WEB EXTRA: Behind the Scenes: Telling a Story… And Wearing It At The Same Time
♦♦♦ A CBSDFW.COM WEB EXTRA ♦♦♦
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - With less than two hours of instructions on how to use the Google "Glass," we went out to tell the story about this new technology - using only the Glass, rather than the conventional TV camera, to record the assignment.
Like those we interviewed for our story, I first noticed the looks I received when I wore the Glass. Most people were just curious. Several came up and asked about it.
I felt somewhat awkward, and a bit self-conscious, wearing this computerized eyewear. But, otherwise, it was easy to use.
Although we experimented with the wearable computer's navigation and internet search functions, we primarily used the Glass to record video.
After about ten minutes of wearing the Glass, I felt comfortable with using the touchpad on the side of Glass. There were times I had to re-tap when the device wouldn't respond. And when that wouldn't work, I had to reset the device. This happened about a half dozen times during the day.
I did not run into any issues with the voice command function on the Glass, unlike the problems that are common with Siri on the iPhone. However, talking into something strapped to your head only added to the stares.
When out on our story, we had to consider recharging the Glass's battery. I could also feel the device becoming too warm after longer periods of constant use.
When it came to recording interviews, the Glass did present some challenges and limitations.
Since the camera on the Glass sits just above eye level, I had to tip my head down at times to frame the shot.
I also had to make a conscious effort not to nod my head when talking to people, because doing so would cause the video to be jarring.
The built-in microphone on the Glass is very directional toward the user. It worked great when I was recording my voice, but when interviewing other people I found we needed to be within close proximity and in a quiet environment.
Despite some of these limitations, the camera on the Glass did provide a point-of-view vantage that can be difficult to capture with a traditional camera.
Michael Stancil, one of the first people in Dallas to own a Google Glass, said, "This might not be what we are all ready for, but this is the trial and error" time.
Which is exactly what we did – "trial and error" assignment.
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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