Joe Stracci:

I fail to see how wearing this technology on your face means it’s out of the way.

Same here. (Via DF.)

In his article about Project Glass for The New York Times, Nick Bilton, addresses the idea that the glasses could actually be a greater interference in people’s lives:

People I have spoken with who have have seen Project Glass said there is a misconception that the glasses will interfere with people’s daily life too much, constantly streaming information to them and distracting from the real world. But these people said the glasses actually free people up from technology.

One person who had used the glasses said: “They let technology get out of your way. If I want to take a picture I don’t have to reach into my pocket and take out my phone; I just press a button at the top of the glasses and that’s it.”

So, the glasses free you up from technology because you’re conveniently wearing them all the time?

Only difference is that Project Glass can be used while walking.

There’s no question that Chris Ware’s cover for The New Yorker from a few Octobers ago is just as relevant in 2009 as it is today (if not more so). And but so, if this New Yorker cover depicts an image of our culture where we’re stuck using technology that doesn’t help us explore our world and then put us back in the moment, how does Google’s Project Glass intend to solve that?

From the Google+ page:

We think technology should work for you—to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t.

A group of us from Google[x] started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment. We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input. So we took a few design photos to show what this technology could look like and created a video to demonstrate what it might enable you to do.

The concept video is clever and cool, but riddle me this: how is it that a device which is more invasive and more ubiquitous within every moment of our day is better at being out of the way when we don’t need it?

Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions here and the intention of the Google[x] team is not to help solve the “smartphone / notifications / always connected addiction”. But the above blockquote sounds exactly like the same sentiment that was in Windows Phone 7’s Season of the Witch commercial.

The tagline in that Windows Phone commercial was: “It’s time for a phone to save us from our phones.”

Seems like the tagline for Google’s Project Glass could easily be a slightly modified version of what Windows used: “It’s time for some glasses to save us from our phones.”

And yet, with such a small user base, they’re somehow able to run a profitable service.

I sure wish AT&T would offer a plan like nTelos is: less minutes, more data. Anna and I share 700 voice minutes but only use about 200 — we have rollover minutes coming out our ears.

In short, Gabe doesn’t like it. I agree with most of his critiques — Paper’s rendering engine is great (and it looks absolutely fantastic on a Retina display), but there are a few areas the app feels lacking and at times frustrating.

As far as Paper’s lack of chrome, John Gruber described it as the tension between simplicity and obviousness. In his link to Paper last week, he wrote:

Note the complete lack of persistent on-screen UI chrome — there is a fork in this regard between Apple and third-party iOS developers. Cf. Clear for another recent example.

The tension is between simplicity and obviousness. Eliminating on-screen chrome is simpler, more elegant and beautiful. But Apple’s use of minimal but persistent on-screen chrome makes things more obvious. Big differences can result from a slight shift in priorities: simple and obvious vs. obvious and simple.

I don’t mind apps that lean towards the simple approach. People often relate gestures to the keyboard shortcuts of iOS. I am a keyboard shortcut junkie, and so if an app that I use has some clever and useful gestures as a replacement of UI chrome, then I’m fine with that.

And, as Sebastiaan de With points out, after 5 years of iOS, Apple is now starting to gradually move in that direction as well. And I’m glad — the new Lock Screen camera functionality is now one of my favorite things about iOS 5.

Seriously though, I’m sure it’s not like this for all Android users. (Via Stephen Hackett.)

The third video from Made by Hand is the first one to be in color. It shares the story of Megan Paska, a beekeeper living in Brooklyn.

Each of the Made by Hand videos have been great; I particularly enjoyed the one featuring Joel Bukiewicz, a writer turned knife maker.

If you like Instagram, which I do, this video interview with the CEO, Kevin Systrom, is depressing.

Sara Lacy of PandoDaily asks him how Instagram plans to make money. Based on his answer it sounds like: (a) their current user-base of 30 million-ish people is not yet big enough to start monetizing the service; and (b) their plan is to build a tool that advertisers can use so they don’t have to go through the “terrible experience” of using their iPhone to post an image to Instagram.

My thanks to the One More Thing Conference for sponsoring the RSS feed this week.

Interested in the design, development and business of iOS apps? At One More Thing, our goal is to get developers confident, psyched, and ready to move from dreaming of making apps to just doing it. Learn from awesome developers & designers such as:

• Loren Brichter (Tweetie/ex-Twitter)
• Neven Mrgan (designer at Panic)
• Karl von Randow (lead developer on Camera+)
• Raphael Schaad (engineer at Flipboard)
• Matt Rix (Trainyard)
• Shaun Inman (Last Rocket)
  and many more…

They’ll be in Melbourne, Australia on the 25th & 26th of May, 2012. Register before April 12th for discounted early-bird pricing.