Comic time: Google Glass vs. Apple iWatch

iWatch concept (unknown 002)

Joy of Tech last month posted a pretty comical take on the iWatch rumors. My favorite bit: it’s a walkie-talkie with a direct line to Jony Ive’s secret laboratory, Dick Tracy style. Earlier today, they weighed in on the inevitable comparison between the iWatch and Google’s Glass. Putting aside for a moment the fact that one is the real product (Glass) while the other is vaporware (at least for now), both are futuristic wearable computers we’re supposed to wear on us in public. Check out the comic included past the fold and meet us in comments…

Here it is.

Joy of Tech Glass vs iWatch

Courtesy of Joy of Tech.

I’m liking Google Glass a lot and can’t wait to see what Apple has up its sleeve on the wearable devices front. The problem with the Glass is that the general public outside the technophiles could object to this idea of using sci-fi eyewear while appearing to be interacting with the world.

For starters, ignoring your surroundings in order to focus on a display could be a disaster waiting to happen. More importantly, privacy is obviously going to be a big concern with a product that can stream whatever the person is looking at straight to the web, without folks even realizing they’re being filmed.

Joshua Topolsky acknowledged as much in his interesting Glass review over at The Verge:

I don’t think Glass is right for every situation. It’s easy to see how it’s amazing for parents to capture all of the adorable things their kids are doing, or for skydivers and rock climbers who clearly don’t have their hands free and also happen to be having life changing experiences.

And yes, it’s probably helpful if you’re in Thailand and need directions or translation — but this might not be that great at a dinner party, or on a date, or watching a movie. In fact, it could make those situations very awkward, or at the least, change them in ways you might not like.

Speaking of which, I chuckled after watching this.

Even if social norms around wearable technology are yet to be developed, we’re clearly up for another major disruption in technology and I couldn’t be happier to be part of these changes.

Oh, look what else I found on the Interwebs.

Hear about Google Glass (ROFLbot)

So, Google Glass vs. Apple iWatch.

What’s your take?