The GoPro changed the way we see extreme sports. These durable cameras give viewers and inside look into snowboarding, skydiving and other activities not possible with other cameras. Both amateur and professional athletes record amazing feats and post the videos online in stunning high definition.
There’s just one problem with the GoPro — it must be held or mounted, making some movements awkward during recording. Oakley Airwaves offer every piece of technology imaginable except video recording (and at $600 a pop, they’re also expensive), which leaves an opportunity in the market to develop a camera that doesn’t need special attachments.
That’s where Google Glass comes in.
http://youtu.be/v1uyQZNg2vE
It’s still only available to testers, but the new wearable tech from the search engine giant is making headlines for its ability to record 720p video without lifting a finger. The camera is mounted on the frame of what resembles futuristic eyeglasses and is activated by a simple voice command. Its impact on sports is limited, but we already have some previews of what the videos will look like.
Imagine how NHL coverage would change if every player was equipped with a set of Google Glass. Fans at home could switch between views on their televisions and get a whole new look at a game they love. The same goes for the X Games or Winter Olympics. Snowboarders could give viewers a first-person look as they cruise down the half pipe without a helmet- or chest-mounted GoPro to get in the way.
The biggest disadvantage with Glass is that the quality behind other cameras is so far ahead in the game. 720p is good, but the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition records in 4k (better than 1080p) and can manage slow-motion at both 720p (120fps) and 1080p (60fps). Google Glass can’t touch that sort of resolution.
But it’s important to remember that this is the first of its kind. Glass won’t even be available to the public until 2014, and by then other companies could find ways to implement technology. Those Oakley Airwaves that don’t record video could release an updated version with Glass built right in. Imagine years down the road, picking up Air Optix lenses on Coastal.com with camera technology built right in. Sounds far fetched now, but so did technology like Google Glass ten years ago.
GoPros aren’t going anywhere for a while. They’re very much a part of the way we see extreme sports and are commonly used from top athletes all the way down to beginners. Google Glass has a great potential to change the game but will take some time to catch on. The first version isn’t available to the public until next year and will likely take a few upgrades to close the quality gap between its own camera and higher-end GoPros.
No snowboarders have expressed intent to wear them for the 2014 Winter Olympics, but it would be a treat to see how those videos look on the big stage.
