I think the idea of getting a car license meant you are keen to drive and would want to be a qualified driver. The truth is that most examinations would focus a lot on theory with unrealistic and dated visual simulations. This sprouts inaccuracy and hinders your understanding of actual live traffic conditions. Now that technology has gone beyond our expectations, we can pretty much rely on Google Street View to assist in the learning process. You get to simulate an environment where there is control over realistic traffic situations. This is just the right technology that helps to make real safe drivers.
Burberry Kisses
What if you can transmit love to anyone in the world. What if you can do it with just a kiss? Burberry’s initiative a while ago managed to captured the essence of love through these simple gestures. ‘Burberry Kisses’, a project that lets anyone out there to send a virtual kiss from their mobile to people around the world. Working together with Google, a very engaging and interactive experience is born.
Google Photo Sphere
While I have yet tried Google’s latest app release for iOS, i am pretty sure the Google Photo Sphere app is another thrilling innovation. And im right. It allows us to take really wide panoramic view and three-dimensional views through our phone. Frankly, I love how Google’s UI always have that snazzy minimalistic design packed with truck loads of exciting features. Not only does the camera now comes with the positioning tool, a dot that allows you to target frames, it’s objective is to complete the experience for generating a fantastic image. And of course, it allows you to post your picture onto Google Maps! Check out the Photo Sphere app.
Google Cardboard
This must have really astounded attendees at the Google I/O keynote. Apparently Google gave the audiences a little exciting gift. A really cool DM constructed from pure corrugated cardboard with some neat tech stuffs like lenses, magnets, some velcro and a rubber band. What it comes out to be is actually an Oculus Rift looking VR viewer that corresponds with Android smartphones. Im seeing how companies are making technology at such fast pace with lowered production, making technology for the masses. Regardless, this is an awesome initiative. After all, tech should be made available for everyone.
No driver?!
Wow, we have talked a whole lot about the Google Driverless Car project but less of the real action have started. While we all know research and development is well underway, the Google team have yet to feature anything substantial. Now they have the ‘First Drive’ where they invite people to give it a test drive. As a matter of fact, this test drive had people being fetched around autonomously at locations considered to be more safe with lesser people. The amazing thing about autonomous technology means they don’t actually need drivers and that means no need for steering wheels, pedals nor brakes! All they really need is a really neat computer chip which immediately recognises the locations and onboard software and sensors to move. The machine is designed to bring you to your destination with just a button. Simply brilliant yet revolutionising technology.
Hands free and Driver free
An article from DigitalTrends gave a rather interesting report of Google’s recent experiment on their driverless vehicle concept.
I remembered one of the classes I attended recently had me in a slight disagreement with one of the lecturers over the usage of autonomous technology in vehicles. Despite his adamant belief that the concept is far fetched, the technology has been introduced countless times on media and not to mention Google’s very own movie where they actually feature this brilliant technology. Today, these new gadgets will not only revolutionise our daily routines, it will improve them and change how we see things. We must learn to embrace technology instead of fearing how it would constantly ruin our lives. As creative and original as one can get, always remember that the premise of great technology is one that promotes better quality of life, and not destroying it.
The Front Row Story
AND, I think this is extremely powerful. I mentioned in a conference presentation a while ago that brands harnessing human power has an exceptional appeal when compared to companies adopting the brand power approach. While the latter signifies a passive communication, human power aims to unify and conquer with one common agenda. This sort of relational contract between fans and brands becomes mutually dependent. As a result, engagement occurs because it needs to, and not because it had to. Take a look at what Google+ has done for Manchester United fans. They created the ‘Front Row’ project which took on a less perplexing approach of acquiring fan support, yet a very impactful one.
Virtual Fire?!
Everything has gone digital these days. Even the most fundamental processes at home can be digitally represented. A more realistic approach would be to actually give you a visual of what future can be, using Google’s Chromecast feature. It now offers you virtual reality while you stream your music to the TV and at the same time enhancing your experience with a realistic fireplace scene. Hows that? This might not sound too attractive or too big a thing, but the idea will spark more repercussions of what Chromecast can do to further ‘revolutionize’ experiences. Try out their virtual fire, and have a thought about it.
Healthy lens
Google has no doubt proven themselves worthy of being helmed a revolutionary tech company. From tech to auto, retail, entertainment, mobile and now health. Officially on Google Blog, a team of developers in Google X unit have been working contentiously on a revolutionary contact lens which aims to measure glucose levels. The team is in the process of creating a prototype that would do reading once per second. This invention is definitely a must have for those who need to deal with type 1 or 2 diabetes. A new revolutionary research by Google to change the way we maintain our health. Now, instead of pricking your finger to test blood sugar, all you need is just an easy pair of contact lens! Nicely embedded on the lens is a very minute sized chip which transmits data of blood sugar levels. There is also a small pinhole between lens and eyes that allow an easier flow of fluid into the lens itself.
Google X project leads Brian Otis and Babak Parvi talks about their take on using “At Google, we wondered if miniaturized electronics—think: chips and sensors so small they look like bits of glitter, and an antenna thinner than a human hair—might be a way to crack the mystery of tear glucose and measure it with greater accuracy.”
Search by talking
Check this out! Google has now equipped our desktop browsers with Moto X’s hands-free voice control feature. Together with the Google Voice Search Hotword extension, all of us can just simply instruct the computer to fire away the search key just by saying “OK, Google!” We can just ask for whatever stuff we want to search. Neat! The feature is currently in it’s beta but you can download it from the Chrome Web Store to try it out yourself! Google really does amazing things don’t they?
Zack Chia 