Google Glass:What You Need to Know

By James Rivington

Are Google’s glasses more than just a gimmick1. gimmick:〈口〉巧妙的裝置。? Back in early 2012, before the world had heard of Google Glass, the tech world was ablaze with rumours that the search giant was beavering away on augmented reality goggles.2. 早在2012年初，當(dāng)世人還沒聽說過谷歌眼鏡的時(shí)候，科技界內(nèi)就已沸沸揚(yáng)揚(yáng)地傳言說：搜索引擎巨頭谷歌正在努力研發(fā)一種帶有“增強(qiáng)現(xiàn)實(shí)”技術(shù)的護(hù)目鏡。beaver away: 賣力地干，努力地干；augmented reality: 增強(qiáng)現(xiàn)實(shí)（簡稱AR），是在虛擬現(xiàn)實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)上發(fā)展起來的新技術(shù)，也被稱之為拓展現(xiàn)實(shí)。增強(qiáng)現(xiàn)實(shí)是在人們接觸到的真實(shí)世界上，疊加虛擬電子信息，對(duì)真實(shí)世界的信息進(jìn)行增強(qiáng)或者擴(kuò)張，幫助使用者們從事各種活動(dòng)。

As the days went by, it was clear that not only was this true,but that Google’s dream of wearable technology3. wearable technology: 可穿戴技術(shù)。was far, far closer to realize than anyone would have guessed.

But what exactly is Google Glass? Why is it attracting all this attention and what are the implications4. implications: 影響，可能引發(fā)的后果（常用復(fù)數(shù)形式）—both good and bad—of having a Google-eye view of the world?

Google Glass is an attempt to free data from desktop computers and portable devices like phones and tablets,5. portable device: 便攜式設(shè)備；tablet: 平板電腦。and place it right in front of your eyes.

Essentially, Google Glass is a camera, touchpad, battery and microphone built into spectacle frames so that you can perch a display in your field of vision, film, take pictures, search and translate on the go.6. 從本質(zhì)上來說，谷歌眼鏡的鏡框可謂是集多功能于一身：照相機(jī)、觸摸屏、電池和麥克風(fēng)。這樣一來，你就能在自己的視野里安置一個(gè)顯示器，在旅行中也可以攝像、拍照，甚至進(jìn)行搜索和翻譯活動(dòng)。on the go: 〈口〉旅行中。

The principle is one that has been around for years in science fiction, and more recently it’s become a slightly clunky7. clunky: 笨重的，笨拙的。reality. In fact, the “heads-up display” putting data in your field of vision became a reality as early as 1900 when the reflector sight was invented.8. heads-up display: 平視顯示器；reflector sight: 反射瞄準(zhǔn)鏡。

谷歌眼鏡是谷歌公司研制開發(fā)的一款智能電子設(shè)備，該產(chǎn)品具備智能手機(jī)所能提供的各類服務(wù)，具有拍照、網(wǎng)上沖浪、電話通訊和讀取文件等功能。谷歌眼鏡設(shè)計(jì)巧妙時(shí)尚，它的外觀類似于一個(gè)環(huán)繞式的眼鏡。如今，它吸引了世人越來越多的關(guān)注，它是否能成為真正的革命性產(chǎn)品？

Any function that requires you to look at a screen could be put in front of you.

Controlling this data is the next neat trick. With a microphone and touchpad on one arm of the frame, you can select what you want to do with a brief gesture or by talking to the device, and Google Glass will interpret your commands.

Of course, with something as high profile9. high profile: 高知名度的，有聲望的。as Google Glass, every major company has been linked with building a competitor.

Apple and Microsoft are Google’s most obvious rivals—and both are rumored to be working on their own equivalents.10. rival: 競爭對(duì)手；equivalent: 同等級(jí)之物。Sony has gone so far as to patent11. patent: 取得（發(fā)明等的）專利權(quán)。a Glass-alike offering. Vuzix,Oakley and Baidu are other numbered among the potential Glass rivals, and they won’t be the last.12. Vuzix: 是美國一家智能眼鏡創(chuàng)業(yè)公司，成立于1997年，專業(yè)生產(chǎn)戴在眼睛上的視頻產(chǎn)品；Oakley: 美國一著名運(yùn)動(dòng)品牌。

Is Glass cool and entirely novel13. novel: 新奇的，新穎的。? Yes, it certainly is. Is it a device that will change the life of, or even just prove useful to,the average consumer? Let’s wait and see.