Google’s project “Glass” device for on-the-go computing and augmented reality is clearly an impressive prototype that has rather significant potential. However, it will be some time before the interesting concept becomes a product that everyone could buy. According to a media report, Google’s Glass device will only become available in 2014.

While Google did tease us this year with its project Glass – which is actually a wearable construction with 0.5” (1.3cm) display, a camera, battery and wireless chips and antenna – this year, it did not reveal when the device is set to hit the retail. According to the Time magazine, Google Glass product should emerge on the market of consumer gadgets sometimes in 2014, over a year from now. Market rumours also indicate that a version for software developers should emerge in early 2013.

According to the report, target applications for the Google Glass include, among other things, taking and sharing photos, checking appointments, accessing maps and the Internet as well as some other, like e-mail, notification center, information updates and so on.

One of the main problems of wearable computers is input method as devices do not have keyboards or touchscreens, whereas voice recognition causes a lot of difficulties and cannot be used in many scenarios (e.g., in public places). Another question is about user interface as well as necessary capabilities in general. Finally, a plenty of technologies have to be developed - including displays, batteries, microprocessors, memory and other - to create such devices. All-in-all, Google has a lot of work to do.

If Google succeeds in creation of wearable systems with displays incorporated into glasses, then it will be able to further broaden availability of its services that will be present not only on PCs or mobile devices, but virtually everywhere.

Tags: Google, Glass, Project Glass, Android