Focals Exp

Feb 27:

The first day using wearable tech was equal parts exciting and underwhelming.

Most of my excitement came from unboxing the items with other users, imagining the possibilities for a device like this (augmented reality? being able to take photographs without using a handheld camera? livestreaming or viewing livefeeds in front of your eyes? real time directions without having to pay equal attention to Google Maps and the road ahead?), and the reactions from my roommates when they saw them for the first time (although one roommate asked me when I started wearing prescription glasses and why I didn't buy frames that suited my face better -- ouch).

However, as much as I appreciate the modern inclination towards minimalism, the lack of clear directions definitely hindered my experience. It was initially challenging to figure out how to get started and to determine whether or not the batteries were charged. I still cannot connect the Loop to the Focals, and I'm left wondering if it's my fault for misinterpreting the very vague (practically non-existent) instructions presented to me via iPhone app or if there's a more fundamental problem with the device.

I'm interested in seeing how life feels with an even more seamless experience of ubiquitous computing. Sometimes I am so absorbed into the content on my phone that I forget I'm even holding a device -- mentally, I'm completely enveloped in whatever application I'm using at the time. Will shortening the distance between me and my screen further remove me from reality?

Until I hear back from North about the disconnect between the Loop and Focals, there isn't a lot of room for exploration. For now, it's a great tool for viewing notifications from my cellphone directly in front of my eyes as I receive them. At least I don't have to look down.


Feb 28:

Today's experience with wearable tech was mostly frustrating.

After fiddling with the Loop for much longer than I should have, I figured out the issue: the ring doesn't fit in the charging case as precisely as it should, and so I need to manually hold the device in place so the battery connects.

Then, I spent another lengthy amount of time trying to adjust the Focals display. This ended up working once I figured out the following funky maneuver: closing my left eye, squinting my right eye, and tilting the frames slightly to the left. It takes a lot of effort, which seems counterintuitive.

It feels a little as though this device wasn't meant for a face shaped like mine. Also, although I was excited for a truly hands-free device, it appears that isn't how the Focals are going to function.

Other noteworthy reactions/thoughts today:

• I noticed that after about 20 minutes of use, the Focals began to heat up. Considering their proximity to my face, and the notion that these types of devices are theoretically meant to sit there for long periods of time, I can foresee long-terms problems with that. What if it burns a user?
• My partner jokingly told me, "Oh, I guess if you're ignoring me you're actually ignoring me because the notifications are showing up right in front of your eyes." They meant it as a joke, but I worried about the implications of a statement like that (especially as someone who used to be in a very controlling relationship). If wearable tech goes in this direction, where there's no escape from the notifications, when will we as humans be allowed to turn off and recharge? Are we opening ourselves up to a 24 hour workday? Where's the privacy, the alone time?

Feb 29:

Today I tried to explore some of the functions that the glasses offered. I found out very quickly that my experience will be limited because the "Abilities" supported by Focals are mostly Android-oriented (Google Tasks, Fit, etc.) and I am a slave to Apple products (it would be awesome if I could connect my Apple Music account since I don't use Spotify, but so it goes).

Some of the built-in games are amusing, though. I especially like the idea of having language flash cards which allow you to learn words at a volume basically only audible to yourself. I can imagine that would potentially come in handy when travelling.

March 1:

Today I thought about how handy it would be if my glasses could deliver step-by-step directions while I'm cooking. I hate touching my computer or phone to double check a recipe while I'm handling food. However, that would rely on not having to expertly maneuver my frames in order to view the display (recall the squinty face from a few days ago), and it would also rely on my frames not falling off my face every time I look down. They're quite heavy.

I'd like to try to order an Uber using the frames. It's exciting that it's an option. I've made a mental note to do so next time I need to drive somewhere.

March 2-4:

My experience with the Focals over these days has been largely similar so I'll combine into one post. I've been trying to use the frames for at least half an hour, but I don't find myself reaching for them otherwise. Schoolwork has picked up during this week, and so wearing the glasses has been a huge distraction -- it's hard to focus when you can't escape the notifications which are appearing right in front of your eyes. Yes, technically I have the option not to check my phone, but it's much harder when I know for certain that messages are waiting for me. At their current capacity, they are a tool which hinders productivity rather than reinforces it.

March 5:

More fumbling around briefly with apps and periodically checking notifications as they pushed through today. Nothing terribly new or fun to report, besides how it strains my eyes to try to look past the notification so that I can focus on my laptop screen. Has there been enough research done to ensure this doesn't cause long-term retina damage? Thank goodness I'm going to see my optometrist this weekend.

Worn for ~45 minutes.

March 6:

Introduced my mother to the Focals today. She was very confused to see glasses on my face because I don't have a prescription, which quickly turned to amazement when I explained what the technology could do. She remarked on how much my dad would have loved to use a device like this. He was an engineer in his 50s who was really into gadgets, especially if they made his work easier (he was responsible for managing a few US clients and so not missing calls or emails from them was pretty important), so I could see someone like him being the perfect audience for Focals.

My phone has asked me a few times if I'd like to restrict the access that the Focals have to my location data. I limited the application so that it could only access my location while in use, but apparently that revokes all of the device's ability to show any information about my address or the surrounding area (the screen on the glasses says "GPS signal is lost" accompanied by a cheery icon of a satellite which has been set on fire).

Funnily enough, I accidentally stumbled upon a short article written about using Focals in a small journal/magazine from Montreal called Green Screen. The author documented their own experience using the glasses and it made me chuckle when I realized we've had similar reactions. (Does this encounter count as contamination? I don't know.) The article mentioned that Focals aren't fitted with a camera to avoid the public concerns about privacy/safety which tanked Google Glasses -- which makes sense and does make me feel a bit better about their use even if it limits some possibilities, knowing that some creep on the metro isn't secretly taking my photograph when he has them on. The article also mentioned that North had to lay off over 100 employees and lost their government funding. Paired with the GPS situation, I wonder: should I still be concerned about my privacy, is North selling my data? I ought to pay closer attention to the terms and conditions that I agree to.

March 7-8:

Spending a lot of time outside of the house, running errands and such, hasn't left a lot of time to play around with the glasses. I feel awkward wearing them in public spaces because they seem clunky, and I'm worried they might break accidentally.

March 9: 

Another notification from my iPhone:

"Focals has used your location 60 times in the background over the past 3 days..."
Seeing my location data visualized as such was a bit unnerving, especially since I wasn't actively using the Focals along this journey. What are you doing with my data???

March 10:

At some point, the Fcoals going to become obsolete (outdated in style or in software). I wouldn't be able to sell them if I get tired or buy a newer model (as I would do with my phone, laptop, or other digital device) because they are so tailored to my face. Are they made to last? What do I do if they break? What are the environmental costs of this product?

March 11:

I decided to wear my Focals in public and put them on while I was out for coffee with a friend. He remarked that they didn't suit my face. Trying to maintain a conversation with the person in front of me as I received notifications was distracting, as I didn't have much of a choice about checking them or not.

Interesting points raised while talking about the Focals:

• What about users who need prescription glasses? Do they have the option to get their prescription lenses in the Focals frame? Are they alienating a potential customer base if not?
• What is happening with my data? Why does my location need to be tracked *all* the time?
• Why does it use a server to deliver my text messages rather than sending the messages from my own phone number?
• The devices ensure privacy because other people can't see what appears on the lens, which is a bonus
• How does this device accommodate people who have disabilities that preclude them from using the loop or lenses?

March 12-13:

In the middle of the coronavirus kerfuffle, there hasn't been a lot of time to think about my Focals.

March 14:

How does one use wearable tech in the midst of a pandemic?

Apparently, just as one uses it on any other day. Although receiving so many notifications about emails, tweets, and texts related to the coronavirus all at once did make me feel a bit panicked, but I feel the same about seeing those notifications on my laptop and phone screens. I'm not sure if it intensified the feeling by having them displayed so closely to my face.

March 15:

The sun is out! It definitely is difficult to see the display while it's so bright inside my apartment. Even with the clip-on shades attached, the visibility is noticeably impaired.

I felt slight anxiety using the clip-on shades because they aren't magnetic and it involves some effort to get them to attach. My fear was that I would damage or scratch the lens, and I definitely can't afford to replace them.