Google Glass Update

Are you area of the lucky bunch that got offered a pair of Google Glass and had $1,500 bucks to kick down? Good news! The camera on the set just received a whole lot better.

Following high on their promise to update Google Glass every month, Google just released a patch which brings two important photo-centric features for their robo-eyewear: HDR photography and on-the-fly photo captions.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography is one area you might have seen in your smartphone’s camera, although you may didn’t know precisely what it was. Built into an affordable number of today’s handsets, “HDR” mode essentially takes multiple photos in very, very rapid succession at multiple exposure levels, then automatically combines those photos to provide you with one using the best brightness levels.

The benefit is two-fold: If you’re shooting in a room with crummy lighting, Glass sees that and will try to crank up the exposure inside your photo accordingly. If you’re instead shooting outdoors while staring basically directly with the sun (how else will you get that sweet, sweet lens flare?), your photos won’t be nearly as passed.

The update also brings voice-powered photo captions — which, while not quite as exciting, remains pretty important. Previously, photos shared through Google Glass’ voice system would increase without much context; now, Google Glass gives you a chance to caption the photo before it goes live. You just tap to decide on the caption option, speak your caption, confirm your words, and share away.