Forget telling Glass to search images of kittens. You need to work those 15 extra winter-pounds off and Recon's new HUD (Heads Up Display) sunglasses will help you getting into fighting shape without dragging $1,500 out of your bank account.
Not one to shy away from competition, Recon announced its new Recon Jet HUD sunglasses just moments before Google started its I/O keynote. Building off of its experience making goggles with HUD and tracking, the Jet sunglasses include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ANT+ and an HD camera. The whole thing is powered by a dual-core processor with a dedicated GPU.
Like its alpine goggle bretheren, the HUD display of the glasses sits in the lower right hand corner of your field of vision. In other words, you look down and to the right to see the display. Once adjusted to your head and eyes, the display handles bright and low situations with no problem; you control it by tapping and swiping the optical sensor on the side of the headset. A wrist-mounted controller is also a possibility according to Recon's VP of Product Management, Shane Luke.
When you're not checking stats that include speed, air time, location, incoming text messages, maps and Facebook integration, the display resides in your peripheral vision. Because of the location it's fine for biking, running and other non-motorized activities. Using it on a motorcycle might be another story.
The Jet's dedicated GPU makes its UI snappier than other Recon products. And because the headset uses an optical sensor, you can control it even if you're wearing gloves gloves. Helpful for riding or running during the cold wee hours of the morning. While testing the prototype of the glasses, all the tiny stutters and delays found in the alpine goggles were gone. Given how smooth the experience is, don't be surprised to see a GPU in all upcoming Recon products.
The glasses themselves, bulkier than the average pair of sports sunglasses, will weigh in at 60 grams when they go to production. The Jet is heavier than Google Glass, but because the weight is balanced with the battery on the left side and all the electronics and display on the right, it feels more comfortable. Which is important if you plan on running, biking, or playing hop scotch.
And if you're in the hop scotch finals, you can record your sweet hopping moves and offload that video to your smartphone where you can share as you wish. Photos, video, and audio can be shared both from the glasses and to the glasses. At Google I/O, Recon will demo the glasses with a Parrot AR drone. users will control the helicopter by tapping and swiping the optical sensor while the on-board camera is beamed into the headset.
The headset is modular. So in addition to being able to swap out lenses, you can remove the battery and electronics as well. If you happen to take a nasty spill and break the frame, you can order a new frame, snap the components into place and continue your reckless lifestyle.
The prototype seemed like a solid device on par with sports sunglasses from companies like Oakley. While it wouldn't survive every mishap, it seemed more durable than a pair of fashion sunglasses or Google Glass. "The Jet is built for safety and durability" says Luke.
Recon has an open SDK and claims that it's working with top fitness partners to bring native apps to the headset. But the company is also working on future features including IR gaze detection that shuts the screen off when you're not looking at the display--then powers it back up when you look down to the right. A nice battery saver and distraction reducer.
Unfortunately, no word on the resolution of the camera. Although Recon did say it would produce HD quality video. Battery life is still up in the air as the company tweaks the hardware and software. According to Recon the cost of the Jet would be in line with the company's other products--around $300 - $400. As for availability, the Jet will launch in 2013. So anytime between now and December 31.
Overall, the Jet prototype felt like a solid piece of headgear even though it was routinely ripped apart for testing--this was evident by all the battle scars. Like Google Glass, it suffers from the "what's that thing on your face" blues. But if you're interested in wearable computing and tracking your active lifestyle, the Recon Jet might be your new pair of sunglasses.
