GlassUp glasses launching as a second screen for your smartphone

A big item of discussion lately seems to be focused on getting details of incoming messages from your smartphone without having to remove it from your pocket. We have seen plenty of smartwatches, which are essentially serving as a second-screen for your phone. And well, it looks like we now have a similar setup being done with a pair of glasses. These are called GlassUp and have recently launched as an Indiegogo offering.

The GlassUp glasses are said to be able to offer alerts for incoming emails, text messages, directions and more including your heartbeat and even translations. Further details also talk of “any other info selected by the relevant apps on your smartphone.” A bit different from your standard incoming message alerts, the GlassUp details also show these being used as a teleprompter for public speaking and as an aid for the hearing impaired.

These glasses will pair with your smartphone over a Bluetooth connection and while these are not necessarily the same as what you would get with Google Glass — there is the obvious comparison being made. Some of the differences here include the lack of a camera on GlassUp. Some of the other differences include the GlassUp glasses projecting the information close to the center of vision (as opposed to the upper corner like with Google Glass).

The GlassUp glasses will also have a longer battery life and the information will be projected in monochrome. The present color is green, but it was said that amber may also be an option. Touching back on the battery life and while real-world use may vary for person to person, they are touted as having “one day of battery life.”

Some of the other features of GlassUp will be sensors to include an accelerometer, compass, ambient light sensor and precision altimeter. The glasses will weigh in at around 65 grams (based on current prototypes), have a 320 x 240 display and lenses that will be slightly tinted. There will also be a classic and sporty look with options to have these fitted with your personal prescription. The GlassUp glasses will also have touchpad controls on the side.

All that being said, as this is an Indiegogo offering there are a few options in terms of pricing. The Super Early Bird pricing begins at $199 and the prices go up based on feature and option availability. Those interested will also be able to grab a model with a camera for $399. At this time the Indiegogo campaign has 30 days remaining and they have raised just over $11,000 towards a goal of $150,000. The shipments are then expected to begin arriving in the early part of 2014.

SOURCE: indiegogo