Google Glass gets XE5 software update

Google has released an update for Glass, its augmented reality headset. According to Phandroid , the update, named XE5, brings a bunch of fixes for major bugs. To update Glass, you have to hook it up to a wall charger. Glass then automatically detects, downloads and installs the update by itself. The update might take quite some time, however, since it is a pretty big update.

It isn’t uncommon to see devices that aren’t available to the public get updates, and this undoubtedly won’t be the last update Glass gets before its public debut. These kind of updates are very common when only die-hard enthusiasts and developers have access to the device.

Glass gets its first update

Here is the complete changelog lifted directly from Glass:

• Change to sync policy: require power + wifi for background uploads
• Crash reporting
• Incoming G+ notifications (direct shares, comments, +mentions), including ability to comment and +1
• Incoming Hangout notifications
• Transcription of queries and messages is now wicked-fast
• Long-press to search from anywhere in the UI (no longer just from off)
• International number dialing + SMS
• Hop animation on disallowed swipes in the UI
• New On-Head Detection calibration flow
• Show device Serial Number on Device Info card
• More reliable estimation of battery charge remaining
• New recipient-list mosaic

Back in April, Google had officially released the kernel GPL source for Glass so that developers could begin tinkering with it. This came fresh after Cydia founder Jay Freeman gained root access on his unit of Google Glass. Freeman relied on a well-known exploit from Android 4.0.4 to take control of the OS.

Interestingly, according to reports, some of the lines of code in the Kernel indicate that Glass has support for NFC. Then again, it could also mean that NFC drivers come installed by default in Android.