Google Glass and journalism

Ivan LajaraMay 17, 2014

What is it and why does it matter?

Google Glass — the high-tech wearable augmented reality device— has the potential to reshape journalism for both consumers and producers.

And although it is still in very much in the early stages, Google Glass can disrupt the news industry.

What is it and why does it matter?

What can you do with it

• Google things (links and YouTube work)• Take and share photos and videos• Get directions • Send emails• Make phone calls• Make video conferences (ala Google Hangout)• Take notes• Apps (Nytimes, CNN, Mashable, Evernote)

What can you do with it

Who do people react?

• People ask questions: 'What is that?'; 'is that Google Glass' or 'what happened to your eyes?/Is your vision OK?' ; 'Can I try them

• People look at you and look at you like you're some sort of alien.

• People look at you and pretend they're not looking at you and elbow their friends and point at you and make comments under their breaths.

• People look at you with disdain.• People ignore you.

Who do people react?

Who do people react?

Is it a productive tool or just a fancy toy?

In terms of filing photos and videos, it is indeed easier, because it's pretty much hands-free. The best feature, in my view, is the video calls, where you can have a video conference with up to 10 people at a time (they see what you see). So, technically, I could be covering an event while having people not only watch it but also participate (ask questions, etc) while it's going on. At the same time, it is also a fancy luxury and you can use it like that (which I do on my personal time).

Glass can enhance your productivity

And your personal life

Glass can enhance your productivity

And your personal life

What it means for journalism

From a journalist’s perspective:• Currently, Google Glass can help improve journalism by

enhancing live coverage, communication and engagement.• Enhancing live coverage: It’s much easier to take photos

and videos with Glass. I can’t stress this enough. It’s the equivalent of having a phone ready to take a picture or video right in front of you at all times. You can easily cover fires, protests, floods, conferences, fairs, you name it. The coverage benefits from having eyes on the ground, and allowing your audience to be part of that experience.

You can use it to enhance live coverage of meetings with politicians, events, fairs

What it means for journalism

• Improving communications and engagement: You could be at an event while having a video conference in which your intended audience could see what you are covering. This could be to help reporters, or for the reporter at the scene to give the newsroom a live sense of the scene. You can also make calls and send and get priority emails to selected contacts.

Glass is just a tool, but it’s a tool that changes the way we experience news. And the change is coming.So the question is, will the news industry be blind to Glass?

Related posts

• Google Glass and journalism: https://medium.com/this-happened-to-me/4c24f8bb5b3a

• Curated rebelmouse posts: https://www.rebelmouse.com/ivanthroughglass/

• Photos: http://media.dailyfreeman.com/2013/08/05/photos-google-glass-images-from-the-hudson-valley-and-the-catskills

• Reddit AMA: http://www.reddit.com/r/casualiama/comments/1i60ii/i_recently_got_google_glass_ama/

• #glassplainer videos: http://www.tout.com/hashtags/glassplainer

Contact me

• http://twitter.com/ivanlajara• http://on.fb.me/ivanlajara• http://about.me/ivanlajara• ilajara@21st-centurymedia.com• ON GOOGLE +, where most Glass post go:http://gplus.to/ivanlajara