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36 QRCA VIEWS WINTER 2 014 www.qrca.org Google Glass, Wearables, and You C O N T I N U E D World Class Nationwide Recruitment & Transcription Services When you don't need a facility for your project, trust us – the qualitative recruitment experts. The leader in nationwide recruiting for urban, suburban and rural markets across the US for all types of in-person and online research. Recruiting from our database, your list or purchased sample, everything you could possibly need is done right here by us. We aren't just recruiters – we are marketing research professionals who make the fi eld process an easy experience. Your clients don't like to wait and neither do you! With turnaround in as few as 24 hours and meticulous accuracy, Focus Forward is emerging as the leader in global transcription services. To ensure the highest quality standards, every completed transcript is audio checked and proofread. Available 7 days a week, relax as our team of 400+ US-based transcribers expertly handle your project. www.focusfwd.com · 212.626.9060 · RFP@focusfwd.com Focus Forward Focus Forward Focus Forward Be a HERO to your clients transcription wearable cameras do not offer zoom fea- tures. Still, there are significant benefits to becoming more familiar with other wear- able cameras on the market. Competitive wearable cameras like GoPro are more readily available and affordable (under $500). GoPro offers more stability and better broadcast-quality footage at HD and even 4K levels with its wide-angle lens. Another lesser-known camera, Looxcie ($80), is less obtrusive, lighter, and slightly smaller in size; howev- er, the image quality with Looxcie is not as good as it is with Glass or GoPro. Glass is unique in that the video footage can detect the moderator nodding and any other unwanted head motions. A fellow qualitative researcher, Bob Relihan, recently used a GoPro camera mounted on his clipboard to capture foot- age during some in-store interviews. While it was obvious that he was using a camera—after obtaining a signed release to record the interview—Bob was able to start and stop recording from a single touch on his coordinating bracelet (with- out fidgeting with the camera itself ). These GoPro recordings were helpful in capturing audio and video footage from the interview for note-taking and creating clips for the report. Due to the ease of managing the device, none of the store employees or customers he interviewed seemed to mind its presence. Apple Watch Hits Shelves Apple's new foray into wearables with the Apple Watch presents a unique oppor- tunity over Google Glass. It is arguably a more fashionable, more affordable smart wearable that will be sold online and in retail stores in 2015–all of which points to its increased ability to go mainstream. Among its market research applications, Apple Watch will be able to capture imag- es and browse social media, but it could also present some limitations in the field because it is mounted on your wrist, rath- er than on your head. As we move forward with wearables with the Apple Watch and beyond, I think we certainly will think of Google Glass and smartwatches, like Pebble and Fitbit®, as the initial icebreakers for wearables in our society.

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