John Whatmore's blog

Making use of tomorrow's IT

John Whatmore - 21.08.2012

Consider the possibility of Google and Facebook announcing a new link: not only do tomorrow’s Googlespecs have an embedded camera and phone as well as internet access, but they also have an embedded RFID tag and a QR code tag. Your Googlespecs could ‘recognise’ other wearers and bring up their features and their Facebook, Twitter and Google+ details on the lenses of your own Googlespecs.

Now imagine how a scene between two users could play out: 

Zak calls up Phin on his Googlespecs when he discovers that they are drawn to play against one another in the club golf competition.

Zak: I know we've met before but without my Googlespecs, I can't think who you are.

Phin: I'll just put my specs on then you'll be able to see me, and my Facebook too. 

Pause

Zak: There we are! My goodness, so you're off 21 handicap, according to your Facebook. That'll make it a tough game for me! And I see you have been playing below your handicap. Shouldn't that have brought your handicap down?

Phin: Oh, I put that stuff up onto my Friends and Family site just to impress! 

Zak: I expect the Club Secretary has already been searching members' websites about their handicaps. 

Phin: But he'll be searching my official Facebook Golf site then. 

Zak: Hold on a minute, an ad has just appeared on my Googlespecs - for a golf ball - ha,ha! What a good joke!

Phin: What's so funny?

Zak: Well, the joke is that the golf ball is right on the end of your nose! So, what is your true handicap?

Phin: Sorry, my credit is just running out: I'll have to call you back.

Zak rings again

Zak: And I see from your Facebook site that you won the competition last year.

Phin: No, no, not at all ... I think I must have picked up my wife's Googlespecs by mistake - she's a great player, you know, ...wait a minute... 

The connection goes down. Zak rings again. 

Zak: And that's a pretty fine swing you show on your home page.

Phin: Oh, that's not me, that's a few frames of Ernie Els, the Open Champ that I put up just for fun.

Zak: Well, I just searched the club's accounts on Google - these new rules on transparency do change things, don't they. And I read on page 172 that you haven't paid your subscription this year, so I'll be claiming a walk-over!

Two weeks later they are enjoying a whisky together at the bar, but both of them have left their Googlespecs behind.