Google's Android-Based Glasses Coming This Year

We all know that Google is working on a product called Google Glasses which will feature a built-in heads-up display. But according to the latest report by The New York Times, the search giant is all set to launch these glasses by the end of 2012.

The paper also cited "several Google employees familiar with the project" who said that the pair of Google-made glasses would "cost around the price of current smartphones", or somewhere between $250 and $600.

Powered by Android, these glasses will also include 3G or 4G connectivity, GPS and a range of sensors including motion.

9 to 5 Google shared the first information about Google Glasses in December 2011:

They are in late prototype stages of wearable glasses that look similar to thick-rimmed glasses that "normal people" wear. However, these provide a display with a heads up computer interface. There are a few buttons on the arms of the glasses, but otherwise, they could be mistaken for normal glasses. Additionally, we are not sure of the technology being employed here, but it is likely a transparent LCD or AMOLED display such as the one demonstrated below:

In addition, we have heard that this device is not an "Android peripheral" as the NYT stated.  According to our source, it communicates directly with the Cloud over IP. Although, the "Google Goggles" could use a phone's Internet connection, through Wi-Fi or a low power Bluetooth 4.0.

The use-case is augmented reality that would tie into Google's location services.  A user can walk around with information popping up and into display--Terminator-style--based on preferences, location and Google's information.

Therefore, these things likely connect to the Internet and have GPS. They also likely run a version of Android.

The New York Times also reports that Steve Lee, a Google engineer and creator of the Google mapping software, Latitude is involved in the Google Glasses project. Lee's involvement in the project will make location information paramount in the first version of Google Glasses. Sergey Brin, co-founder, Google is another key leader associated with the project.