have unfettered use of water cannons); WorkFair schemes; increasing poverty and the 'wealth gap'; need I go on?)

            If they think that they can get away with it, they will certainly try.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Hmmm.

              No, Orwell was right. Surveillance isn't for the proles, who are just contained, but for the people who might actually present a threat to the people in power. The Government kind of listens to their opinions, but mainly seeks to guide them.

              I'm delighted by Johnson's gradual attempt to turn London into LA. It shows he's getting nervous. He's helped create islands of wealth in a dystopia (in fact he's kind of boasted about it) and is now following the usual US city script. The difference is that we Brits on the whole are far more cynical than US citizens and far less likely to excuse our politicians because they believe in the right sky fairy. There's still a possibility that some of the real bastards will be kicked out in 2015 as people realise that behind the smooth talk of Cameron and the clowning of Johnson are people who simply want to make sure that the pyramid is as steep as possible and that they and their progeny are near the top of it.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      ... which when translated from 'Pure Marketing' appears to mean roughly "I hope it'll catch on", albeit delivered in the style of a naff ad placement in a B-movie. Is there a whiff of vested self interest here?

      Personally I think the "narcissistic bell end" tag will hang around glass for quite a bit longer.

  7. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Like the Blues Brothers reference

    I now have this mental image of Jake's jilted fiance in the film aiming her rocket launcher using a google glass

    1. Tom 7

      Re: Like the Blues Brothers reference

      Think of the processing power you could get in a pair of Wayfarers!

      I think Buddy Holly could have been carrying a data centre! Roy Orbison too!

      1. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
        Happy

        Re: Like the Blues Brothers reference

        Or the more extravagant ones of Elton John or Dame Edna

        1. ratfox
          Happy

          Re: Like the Blues Brothers reference

          Now I have a vision of Princess Leia using Glass to aim a rocket launcher… nice!

      2. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

        Re: Like the Blues Brothers reference

        Think of the processing power you could get in a pair of Wayfarers!

        Nevermind the processing power, think of the battery life. You could go, oh, hours before having to recharge.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Any form of normal glasses that aren't the fashion equivalent of wearing a dildo glued to your forehead will be an improvement.

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