The 7 Best Google Project Glass Parody Videos

After months of rumors regarding a move into augmented reality, Google finally unveiled its Project Glass initiative at the beginning of April. Apart from a few photographs of annoying models wearing an early version of the Google Glasses, the main draw was a concept video showing one day in the life of someone wearing these futuristic specs.

This video was ripe for spoofing, and parodies appeared online within hours of the original making its debut on YouTube. Many deal with the obvious issues some of us have realized will be part and parcel of this brave, new, augmented reality world. Others just poke fun at Google, the actors in the video, and the whole concept behind Google Project Glass. Regardless, all are worth watching.

A New Way To Hurt Yourself

This is the parody which started it all, the one that was uploaded within hours of Google unveiling the real One Day Project Glass concept video. How did Tom Scott produce and edit it so quickly? I have no idea, quite frankly. But his fast-turnaround skills meant that A New Way To Hurt Yourself got featured all over the Web, generating more than 2 million page views at the time of writing.

The video itself pokes fun at three particular parts of the original – the likelihood of you walking into things; the likelihood of ads filling up your field of vision; the likelihood your innermost thoughts will be inadvertently communicated to friends and family.

One Day – Annoying Version (NSFW)

Call me childish but this is my favorite of all the Project Glass parodies featured in this article. It’s laugh out loud funny, to my infantile mind anyway, but it’s actually one of the simplest spoofs. The video remains the same, but the audio track takes a turn for the better. This is how a day in the life of someone wearing Google Goggles would look if they were a complete and utter douchebag.

If the ending, when he calls his girlfriend out for interrupting his song, doesn’t have you emitting at least a small giggle then, well, you’re more mature than I am. Well done.

Project Dangerous Glasses

This video renames Project Glass as Project Dangerous, and if you hadn’t guessed, it suggests the many ways concentrating on things happening right in front of your eyeballs may cause you harm.

Simple tasks such as making yourself a cup of coffee and crossing the road suddenly lead to injury and/or death. A little far-fetched perhaps, but I can see some lawsuits flying Google’s way if something like this does occur.

Google Glasses Advertising Overload

Another parody that sticks to the original video but adds a new layer over the top. This time it’s advertising. Lots and lots of advertising. Drink coffee, see an ad for Starbucks; the subway is closed, see an ad for car rentals; buy a book on ukuleles, see an add for ukulele music. Etc., etc.

It’s not without a little irony that while you’re watching this video you will have to put up with an ad by Google sitting along the bottom, obscuring your view. Oh Google, how we love you.

Real-Life Project Glass

This parody purports to show what it will really be like to live for a day while wearing Google’s augmented reality specs. You know, rather than the biased, ‘life is great, I’m great, everybody is super great’ fiction that Google served up to tempt us into wearing Google Goggles.

It ends with a similar sunset on top of a roof. And the opening of Chatroulette. And, oh dear God. That is what’s going to happen.

Microsoft Windows Version

Project Glass is Google’s baby, obviously, but what if Microsoft had got there first? This video means we don’t have to try and imagine what augmented reality specs powered by Windows would be like. The scenario foretold is not a pretty one.

We get to see updates constantly installing, stupid cartoon helpers, constant warning messages, and a nice system failure to complete the picture. Stick to desktops, Microsoft, please.

Cheating Wife Parody

This video is the shortest on the list, but it manages to be funny while describing one possible scenario Google Project Glass could throw up. That whole ‘always-on, instant answers to questions’ reality could throw up some awkward moments where relationships are concerned.

Social networking sites already break up relationships, so I can only imagine what Google Goggles will do for the divorce rate. And the ratio of fights between husbands and their wives’ lovers. Ah, the future.

Conclusions

Is it harsh to mock what is only a concept video? Perhaps, but it has produced some of the funniest videos I have seen for a long time. The product will evolve over the next few months and then years, but I’m sure the parodists will be coming along for the ride, spoofing Google’s efforts along the way.

Did you have a favorite out of the videos recommended above? Or is there another you have seen that you feel needs promoting to a wider audience? What do you think of Project Glass overall? Is it an unstoppable future you want to see rise, the start of the downfall of civilization, or something in between and a lot less dramatic as a result. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. (via makeuseof)