Good day,
Google Glass, those futuristic glasses created by Google a few years ago are back. Discontinued after meeting with only minor success despite great introductory fanfare, they have now made a reappearance with a focus on corporate America.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition has been in testing with numerous companies, including Boeing, GE and DHL. According to The Verge, Glass has been upgraded with an improved camera and battery life, faster WiFi and processor, and a red light that turns on to indicate video is recording. The electronics are also different, now residing in a “Glass Pod” that can be detached and reattached to Glass-compatible frames. These can include safety googles in addition to prescription glasses.
While the initial run of Google Glass Enterprise Edition is small, product managers insist this is no longer a prototype project.
“This isn’t an experiment. It was an experiment three years ago. Now we are in full-on production with our customers and with our partners,” Jay Kothari, project lead, said.
Did you know?
There are currently 83 registered suppliers of ELDs, according to FMCSA’s self-certification website. You can see the full list by clicking here.
Quotable:
“We do not have cyber or other insurance in place that covers this attack. Although we cannot currently quantify the amounts, we have experienced loss of revenue due to decreased volumes at TNT and incremental costs associated with the implementation of contingency plans and the remediation of affected systems.”
– FedEx statement on the impact of the recent Petya cyberattack on its TNT Express unit
In other news:
Dollar hits 10-month low
Following news of Senate Republicans pulling their attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, the U.S. dollar dropped to its lowest level in 10 months as foreign countries began a sell-off. (CNN Money)
California extends cap-and-trade climate program
California has extended a cap-and-trade climate program out to 2030 despite opposition from some conservatives. The program requires companies that release pollutants to purchase credits to do so. (BBC)
Truck tonnage remains on a roller coaster
Truck tonnage for June rose year-over-year, but dropped 4.3% from May, the American Trucking Associations reported. (Transport Topics)
It’s time for the infrastructure pivot
With the healthcare bill seemingly going nowhere and signs that tax reform may not be much easier, it’s time for Congress to pivot to infrastructure investment, which offers a bigger bang for the buck. (City Lab)
FedEx still trying to recover from cyberattack
The cyberattack last month that affected FedEx’s TNT Express unit is still affecting the company, which acknowledged that it may never fully recover some of the data affected. (Supply Chain Dive)
Final Thoughts
The prospect of Google Glass in the workplace may have been an idea before its time a few years ago, but the timing may be right. If wearing Google Glass is able to reduce time in warehouses or maintenance shops, companies will adopt the technology.
Hammer down everyone!
