This is just like some game trailer, you see the trailer of a MMO then when you play it, it's nothing like in the trailer. It looks too perfect and I doubt all buildings will have a "map", also I doubt that the voice system works so neat... I'm yet to see a working command-by-voice system. Like you would say STREET in an weird accent and that thing would type in STEEP or something for a reminder.

I'm not usually skeptical but this thing just throws it everywhere good share though.

Hmm, one way they could make it safer would be for it to only be active when you aren't in motion. So you won't get pop ups while crossing a busy street and such. But yeah, totally time to become a mortician when this comes out, business will be booming.

This, as you say, has so much potential for good. But when I first noticed the headline about them in the news earlier this week, I lost interest as soon as I saw that they're being developed by Google. That's not me saying I just flat out dislike Google and everything they've done/do. On this occasion though my instant reaction was:

As far as driving. Well, I can't drive, but one thing does come to mind, which is the advice given by the driving instructor that taught pretty much all my family: Drive like everyone else on the road is a complete and utter idiot.

A more realistic version:

When I first saw it I first went to all the potential abuses: "Google, where is my ex-girlfriend? Oh, 200 yards to the south, she just entered the public library? Great, thanks...!"

Imagine driving with something like that active. Insurance companies would go broke because no one would be able to handle the extremely high premiums. Mortuaries however would see a boom. Pretty sad.

What makes you think Google will be the only one who gets into this market once the technology is out?

The glasses will probably evolve into something safer than on the video.

I expect to get such glasses that are relatively unintrusive. I consider the potential for these glasses to be like the dashboard of a car. Formula 1 drivers and fighter pilots already have a HUD projected into their helmet.

Most of the time I would just expect to see a clock and maybe a small calendar note about what you have scheduled next on the display with no other interruptions. I don't expect ads in the glasses. I don't get ads in my smartphone either.

You will most likely be able to mod and skin the glasses to your liking, at least by jailbreaking them.

This just in (thanks, koop ):  http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/04/sergey-brin-takes-project-glass-out-of-googles-lab/

Seems Valve is interested in it for future STEAM as well.  http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/04/14/that-was-easy-valves-hardware-is-wearable-computing/

As long as no one risks others' safety and well being while using these things, fine.

Will that even be possible if these are allowed in public places?

Well the danger of distracted drivers will go away once we get self driving cars...

Cell phones are all the rage...today. The next rage that comes along will be snatched up just as fast. New toys for the next generation to play with. Who's willing to bet otherwise.

I'm sure Chinese and Iranian and Syrian and North Korean police will find a lot of applications for these.  Welcome to the future of facial recognition and criminal profiling.

It would seem that the folks in Hollywood are way ahead of that, a shot in the lips and one around the eyes and you no longer look like the person you were. 

Cutting edge facial recognition looks at bone structure and infrared signatures as well as complexion and facial features.  It's been able to even spot people after plastic surgery or in disguise.