Mike's List 247

Apple's iGlasses; caffeinated makeup; cooking with power tools; pocket pillows; smartphone sandwiches and more!

The 4 amazing new things we just learned about Apple's 'iGlasses'

I'm probably the most bullish, optimistic fan of Apple's mixed reality glasses projects, and I'm going to tell you why in one word: Holograms. 

Mike Elgan

I expect that Apple's efforts will result in the mainstreaming of 3D holographic images as a feature of ordinary, everyday life. 

Instead of pouring our minds into the narrow-focus funnel of a tiny smartphone screen to find out what's happening in the wider world, the wider world will be represented by full-size objects in our immediate environment, as will information and content that's specific or exclusive to the places we inhabit. 

It's going to be super fun. 

(Note: All images on this page of Apple’s headset were created by Antonio De Rosa.)

Of course, research into smart glasses of all types has been going on for decades. Startups have been churning out and selling mixed reality glasses for years. 

But Apple's best role is to take technologies on the fringe and drop it into the mainstream simultaneously creating a demand, a market and an example of how to do it in a consumer-friendly way. 

Here's what we already know or can expect with reasonable certainty about Apple's mixed reality or AR glasses: 

• Apple intends to ship two very different over-the-eyes hardware platforms: 1) VR-like goggles where you're looking at screens; and 2) AR glasses where you're looking through clear glass, but can also see virtual objects that appear to be floating in space. 

• The bigger, heavier glasses come first, possibly next year; the lighter, everyday glasses come years later. 

• The bigger mixed-reality glasses may have two 8k screens (which is incredible), up to 14 cameras, lidar and may cost $3,000. 

• Apple has been inventing, designing and patenting technologies and concepts for years, and has hundreds of patents in this space. 

• Apple has been making acquisitions and acquihires for years, hoarding intellectual property and expertise in this space. 

• Apple has been introducing features and components into iPhones that can be considered precursors to mixed- and augmented-reality glasses, such as Lidar and AR support for developers. 

• Apple CEO Tim Cook has made it clear that Apple is obsessed with augmented reality, and doesn't care that much about virtual reality. 

But this is a fast-moving story. Here are the 4 new things we've learned in the last 24 hours.  

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Mike’s List of Brilliantly Bad Ideas

1. Caffeinated makeup

A new line of makeup from Marc Jacobs called the "Café" collection is loaded with caffeine. The concealer and foundation products are collectively called the Extra Shot Caffeine Concealer & Foundation line. Marc says caffeine constricts blood vessels to reduce inflammation and redness. Starbucks should sell this. 

2. Cooking with power tools

A set of products call Cooking with Power Tools let you use your power drill to make food. The kit comes with a cheese grater, mixer, blender, pepper grinder, salt grinder and juicer that attach like drill bits to your existing power drill. 

3. Pocket pillows

Japan's Thanko does it again with this chin rest that fits in your pocket. The Pocket Pillow basically the size of a very fat smartphone when collapsed, but telescopes out to become a chin rest, head rest or arm rest — it even lets you sleep at your desk without resting on the keyboard, according to the manufacturer.

4. A cloud-based mouth

This online mouth and nasal cavity lets you push and pinch and squeeze different parts of the mouth to get different vocal tones. No matter what you do, it sounds hilarious. 

5. Smartphone sandwiches

A new product called Cellsnap uses magnets to stick two smartphones together back to back. It lets you carry two phones in one pocket. 

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Mike’s List of Shameless Self Promotion

1. Cybersecurity Insurance Pros and Cons: Is it the Best Policy?

2. Who wants to go on a food-travel experience of a lifetime later this year? 

3. Remote work 2.0 — when WFH really means 'work from anywhere'

4. Why the future of robots is far better than science fiction imagined

5. Learn how to shut down business units safely in my article at SecurityIntelligence

6. And check out my session at the Future of Work Summit at 12:05 Pacific, 3:05pm Eastern on Thursday, February 18, where I’ll talk about the totally surprising future of remote work.