MRED Blog

It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but Google is said to be preparing the launch of “video sunglasses” by the end of this year. The glasses will have a mini camera in them and a transparent screen, so that the wearer can still see what’s in front of him or her. This could forever change the way that consumers look at real estate for rent and for sale.

The Google glasses are the concept of Co-Founder Sergey Brin, and are said to be one of his highest priority projects. Not much is being said of the glasses, because Google has kept the details of them top-secret in their ultra-secretive Silicon Valley experimental lab, known as Google Lab X, but there are rumors that they are almost ready to be launched. Here is what is being said of them.

The glasses themselves will look cool, like a pair of Oakley sunglasses. They will have a built-in camera that can record as the user is walking down the street, viewing a home, or having a conversation. They are also said to have a viewing screen built into the transparent lenses for the user to view. They will also be able to tap into other Google resources, such as Google maps, which is great for a person who is using them in unfamiliar places, such as on vacation or viewing a bunch of homes in a new neighborhood. From a real estate perspective, this could be a game changer. Can you imagine using them while looking at ten houses in a day, then downloading the footage to your computer to show your friends and family? You could get their opinion on which property they like best. This can also be great for home inspectors, who can use them on an inspection and then share the footage with the buyer to show them the potential hazards of a problem they found. Also, if only one spouse can view homes on a particular day, they can record the footage to show their partner. They can then decide on which homes they like best, if any. The glasses are said to be priced at anywhere from $250 to $600 a pair. As great as this sounds, there are concerns.

Many people worry that their conversations might be recorded without them knowing it. Google is no stranger to privacy issues, so many activists have already made this point loud and clear. Supposedly, there will be an indicator on the glasses that lets the public know when they are recording. If so, that should be able to solve that problem.

So will Google’s glasses be the next big thing? Or will they be an overpriced, awkward looking pair of glasses? Only time will tell, but what has come out so far looks very promising.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.