Belmont Aces Bowling Game Wearing Glass

As technology evolves, so grows our addiction to it. If nowadays we feel like we’d lose an arm every time we misplace our smartphone, think how it would be like when the smartphone will become a fossil and you’d nurture these feelings towards another gadget, such as a wearable gadget (whether it’s a hand wearable or head-mounted device). So, as time passes, technology evolves around our needs and desires becoming more accessible and less time consuming.

As with Google’s Glass, that has been especially created for the user to be able to use his hands in the same time he is using the device. Looking like a pair of futuristic glasses, Google’s device has all the capabilities of a regular smarphone. As you know, it responds to voice and gesture control and can display the requested information directly in the user’s field of vision. Also, it has an integrated camera and can use Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.

Before being released to the large public, Glass was tested by a narrow group of people who made sure that the device would be ready in time to meet the world. Among this group of ideologues, we also have the example of Jason Belmonte, a famous bowling player who recorded its performance in the league games. The result was a video of a perfect game that was later posted on Youtube for all the bowling enthusiasts to watch. Which they did, cause the video was a huge success.

If you want to see Belmonte’s next performance filmed with Glass, keep your eyes on the Professional Bowlers Association’s Youtube channel XTRA Frame, because during their upcoming tournament (18-26 January, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich) they will be posting another game filmed by Belmonte while playing.

And because a testimony of the experience was requested, Belmonte also told its fans how he got to use Glass in a league game, how it was like and if he would like to use it in the future for different things, such as tutorial training, experience sharing and so on.

As almost everyone who is not a developer, he chose Glass because the device was offering a new possibility to show its fans and to those interested, the fun world of bowling through the eyes of a great player. He also said that he tried to use his phone to do so in the past, but the result was a complete fail, so as soon as he found out about Google’s head mounted device, Belmonte knew that it could mean a big change.

Later on, he tried to acquire Glass, but considering that the device was available only through the Explorer program or to American citizens, he decided to call in some favors and finally, with the help of Geoff Reiss, PBA’s former CEO, he got in touch with someone who worked within Glass team. It wasn’t easy, but he succeeded to obtain the device. Even though he is considered to be a VIP member and his videos advertize Glass to thousands of people, he isn’t asking for anything in return. After all, thanks to Glass he got his fans to see the sport through his own eyes.
The amazing video in which he scored a game of 300 was made only after he had already worn Glass for a few times in practice, so that he wouldn’t feel distracted by its presence. However, at the beginning of the game he wasn’t planning to score that much, so the result was a surprise for him as well. When the game was over, he said that this was probably one of his coolest sessions ever.

In the near future, Jason Belamonte will be recording videos and mini-films for ESPN TV shows and for the Xtra Frame Youtube channel. The concept around which his Glass work revolves around is to show the fans exactly what they want to see, therefore offering them a new camera angle, or a new perspective – the player’s perspective. Along with footages from the game, Jason also plans on introducing to the enthusiasts the people behind the success of bowlers.

As a long-term plan, Belamonte would like to hear more from his fans and know what they enjoy more in a bowling game, so that he would be able to deliver the best clips. Also, in partnership with IAB’s education team he will develop some training sessions for his students and a program that will be later on integrated in Glass.