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Screencapture by Lori Grunin/CNET
Sony’s Google Glass competitor, SmartEyeGlass Attach, has cropped up in a new video showing what it’s like to wear the device.
Sony’s Xperia Development team on Thursday uploaded the video to YouTube, showing people wearing the SmartEyeGlass Attach while playing golf, walking around town and playing tennis. The single-lens display that sits on the right-side frame is shown providing relevant information based on the person’s activities, including distance traveled, how well a tennis ball is hit, and more.
The SmartEyeGlass Attach, which was on display at CES last month, has been compared to Google Glass. However, unlike Google Glass, which is a standalone product, the Attach is designed to be hooked onto a person’s eyeglasses or sunglasses. The snap-on one-lens module includes a small OLED display that provides relevant information, as well as sensors that monitor direction, speed and more.
“The Single-Lens Display Module brings smartness to any kind of eyewear, as it includes a high-resolution color OLED micro display that can enhance many types of use cases where short notifications are beneficial,” Sony writes on the YouTube video description. “With the Single-Lens Display Module users can, for example, track the performance during workouts or get instructions and still keep both hands free while performing tasks at work.”
Sony has yet to say when the Attach might launch, but if and when it hits store shelves, the company will find out whether this type of wearable actually appeals to consumers.
Last month, Google announced that it was temporarily taking its own wearable Glass offline to work on a new version. While the company kept a brave face on the news, speculation abounds that Glass was not nearly as popular as the search company had hoped and that Google is going back to the drawing board.
The issues that plagued Glass have been numerous, ranging from some “Explorers” suffering headaches to its hefty $1,500 price tag. The technology was also a subject of debate when users wore it while driving and going to movies. Not long after, Explorers were dubbed “Glassholes” by critics.
So far, Sony has kept many of the details surrounding its Attach quiet. The technology is still a prototype, so details can change as development continues.
Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
