Advice Needed

"Alex Murel" (alexandermurel)
02/25/2014 at 16:57 • Filed to: Help

Until about an hour ago, I had one clear purpose for the newly formed funds that reside in my savings account, fix the Ducati so that it actually runs and drives for awhile, until it inevitably breaks down again. But then I got this email....

Glass costs about $1500. Fixing a Ducati costs about $1500. I want both but I can only have one. What would you pick?

DISCUSSION (44)

Deven > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 16:59

In my opinion I would fix the bike

Montalvo > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:00

Without a single bit of hesitation I would say the Ducati comes first. Google glass while cool is just a novelty and in my opinion not worth $1500.

Casper > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:00

Personally I would fix the Ducati... it will be more fun for longer. I work in a tech field so I'm use to having a ton of the "latest and greatest" gadgets laying around my desk, completely unused after about a month, so I don't like to be an early adopter for things anymore.

Just my $0.02.

Coty > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:01

Ducati. Like, did you really need help with that?

Party-vi > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:02

Is this a trick question?

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:03

Ducati no question.

JeffFurbs > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:03

As a lover of things neat and technologically interesting Id have to suggest fixing up the Ducati. Google glass is cool but I don't know if it's 1500 dollars cool

njp1589 > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:03

I think that Google glass is an awesome, incredible technology. I also think that Ducatis are one of the things that prove God loves us and wants us to be happy.

But let's be honest, only one of those two things is going to make you look like a tool.

chrisbattle > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:04

Fix the Ducati. Wait for the early adopters to pay off the engineering/marketing costs for glass. Buy Glass when it is $599

Brian Silvestro > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:05

Fix Ducati and buy a GoPro. I was emailed that as well, then realized I can just buy a GoPro instead.

crowmolly > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:06

I turned Google down.

Too much money. The tech is cool but not THAT cool.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:06

ducati.

end of discussion.

CAR_IS_MI > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:07

The real question is, do I want to look like a douchebag or look like a douchebag?

While I like the idea of being a hipster douche with doodle glass, I would personally have more personal enjoyment (plus save my retinas) from being a Ducati douche.

Alex Murel > CAR_IS_MI
02/25/2014 at 17:08

See that's why I want both, so I can be the ultimate douche.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:10

I got the email too a few weeks ago, but I realized unless you have an awesome idea for a development app it's really not worth it.

CAR_IS_MI > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:10

You can only be the ultimate douche if you have both and use both while wearing jeans and a blazer with toe shoes...

Also, why not fix the Duc and wait for the price on Glass to drop?

$kaycog > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:10

I agree with everyone. Fix the Ducati.

puddler > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:11

anyone willing to give up a ducati for google glass deserves niether...

unless the glass can operate like heads-up-display.

jkm7680 > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:11

Ducati, no thoughts, just Ducati

Lekker > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:12

The Ducati. For sure. You can do the job of the glass with a 300$ goPro. Besides, you can't really walk into a building with Glass on without getting a bunch of "ugh" looks. You walk into a building with your Helmet and jacket, you know the looks aren't "ugh". Just saying.

Alex Murel > CAR_IS_MI
02/25/2014 at 17:13

You've described my style to a T, sir. And the main reasons not to fix the Duc is that it will break again sooner than later and I'm spending my summer abroad so i wont even be able to use it.

CAR_IS_MI > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:14

I would rather spend my summer with abroad rather than a glass...

Alex Murel > puddler
02/25/2014 at 17:14

It can, including turn by turn nav. Plus its not "giving up the Duc" per say, its more just postponing it.

Nibbles > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:15

Ducati. Fix the damn bike.

puddler > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:20

yea, but that doesn't match the ben franklin quote...

once you get the engine out, duc's are a blast to work on. why would you pay anyone anything for the privilege?

Eric the RC guy > Lekker
02/25/2014 at 17:22

Which model of GoPro works as a HUD and interfaces with your smartphone?

Where have all the lightweights gone? > chrisbattle
02/25/2014 at 17:22

Agreed. The technology won't be very well accepted until the hardware is more streamlined and resembles actual glasses. Until then, let the geeks and devs take these and get the good ones later.

Alex Murel > puddler
02/25/2014 at 17:24

Because I'm at college 1500 miles away from my garage and my tools. I'm sick of just seeing it sit there and not get out and stretch it's legs.

Eric the RC guy > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:24

I'll be the only one to say it: Glass invitations aren't being given out to everyone. The parts to fix the Duc will be available for awhile.

If I had the $1500 I would be getting my Glass shipped to me now, unfortunately the invitation in my inbox just serves as a reminder that I'm poor :(

maximillious > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:25

Oh My GOD!!!! Dont do this to yourself!!! I posted this exact same article to OPPO about a month ago when I received the very same email. I will tell you now, everyone will say buy a new car/turbo/seats/anything car related/anything not google glass. I didnt end up getting mine. 1500 is alot of cash for something still in beta... a ducati sounds much more fun, and you are just as likely to die from getting the shit kicked out of you for wearing those into a bathroom as you are crashing your ducati into a median at 150 mph

puddler > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:26

better spoil that duc once you get a chance.

Lekker > Eric the RC guy
02/25/2014 at 17:26

The you shouldn't be doing that as you're riding anyway model. =D

Smart-ass comments aside, while it would be cool it isn't as much of a heads up display as it is a n interactive hands-free system that has speech abilities. If you really did want a HUD system you'd be looking at other items, such as the Recon Jet glasses. They allow for actual monitoring of stats, map tracking and layouts. Not that I am an advocate nor do I own a pair, I simply see those as an actual tool.

puddler > Lekker
02/25/2014 at 17:28

you walk into a store around here with a helmet on & they hand you a cash register drawer for some reason...best part about riding a motorcycle.

Lekker > puddler
02/25/2014 at 17:30

Haha I usually got free drinks at food places, but thats about it. I did always get tons of looks walking into class/work with customers around and they see me enter with full on motorcycle outfit and emerge back from the magic of the staff room as a professional, and a sales man that I was. Haha

Eric the RC guy > Lekker
02/25/2014 at 17:35

It is a HUD though, it can project GPS directions onto the Glass out of the box, and it would be very easy to pipe other information to them as well. The reason I wish I could afford a pair is because I want to make a plugin for Torque that lets you display custom dials/displays on the Glass as a HUD, so all you would need is an ELM327 and Google Glass to get a custom HUD on any vehicle with an OBDII port.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:38

No advice I can offer, but something to remember...

http://sfist.com/2014/02/25/wom…

Lekker > Eric the RC guy
02/25/2014 at 17:40

See I wouldn't find that useful at all. And while it may be able to be used as a HUD the real practical use is not that. At least not in that application. Now if we were to get into details, the information you can get via OBDII connector and a Bluetooth adapter can be super useful. Torque? Eh. It would be like having a rolling dyno, what is the point? Now if we were to get things like coolant temperature displayed, along with your Fuel to air ratio, tire temperature and maybe fuel it would be a more real-world tool. Anything other than that it seems sort of over-kill. Again, this is of course my personal opinion and I mean no insult by it or anything of the sort.

Eric the RC guy > Lekker
02/25/2014 at 17:47

Sorry, I should have clarified. Torque is an android app that can pull down every bit of information that travels through the OBDII port (including CAN-BUS). You can use the app to set up custom dashboards with any of the information you want displayed just about anyway that you want, which means that you can have coolant temperature (this is how I determine that my car is warm enough to drive in the morning, I wait until coolant goes above 100 degrees and the idle RPM drops below 1500), fuel to air ratio, fuel usage at the rail, etc. When I drive I have fuel mileage (live, calculated based upon current speed versus fuel rail flow), GPS speed (I have slightly oversized winter tires on my car, so my speedo is off), RPM, coolant temp, and a widget that shows how economically you're driving at a glance. I also have a screen set up that I can use in other people's more performance oriented cars that calculate horsepower and torque figures (not that accurate, relies on the weight of the car being entered correctly, thankfully I have access to a truck scale to make it work), as well as 0-60 time, 0-100 time, 1/4 mile time, 1/8 mile time, and G forces in every direction. Right now this sits on a dash mount where it is fairly easy to read, but being able to have this information right in front of my eye in a manner that isn't distracting and doesn't block my vision would be awesome.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:48

Ducati's are cool forever. Gadgets are only cool for a year or two until the next one comes out.

Ducati all the way.

Kailand09 > Alex Murel
02/25/2014 at 17:56

My friend didn't like glass and just returned his.

So Ducati of course.

Lekker > Eric the RC guy
02/25/2014 at 18:22

Ah so it was the app we were referring to. My apologies. Yeah I am familiar with it. I guess i did overlook the entire different aspect of a HUD, that can be used to be more economical as well. I was simply taking an approach of useful information when participating in aggressive driving, or track, you name it. I can see your application a little bit better now, but I am still inclined to say it wouldn't display enough data for me to actually pay $1500 for the google glass and adapt it to my needs. I am in the process of getting an iPad mini, hooking up the same Bluetooth OBDII adapter, and get a custom screen in my dash that shows me the same stats you were discussing (along with the same flaws). The only difference is that I would also use it as a media device. For example: Waze. Or random stuff like that.

I can appreciate entirely why you like the idea of it, and for that reason I respect your intellect. It takes deep understanding of the components as well as some coding (which I happen to know sucks sometimes). Is this a project you're actually perusing? Or more like thinking out loud?

Eric the RC guy > Lekker
02/25/2014 at 19:03

Thinking out loud unfortunately. I've spent the last couple years learning app development, I have a Glass invite, but unfortunately can't afford the $1500 to get the product to develop on. I would like to do it someday, but I doubt unless I start now I can be first to market so unfortunately it will likely not be worth my time when I do have the means to start.

Strangely I'm also planning a semi permanent install in my car that will work as diagnostics, media center, and navigation with an android phone. Hopefully starting on modifications this weekend, my goal is to integrate it into my car well enough that it looks like it belongs there but make it so it can be removed for servicing if needed. I use my phone for all of those tasks as it is, but having a semi permanent install with a custom UI should hopefully make it look cleaner, and not require the tape adapter I currently use to connect my phone to the stereo.

Lekker > Eric the RC guy
02/25/2014 at 19:50

That is exactly the purpose I am going for with the iPad mini. Simple, pretty and informational.

pfftballer > Alex Murel
02/27/2014 at 18:25

Ducati.