Call it Projector Runway. Diane von Furstenberg made a splash with her collection that debuted Sunday during the New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013 shows — and not just for her chic prints and flowing palazzo pants.

The New York-based designer also put Google Glass augmented reality glasses on the catwalk, with her models wearing the high-tech specs and capturing the action on the runway (more on that below).

Also wearing the web-enabled specs at the show: Google co-founder Sergey Brin and von Furstenberg (who addressed Googlers on her vision back in 2006) herself.Continue reading...

Headphone lines are running into every ear and the world is constantly staring into its smartphones, seemingly hoping to be sucked into a virtual mobile world. It does not seem that anyone wants to go without their data at any second of their lives. After all, it could be crucial to know the so-called “Nasty Factor” of a pitch as it happens in the fifth inning of a game in April or to see a celebrity Twitter spat unfold in real time.

The good folks at Google and Oakley want to help you, the teeming data-driven masses, see just what is shaking at all times. Google’s “Project Glass,” which quickly became nicknamed Google Glasses, got some publicity recently when it emerged that the company was developing specs that would allow for data to be projected onto the lenses. Now Bloomberg is reporting that Oakley — also making some noise as an official sponsor of the London 2012 Summer Games — has been working on a similar product since 1997.Continue reading...

Remember all the buzz about Google Googles, using pictures to search the web? The company today unveiled an Augmented Reality spin of the concept out of its R&D lab: Project Glass, which embeds the web in a modern-day spin on x-ray specs. It's purely spec-ulative, but gives a fascinating view of how Google envisions the future. So get ready for voice-controlled instant notifications in your field of vision.

Google described the AR glasses as: "We believe technology should work for you — to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don't. A team within our Google[x] group started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment. Follow along with us at http://g.co/projectglass as we share some of our ideas and stories. We'd love to hear yours, too. What would you like to see from Project Glass?"Continue reading...

Yes, the new 1.3 version of Google Goggles, an application for Android phones, can now recognize print ads in magazines and newspapers and return web search results about the brands featured in the ads.

Sure, the new version of Goggles offers instant barcode scanning without even pressing a button; all you have to do is open Goggles and hold it over the barcode to get reviews, compare prices and check availability in stores.

But wait, there's more! The new version of Google Goggles can help you cheat on help you solve Sodoku puzzles!Continue reading...

A ping for a pong. Mix one part camera-phone with image recognition technology with one part brand loyalty and social engagement, and what do you get? Pongr, a mobile photo-sharing game based on brand logos.

Snap a picture of an ad, a television commercial, a billboard, a packaged product, send it in to Pongr and earn brand rewards. Earn enough points and become virtual CEO of your personal favorite brands. Consumers can earn and trade virtual stocks, propose deals, collect a virtual paycheck, and crowdsource deals.

Pongr CEO Jamie Thompson tells brandchannel that “every picture sent through Pongr expresses consumer interest in some product or brand. We give brands the ability to respond immediately (with a call-to-action) when pictures of their brand are photographed."Continue reading...

Apple prepares to announce Beatles/iTunes deal at 10am ET.

BHP Billiton will keep pursuing large acquisitions despite failed bid for Potash.

Buick, Delta, Disney, Diageo, and T-Mobile test Google Goggles brand marketing.

Chrysler redefines Dodge brand, sans Ram.

Discovery buys Animal Planet and Liv TV channels from BBC.

Droid lands a starring role in Gossip Girl.

Facebook roils rivalry with Google with new messaging system.Continue reading...

Google’s search results pages will never be the same.

In an effort to secure the lead in its quest for dominance in “real time,” Google recently announced exclusive feed deals with Twitter and Facebook, delivering a punch to Microsoft which had just announced advances of its own in the social media realm of tweets and updates.

Furthermore, Google also unveiled stunning new apps that exploit the possibilities of mobile device searches, such as Google Goggles, which is a visual search technology that employs image recognition software that can recognize and return search results based on mobile phone pictures. Supposedly, the technological capability is so advanced it can identify specific faces. Not impressive and/or scary enough for you? Well, there’s also a voice recognition system to go along with it.Continue reading...