Airpods - Apple's voice first version of Google Glass?

Apple General
#1

Fascinating stuff:

AirPods Are A New Device Platform

AirPods are truly self contained computers that soon will have their own apps, primarily centered around the Siri Intent Domains [7], but at some point beyond this. A rich development environment will grow around Siri and intend to unique features that only in-ear devices like AirPods can create. The double tap to activate Siri will over time become one of the most powerful aspects to AirPods and its successors. At some point this will morph into an entire device platform of its own and ultimately require less or no tethering to an iOS device or a computer. It all started with AirPods.

Essentially the author postulates that Airpods will take over as the primary voice only device that provides augmented reality via Siri - like an audio version of Google Glass.

Fantasy or prophecy? Who knows. Not sure I would prefer audio over visual myself considering I don’t even use Siri.

#2

Personally, I think that for true augmented reality there needs to be a visual aspect, personally I think the leader in this at the moment is Microsoft’s Hololens - I was able to have a play with some for work last week and it blew me away with not only the tech but the endless possibilities that it presents.

Very eager to see where augmented reality heads in the next 2, 5, 10+ years.

#3

If I have to wear something on my head that makes me look like Commander Keen they’re no doing it right.

#4

So am I - I purchased Google Cardboard and even in that basic form its really interesting! i’m interested how Apple will come to the field, I did see something about augmented reality contact lenses and Apple…

#5

I mostly agree with you, however, the tech has to start somewhere, I know for one that I wouldn’t use one privately or as a consumer for the same reasons I don’t want a 3D-TV, I don’t want to be wearing glasses/visors to do something.

However, there are places that wearing a visor or whatever doesn’t matter - For me, that place is during situational briefs, where a map is needed and participants are already standing around looking at something static - the advantages that augmented reality lend to this are almost limitless and will save time/manpower and be way more accurate and efficient. For example, instead of using a best guess map model, augmented reality enables the use of high-resolution rendered maps, real-time asset tracking, and a whole host of other things at other levels that would greatly enhance situational awareness.

It’s not just Hololens that is looking at doing this, there are others, however, I still think that Microsoft are onto something huge here, especially with where they are going with their implementation.

#6

Yeah but you’re not a fighter pilot in a life or death situation where you need beyond visual range air combat because you could be taken out by a missile. People already abuse the proverbial out of visual aides which are supposed to be exactly that, to me I don’t need a minority report style briefing it doesn’t do anything for me and I’m not commander keen at home.

I can use a projector to display an accurate, real time map of what’s going on or a track of stock and assets, if I want it to have a display of something like that. Why waste resources? I’ll just pull up the app on a projector somewhere. I don’t have a need to augment 2D projections for that.

An FA-18F or F-35 pilot needs such capability when they’re in a cockpit and its a life or death situation. Your life is not a life or death situation Well technically it, is but whose counting? If you were abducted by aliens and… Where am i going with that?

That’s right… Not having a 3D projection of whats going on with your data isn’t going to change anything other than pointlessly wasting technology on gadgets and you’re going to die one day anyway, we all are, and as some insignificant. So?

It doesn’t need to be elaborated any further… I’m not Commander Keen and neither are you.

#7

You know, I had a post typed up to elaborate further and clarify my post but deleted it as I realise that your pig headed arrogance won’t let you see past the end of your nose and that your small world view inhibits seeing the bigger picture.

I’ve got to ask though, where did that chip on your shoulder come from? Every post from you reeks of some sort of angst ridden rant from someone who thinks that they need to prove to the world how awesome they are.

5 Likes
#8

Maybe sometimes you shouldn’t take me seriously.

1 Like
#9

Back on topic, my thoughts for augmented reality in a military setting are below, especially the Hololens based system that I was shown at the recent Land Forces Conference.

For land forces (Army) there’s more to it - accurate height maps are a valuable resource and mapping of this sort, in the field, has previously been used with mud models which are time and manpower intensive to build and at best are a a rough representation. Being able to access accurate, rendered maps in a near instant fashion means that the quality of snap orders would greatly improve.

The other area where this shines is for armoured crews (Me) - coupling this system with a Battle Management System and being able to access real time streams from surveillance assets of the target area would greatly enhance our situational awareness and being able to disseminate this information to other callsigns and have it visually represented would be of great aid to both the mounted callsigns and the dismounted infantry as we could provide realtime commentary to them as they are clearing the target area.

As I stated earlier, I am quite excited to see where augmented reality will go both within and outside of military applications.

#10

Well mate for what you do I could see how it could be highly beneficial. I didn’t know that beforehand, so yeah sorry and such but sometimes I don’t even take myself seriously. Life is too meaningless for that.