The Official Glassware Directory Will Soon Reach 100 Apps

This was a pretty good Summer for Google Glass as the number of Glassware (apps and services designed especially for Glass, built with Glass design principles) has increased considerably from the same period of last year. And even though August was a slow month when it came to new Glassware, the first two weeks of September saw an increase in the number of apps released. By the mid point of this month, the official Glassware directory grew to a total of 88 apps. That’s not bad for a device that didn’t even get a public release.

We wrote about a number of apps released this Summer, but there are also a lot of newly released apps that we didn’t get the chance to cover (though we would remedy this very soon). In this article we would like to tell you about some of the most interesting apps that were released this Summer for Google Glass, both the ones we covered and the ones we didn’t. We will start the list with the apps that we have already covered and then we will continue it with the apps that we haven’t reviewed yet; we will also include the official description from the directory:

Glossaic

We already covered Glossaic in August, while the app was still in development. As described by the dev behind it, Zuinq Studio, Glossaic is a new social network that allows Glass Explorers to share pictures and videos, but unlike similar social networks such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, Glossaic is exclusively for Glass Explorers; nobody else will be able to share pics and videos on Glossaic. It also comes with an unique feature, the Glass Mosaic: when you take a picture or a video with Google Glass and you share it on Glossaic, it appears in the Glass Mosaic, and as the picture or video gets more comments and likes, it grows larger in the Glass Mosaic.

What’s Around

You want to know where is the closest restaurant to your current location? What you need is the What’s Around App, which gives you the location of nearby landmarks and orients you with a compass reading. The app not only tells you the name of the nearest restaurant, it also gives you directions to reach it (though it must be noted that you cannot choose directions to a specific restaurant) and the distance you are from it.Most restaurants also have ratings, though it’s worth noting that not every one of them is rated. When we reviewed it, the app was in need of more polish but even so it was pretty useful.

RedLaser

Another app that we reviewed in August is RedLaser, a free shopping app from eBay (RedLaser is eBay’s first Glassware), based on the the smartphone RedLaser app. In a nutshell, RedLaser is a barcode Scanner, shopping assistant & QR code reader and it allows you to search for products, stores and deals, compare prices and see reviews, find coupons or the best deal of the day, etc. The app gives you two new voice commands that will allow you to scan a barcode or find a certain product. If you like online shopping, the RedLaser Glassware will be your best friend.

Sky Shooting

Another app added this year is named Sky Shooting and it is a skeet shooting arcade game. The score based game has simple rules: you release a target by tapping Glass, after which you will have to shoot the target. In order to shoot the target you will have to aim; aiming is done simply by moving your head. After aiming you can shoot the target by tapping Glass again. Unfortunately the game features a single level and shooting isn’t always as responsive as it should be. Even so, you won’t find many games in the official Glassware directory so any new game released for Google Glass is a welcomed addition.

Trackendo

Another new app is Trackendo, an app that tracks the location of your Google Glass, just like the “Device Location” tool on your MyGlass website. However Trackendo offers a lot more information, such as a list of locations of your Glass, while the Google feature only gives you the last location of your Glass. The app also offers info such as location accuracy, latitude and longitude coordinates of your locations, the street address of your current location and a time stamp for each “sighting” and it even every stop you make and add the particular location to the map. All in all we highly recommend you get the Trackendo app.

Chords

Chords is one of the apps that we didn’t cover, though we will write more about it in a future article. The Chords app can be labeled a music app, though it is addressed to people that want to learn guitar. So, if you are a Glass Explorer and you want to learn guitar with a little bit of help from Google Glass, then the Chords app is for you. The app lets you see and hear all of the major and minor chords so you can practice while wearing Glass. Even though it is a niche app, some of you will find it very useful.

Hangman

You all know Hangman, the word guessing game. A version of the game was developed for Google Glass and according to its official description it is “the ultimate word guessing game developed for Glass. This exciting and addictive game on Glass allows players to guess the letters and words in the category of animals by saying them out aloud. Players can now enjoy the classic hangman experience with paper pencil style depictions of the drawing. So are you prepared to activate those brain tissues and decipher the words as you go?”

Sky Map

The Sky Map Glassware is based on the open source smartphone app with the same name that turns smartphones into windows on the night sky. The app identifies objects that appear in the sky and allow users to search for them; Sky Map for Glass displays an annotated Sky Map of the area the user is facing and the map adjusts as the user moves. Look at stars, constellations, or planets to see their names or try searching for a heavenly body and let Sky Map help you locate it. If you are a Glass Explorer and at the same time you are a hobbyist astronomer, this is the perfect app for you.

RTA for Glass

According to its official description, “RTA for Glass™ enables you to see the highest peak audio frequency and decibel meter* in real time. This gives the user the ability to keep his/her hands free and eyes focused on what’s important while tweaking an EQ, or tracking down that annoying rumble in your home theatre system. RTA for Glass™, in its current state, is set to hold the highest peak frequency making it perfect for detecting feedback in a live sound scenario.”

ViewTube for Glass

The ViewTube Glassware allows you to “search for YouTube content and view it directly on Glass as well as listen to content while multitasking with other Glassware. With ViewTube, you can continue listening to content in the background while interacting with other Glassware by simply swiping away from ViewTube. The seamless experience allows one to return from listening to viewing content by moving back to ViewTube at anytime. Other features supported in ViewTube are controls for fast forward, rewind and pause.”

As you can see, this Summer saw an increase in the number of apps added to the official Glassware directory and most of them, while niche, are very useful especially to the particular segment of users they target. As we already mentioned, as of the second week of this month the official Glassware directory offers 88 apps and Without a doubt the number will increase, and most likely double (or perhaps triple) by the same time next year. We are looking forward to any upcoming Glassware and we would like to know which of the apps mentioned in this article managed to pick your interest.