Applications ranging from simultaneous translation to ensuring drivers stay awake at the wheel are now being made available for wearers of Google Glass.
So far, the search giant's newly-developed computerised spectacles are only being trialled by a few thousand Beta customers and are not due for general release even in developed markets until later this year. But the new technology is already attracting growing numbers of third-party application developers anxious to get in on the ground floor of wearable computing.
“For Google Glass to function well in the marketplace it requires a wide range of amazing apps and we are encouraged by the number of apps already under development,” says the Google spokeswoman Isabel Collinson.
Those currently testing Google Glass can already access applications such as Kitchme, which searches for recipes while leaving the cook’s hands free. Word Lens Glass provides travellers with a simultaneous translation of notices and signs. Google Glass can also connect wirelessly to Google Maps, providing directions that can be displayed on the screen.
Many of the new apps are aimed at road users. DriveSafe for Glass will wake them if they start to fall asleep at the wheel. Another app, Speed Hud, allows drivers to check their speed without taking their eyes off the road. Drivers of the luxury electric Tesla S car even have their own app, Glass Tesla, which allows Google Glass wearers to interact with the car’s on-board IT systems.
When activated, the Google Glass screen is designed to look like a 25-inch colour TV screen floating about eight feet in front of the wearer, making it highly suitable for games, entertainment and news feeds.
Live news feeds, weather reports, games and a host of other Google Apps have already been developed for Google Glass in Beta with more sophisticated versions scheduled to appear before Christmas, when Google Glass is expected to be released to the public in the United States, western Europe and Japan.
Although Google is keeping the details of its global marketing strategy under wraps, sources within the company predict a sustained rollout to other markets such as the Middle East once the product establishes itself in the developed markets.
“The major issue is how Google Glass will fare in the consumer marketplace next Christmas in the US and western Europe,” says Adrian Drury, an analyst at the research firm Ovum.
According to Ovum, professional users are also showing an early interest in Google Glass.
“There is some very specific enterprise interest. Logistics, security and rescue services are prime examples,” says Mr Drury.
But Google Glass will face strong competition not only from other wearable digital devices but also from rival digital glassware products.
“Our thesis is that we should see Google Glass as being in the same category as smart watches and wristbands. And there will be tons of smart watches positioned under Christmas trees this year,” says Mr Drury.
He adds that wearable digital products will bring a wide range of new competitors into the IT market, with Nike already leading the digital wearables market with its Fuelband digital wristband. Mr Drury predicts garment and luxury goods brand will want to co-brand with IT players such as Google.
There are also reports that Chinese manufacturers such as HTC and Lenovo are also working on their own, potentially lower-priced smart glasses.
But there are growing safety and security concerns now surrounding Google Glass that could have the effect of limiting the product’s usefulness to wearers.
A Wyoming state senator has become the latest US legislator to introduce a bill attempting to ban Google Glass from the road.
“No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a public street or highway while using a wearable computer with head mounted display,” states the bill, which is due to be voted on next month.
West Virginian legislators have also proposed similar legislation.
Since Google Glass comprises a highly sophisticated video and stills camera, it is also likely the product will increasingly face a blanket ban in various public areas. In the US, some Seattle-based cafes are already imposing a ban on the wearing of Google Glass, owing to privacy consideration for other patrons who may not wish to be surreptitiously photographed or filmed. This problem will also extend to the workplace and other environments where sensitive or copyrighted data is on display.
In Columbus, Ohio recently, a man was questioned by US federal authorities after being reported for attending a cinema wearing Google Glass. The authorities were concerned he might have been using the device to make a pirate recording of the movie, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.
This growing mistrust of Google Glass is likely to be further compounded by the fact that it will soon be harder to recognise Google Glass from more ordinary and less intrusive eye-ware. Google this month revealed it will also be offering Google Glass in the form of prescription lenses and customisable frames. Tinted sunglass lenses will also be made available to Google Glass wearers.
There are also grave privacy problems from the perspective of the wearer now being voiced by digital security experts.
“There are numerous threats from Google Glass,” says Mark Harris, an analyst at digital security research firm Sophos. “For example, simply being able to record someone entering their password by looking over their shoulder.”
According to security experts, as the quality of digital cameras it may also be possible to record confidential material appearing on Google Glass.
“As the quality improves, even standing a reasonable distance away means it would be possible to zoom in at a later stage and work out a password,” says Mr Harris.
According to Alan Brill, the senior managing director of the security firm Kroll Advisory Solutions: “As long as default passwords, or stupid passwords, are acceptable, hackers will have access. If you don’t bake security into the technology, why would you be surprised when it turns out to be insecure?”
But despite the very real challenges facing the rollout of Google Glass, mounting interest from apps developers means early adopters of the technology will be offered a rapidly growing range of new reasons for purchasing the search engine’s smart spectacles.
business@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Seven%20Winters%20in%20Tehran
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%20%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Steffi%20Niederzoll%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Reyhaneh%20Jabbari%2C%20Shole%20Pakravan%2C%20Zar%20Amir%20Ebrahimi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
Persuasion
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THREE
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
