Will it be worth the wait? While the exact specs and features are still totally up in the air, the latest rumor says that Apple’s iWatch will come with some interesting biometric technology. Indeed, according KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, biometrics could play a big part in Apple’s invasion of your wrist. This is for both security and health tracking. The prediction lines up with the fact that Apple bought biometric sensor company AuthenTec last year.

Given the rise in popularity of devices like the Nike Fuelband, Fitbit and Jawbone Up, it makes a lot of sense that Apple also wants to capitalize on this biometric fad too.

As far as the other rumors go, Kuo also says that the iWatch will have a 1.5 to 2-inch display, but earlier reports also indicated that this could be the first Apple device to utilize flexible display technology too. It will be interesting to see how something like the iWatch stacks up against Google Glass.

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While some of the early Glass Explorers are more tech enthusiasts than actual developers, it is still important to realize that the glasses are in fact targeted towards developers, and not true commercial use. Because of that, they have a few special rules that come with that high $1500 buying price.

Specifically you can’t resell, transfer, give or loan Google Glass out. That’s a bit harsh though, as you paid a lot for the Glasses – and you probably have a long list of folks that want to try it out. Luckily, Google has changed its stance on the whole “loaning” part of its Google Glasses policy.

Here’s what the newly revised FAQ says about loaning:

Can I loan Glass to someone else?

A: Yes. The philosophy of the Explorer Edition is “one device for one person,” but we understand that there are situations where you might want to loan the device to a family member, friend, or colleague. Please don’t sell, rent, or otherwise make a profit off the device. That’s not allowed, nor is it in the Explorer spirit.

In other words, you can now allow friends and family members to take Glass for an extended spin, days, weeks, whatever have you… as long as you aren’t charging any dough to them, that is.

What do you think of Google Glass, hope to someday soon get your hands on it, or is it merely a fad item that will see a loss of interest in time?

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In its current form, Google Glass is an interesting idea, but the wearable glasses still have a long ways to go until they reach their full potential. Right now, Glass Explorers are testing the tech out, while developers are just starting to play around and test out what they can accomplish with the technology.

But it’s the long-term that really has us excited. The idea of having a mobile computing solution that augments the world around of is really appealing. Right now, Google Glass doesn’t do things much differently than our smartphones – but this will change.

In the video below, Playground Inc shows us future scenarios where Google Glass could play a major roll. These tasks vary from having a GPS screen while biking, to a 911 dialer, to a guitar training program and so much more.

What do you think of the ideas in the video, any of these concept ‘features’ make you excited for Glass? Conversely, do you have any ideas of your own that you feel Glass could be useful for in the not-too-distant future?

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In movies like Total Recall or even TV shows like Continuum, we see all sorts of complex wearable computing devices that push the limits of what we think is possible today. These wearable devices open up new doorways, many that we can’t even begin to dream of. But they can close some doors as well, as seen with our own real-world wearable computer, Google Glass.

Wearable computing brings up some very real privacy concerns that you just don’t see addressed in movies and television. We’ve already heard about bars and other establishments banning the use of Google Glass in their establishments due to concerns over video recording, and now Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has officially confirmed that Google Glass will not be permitted, at least for those that are gambling.

For Caesars Palace it was less about paranoia over the device, and more about keeping up with Nevada state law. According to a Caesars palace representative, “Nevada gaming regulations (and those in other states, as well) prohibit the use of computers or recording devices when gambling. As a result, we cannot allow guests who are gambling to wear Google Glass.” We can’t say we are surprised to hear this one, and at least when it comes to things like gambling, we can fully understand the concern. We imagine that more casinos will follow suit, if they haven’t already.

While requiring you to take off Google Glass while gambling makes sense, let’s just hope that Casinos don’t attempt to completely ban you from wearing them anywhere on Casino grounds. At the moment, it seems that you are only required to take them off while gambling, which isn’t that big of a deal.

The bigger picture is that wearable computing does in fact create new concerns that will need to be addressed with time. As Google Glass and other wearable computers start to surface, we imagine that they will remain under at least some degree of scrutiny,but like anything, the concerns will probably fade in time as such devices become more commonplace.

What do you think of Google Glass or even the general idea of wearable computing?

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The Facebook Home app hasn’t had a solid start, but Zuckerberg and his team certainly scored by being the first social network to take over Android handsets. Twitter, on the other hand, seems focused on Google’s promise for the future, the search giant’s Glass.

Earlier, a twitter user by name of Shivster Muddler tweeted a picture (posted below) of a lemon tree. The message, which has been uploaded via “Twitter for Glass”, said “just shared a photo #throughglass”.

This guy could have been testing a new Twitter app for Google Glass. Of course this could have been made up, though it’s not nonsense to believe that the app is in the works especially since venture capitalist John Doerr hinted earlier that Twitter is working on one.

So we might see a new Twitter app for Google’s high tech specs, which may or may not be the next big thing. What other apps would you like to see on the Glass when it reaches your hands? Wanna play Angry Birds with you pupil? Hopefully, the device will allow you to do more than just launching the apps.

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Google Glass is now arrived in the hands of developers and early adopters, with a wider commercial release expected in about a year. There is a lot of impressive technology inside the handset, but all the features in the world won’t matter much if the battery isn’t good enough to back up the experience.

Previously Google claimed that its device would have all-day battery power, but apparently new reports suggest this just isn’t the case.

With its own internal memory, processing power, 5MP camera and projected display – the Google Glass needs a battery that can handle the job all day for the wearer, but according to Google Glass Explorer Robert Scoble, a six-minute video took the battery life down by a whole 20 percent. That’s a pretty big hit.

Of course it is worth noting that battery technology continues to advance and current Google Glass devices aren’t really intended for the full commercial crowd. Here’s to hoping Google can find a way to address some of these battery concerns before it lands in the hands of more consumers.

What do you think of Google Glass, do you believe that wearable computing is the future or merely a current trend?

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Is Google Glass the next big thing or just a silly trend that will see a loss of interest in time? That’s a good question, and one with no easy answer. In Science Fiction movies we often see wearable computing play a major role, but it’s hard to say how big that role will really be in the next few years.

What we do know is that in its current form, Google Glass is targeted at developers and the occasional “enthusiast”. When does Google see the product becoming a true consumer item? According to Eric Schmidt, about a year from now. A year from now and wearable computing will be easily accessible and hopefully more affordable for every day folks. Amazing how quickly technology evolves.

Still, Google Glass brings up some unique questions and concerns, the biggest of these dealing with security.

When the first camera phones started surfacing, it was a game changer for privacy in many ways. Before that, not everyone carried cameras in their pockets or purses, meaning that unless they planned on capturing something on tape or in the form of a picture, they probably didn’t have the camera or camcorder with them.

As phones became more powerful, just about everyone potentially was waiting to take that embarrassing photo or video, or record a witness event of a crime. It was an idea that even that was met with some concern.

The same goes for Google Glass. The idea of having a wearable computer on your head that allows easy recording and pictures at all time is a novel concept and one that has already met some negative reactions from groups that call for a ‘ban’ on Google Glass due to these privacy concerns.

That’s where Schmidt talks about the need for new etiquette and understanding regarding wearable computing devices like Google Glass.

“It’s obviously not appropriate to wear these glasses in situations where recording is not correct. Companies like Google have a very important responsibility to keep your information safe but you have a responsibility as well which is to understand what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and behave appropriately and also keep everything up to date.”

Security concerns and questions aside, is there true potential for Google Glass?

Devices like Google Glass might seem more like novelties at the moment, but as developers learn how to best use the technology, there are tons of potential uses. For those of us that like to walk or run for exercise, fun and transportation, having GPS, radio and an augmented panel of information on the fly would be great.

Also imagine being able to ‘tag’ places as you visit them, leave yourself notes about the location and other details. Maybe you could socially share these notes. So you walk into a bar for the first time and already know what people think are the best drinks, how people rate the atmosphere, etc.

Google Glass has the potential to change the way we see the world, whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on how you feel about these kinds of computing devices.

“At the moment what you do is you wear it. There are tremendous numbers of applications that can be imagined – augmented reality – where you see what’s going on in real-time and then we annotate that. We say, oh that’s this building, or this is something that you’ve already done, or those sorts of things.”

What do you think about Google Glass and other wearable devices like glasses, smartphones, smart backpacks and the like? Are they truly the future or just a short-term trend? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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While devices like the Pebble smartwatch are currently billed as niche devices, a new report from ABI Research claims that things are going to change in a hurry when it comes to smartwatch market penetration. The forecast suggests that by the year’s end, 1.2 million smartwatches will have shipped.

ABI says that with more folks switching to smartphones, it is likely that at least some of these folks will be interested in the idea of getting notifications and other data from their phone onto a watch.

Further, ABI believes that there will likely be four categories of smart watches in the near future: the notification type, voice operational smart watches, hybrid smart watches and completely independent smart watches.

The notification type is simply a watch that offers alerts for incoming calls, messages and other notifications. Voice operational smart watches differ in that that can start and stop calls and issue commands using voice.

Next we have hybrids, which combine notifications with voice functionality. They also have their own primitive OS and might have limited functionality when not synced to a smartphone.

And then there are independent smart watches. According to ABI, this could end up being devices like the iWatch, Samsung Galaxy watch and Microsoft’s rumored watch. These devices would have their own operating systems and likely their own apps and other features. While independent from your smartphone, they could still likely sync to a device to pull notifications, though.

While ABI’s predictions and category breakdown are interesting, keep in mind that it is all speculation at this point. What do you think of the idea of a smart watch, is it something you could see yourself using? Conversely, are you interested in other wearable computing devices like Google Glass?

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There is a catch, of course, but it’s all quite par for the online shopping course. To take advantage of free shipping with ThinkGeek, you’ll need to place a minimum order of $25. If you do that and enter FIREFLOWER in the coupon code area, then you’ll get free shipping to the contiguous United States. They haven’t said when this offer is expiring aside from saying it’ll expire “soon.” You cannot stack coupons on top of this.

The other offer is the free t-shirt at ThinkGeek. To get the free Legend of Penny t-shirt, you’ll need to place a minimum order of $40. That’s really not that much more than the $25 you’ll already be spending to get the free shipping, so you might as well do it. And yes, this will still qualify for the free shipping. You just have to enter the same FIREFLOWER promo code. Just bear in mind that the Legend of Penny shirt will only be offered “while supplies last.”

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This comes by way of Lee Young Hee. In a statement sent to Bloomberg, the Samsung Mobile Vice-President said that they have “been preparing the watch product for so long” and that they are “working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future and the watch is definitely one of them.” Aside from that, though, he wasn’t forthcoming with any kind of real details.

To be fair, there are already smart watches on the market. The Pebble, despite some limitations, has found some noteworthy success among early adopters, but it really will take a flagship-level product from the likes of a Samsung or an Apple to really popularize the format. The assumption is that the Samsung Smart Watch would connect to your Samsung Galaxy smartphone via Bluetooth, pushing notifications and showing text messages.

It would be interesting if they were able to take advantage of some flexible OLED technology for the screen, but we’ll really have to wait and see what sort of “innovative” features or functions will be in what I’m going to call the Samsung Galaxy Watch (or perhaps it’ll be in partnership with Swatch to make the S Watch). Maybe it has an S Time feature. In the battle between the Galaxy Watch and the iWatch, who is going to win? Consumers, I hope.

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