If Google has any say in the matter, they will be the undisputed kings of augmented reality glasses once their infamous “Project Glass” launches. Until then, however, other companies have been scrambling to make a dent in the market with actual released gadgets that you can buy instead of just staring at Youtube proof of concept videos about. One such company is Silicon Micro Display and their brand new wonder-device the ST1080.
The first thing you notice about the ST1080 is its size. This is not as sleek and aesthetically invisible as Google’s purported eyewear. Bird in the hand though, you know? Let’s do a run down of some of the cool stuff these bad boys can do. First of all, obviously given the name, ST1080s offer full 1080p visibility. This display handles both 2D and 3D content just in case you want to watch Avatar in a brand new way. They also support street-view for a variety of augmented reality applications. So yeah, anything Google can do Silicon Micro can do, um, bulkier.
There are a couple of slight drawbacks though. First of all this is not a tether-free experience. An HDMI cord for video, USB for power(via battery pack) and headphones are all dangle possibilities. The ST1080 also, like similar pieces, does not do head tracking technology. Finally, there’s the price. These TRON-esque pretties will set you back $799 a pair. They might just be worth it. Look at the photos below. Kind of cool right? Not quite as Williamsburg as Google’s brainchild but they do have a futuristic bent to them.
