LOS ANGELES — Is Google Glass hype or not?
That's what XBIZ asked this summer after Google rolled out for developers the wearable computer that houses an optical head-mounted display.
The results, based on an online poll, showed that most respondents (51 percent) feel that it is too early to tell the future of Google Glass, while 35 percent say "it's hype."
Thirteen percent of respondents, however, say the device is "not hype."
One adult entertainment company — Mikandi, which runs an app store with its more than 4 million users and 8,000 apps and channels — has put a lot of eggs in the Glass basket and has made it a mission to develop ways to exploit the device in so many porny ways despite the fact that current developer policies exclude sexually explicit material.
In fact, Mikandi, along with XBIZ, produced the first-ever Google Glass porn production, starring porn superstar James Deen and 2011 XBIZ Female Performer of the Year Andy San Dimas. The pair uncovered some powerful hidden capabilities of Google Glass.
Jen McEwen, Mikandi's co-founder, told XBIZ that the company is firmly embracing Google Glass as the next device that will distribute sexually explicit programming in some kind of context. MiKandi already has launched Google Glass porn programming called "Tits & Glass."
"We don't believe it's hype," McEwen said. "Google Glass is a big step toward making technology fit more comfortably into our daily lives. Glass will evolve over time and we'll undoubtedly see more wearable tech thanks to Google's innovation.
"The response to our Google Glass porn video has been overwhelmingly positive. Whatever technical issues the beta device has right now is overshadowed by the uncensored POV experiences it captures," she said. "Keep in mind that Google Glass is not just another camera. It's a communications device. When you look at it in those terms, it's easy to see how it can potentially transform the way adults interact with each other."
Allison Vivas, who leads adult distributor Pink Visual and affiliate program TopBucks, however, says it's too early to tell if Google Glass will be a blockbuster. But her company is developing a porn-friendly device called “PV Glasses," which is described as "3D virtual-reality video glasses."
"If cost was not a factor and the average individual had access to a Google Glasses type product, porn would definitely be one of the first things that average individual would look for," Vivas told XBIZ. " It adds an element of comfort and convenience that mobile phone devices can't offer. It's easy to imagine the average guy literally kicking back with their glasses on and relaxing."
Stephen Yagielowicz, senior technology editor for XBIZ, says at this stage of the game he believes it’s too early to tell what this new technology will enable.
"Undoubtedly it will be used by amateurs and others to create porn, but given the growing moves to restrict access to adult materials it is unlikely that a product with such a strong brand name will go over to the dark side at a level expected of professional productions," Yagielowicz said. "Google Glass does, however, remain a very intriguing technological milestone in the merging of man and machine, so it follows that any whiff of humanity will have a sexual counterpart, with this platform far from exempt."