Despite all of the product's problems, I still wish Google had decided to release Google Glass to the general public (the $1,500 Explorer edition doesn't count). The company decided that medical institutions and industry were the markets for Glass, and now Olympus is following suit with its 'EyeTrek INSIGHT EI-10 Smart Glasses.'

Like Google Glass, the EI-10 projects an image in front of your eyes, so you can easily view information while your hands are occupied. There's a touch bar on the side for navigation, and for connectivity, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are included. Olympus says the internal battery should last for one hour of use, but at least it's hot-swappable. The EI-10 is designed to be used with both protective work glasses and prescription glasses.

Not only will this not be sold to consumers, but it's hardly an upgrade from Glass. The hardware is very similar to the original 2013 Glass Explorers edition, and the EI-10 is even a downgrade in some areas. Here are the specs:

SPECS

Processor

TI OMAP 4470

Storage

8GB

Camera

1992 × 1216 effective pixels

RAM

1GB

Display

OLED 640x400

Connectivity

MicroUSB, Bluetooth 4.1, 4-pole mini jack

Battery

300mAh

Software

Android 4.2.2

The processor is a bizarre choice. Despite it being a step up from the OMAP 4430 used in Glass, it's still a six-year-old chip. If I had to guess, Android 4.2 is probably being used because the chipset drivers for newer versions don't exist, due to Texas Instruments leaving the smartphone/tablet business in 2012. The EI-10 also has a smaller 300mAh battery compared to the 570mAh one in Glass.

Obviously specifications aren't as much of a concern to companies as they are to consumers, but even in workplace settings, this doesn't sound fun to use. The one hour of use is going to get old quick, and developers making internally-used applications for this will have to target ancient SDK versions.

Olympus plans to sell the EI-10 for $1,499.99, the same price as the Glass Explorer edition. You can find more information at the source link below.

Source: Olympus

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