Ten Easy Steps to Side-load an App to Google Glass

There are two types of Glassware available for Google Glass: installable and side-loadable.  However, a large amount of people know how to access only the “installable” applications.  If you fit into this group of people, you have came to the right place.  Tesseract Mobile would like to present a step by step guide demonstrating how to side-load an application onto Google Glass.  Due to the extensive information and images provided, these instructions make it so simple, anyone can learn how to access side-loadable apps with these ten easy steps!

Step 1: Make sure that there are not any phones plugged into your computer while doing this.  

The only device that should be plugged into your computer is Google Glass.

Step 2: Enable debug mode on your Google Glass device.

• Scroll all the way to the left until you reach your “Settings” card, and tap on it.
• Scroll over until you see the “Device Info” card, and then tap on it.
• Scroll over to “Turn on debug”, and tap on it.

Congratulations, you just enabled the debug mode on your Google Glass device.  Now that the easy part is over, let us continue.

Step 3: Download the Google Glass Android Drivers.

Click on this link:  https://dl-ssl.google.com//android/repository/latest_usb_driver_windows.zip.  This will automatically download the Google Glass Android Drivers that you need.  The download will open in a zip file, so you will need to extract it.

• Click on “Extract”.

• Edit the “Output”, so it will read “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\usb_driver”, and then click “OK”.

Clicking “OK” will open this folder in a new window.

Step 4: Edit the android_winusb.inf document.

We need to edit the android_winusb.inf document with specific code in order for the computer to recognize the Google Glass device.

First, click on the android_winusb.inf document.

When the document opens, you will need to copy and paste this blue highlighted text:

;Google Glass
%SingleAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_4E11&REV_0216
%CompositeAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_4E11&MI_01

%SingleAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_9001&REV_0216
%CompositeAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_9001&MI_01

into the document in two different spots.  Look for [Google.NTamd64] and [Google.NTx86].

Now copy and paste that highlighted text into this document between [Google.NTx86] and [Google.NTamd64].

Then copy and paste that highlighted text into this document between [Google.NTamd64] and [USB_Install].

After copying and pasting the code in the correct spots, click “File” and “Save”.  Once you have saved this document, Step 4 is complete.

Step 5: Update Drivers.

• Open the Device Manager on your computer.  If you do not know where to find the Device Manager, use the search bar in your Start menu.
• Once the Device Manager is open, click on “Android Phone”.  Right click on “Android Composite ADB Interface”.  Then click on “Properties”.

• Click on the “Driver” tab, and then click on “Update Driver”.

• A box should appear that gives you two options.  Click “Browse my computer for driver software” (manually).
• Browse for C:\Users\QA\Dowloads\usb_driver on your computer.

• Click “Next”, and then click “Close”.
• Restart your computer.

Step 6: Download ADB link.

Click on this link:  http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=478154&d=1293906896.  This will automatically download the ADB.  The download will open up in a zip file.

Step 7: Copy the ADB path.

• Click on “Extract”.

• Edit the “Output”, so it will read “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb”.  This is the ADB path that you will need to copy.

•  Click “OK”.
• If you forget to copy this path, do not worry!  A Library folder should pop up after clicking on “OK” displaying the ADB download. Click on the folder in the upper left corner, and the ADB path will show.

Step 8: Prepare the Command Prompt.

• Open the Command Prompt.  If you do not know where this is located, you can find it the same way you found the Device Manager in Step 5.
• Once the Command Prompt is open, type “cd” and then hit the space bar on your keyboard.
• After entering in one space, right click, and click “Paste”.

•  Hit “Enter” on the keyboard.  As you can see, we pasted the text “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb” into the Command Prompt.
• Type “adb devices” after “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb>”, and hit “Enter”.
• Only one device and serial number should appear, and that would be Google Glass.

Step 9: Download and activate Launchy.

Launchy is the first side-loadable application you will be installing.  This app will launch all future side-loaded applications.

• Type “adb install launchy.apk” after “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb>”, and hit “Enter”.  In the image below, my Command Prompt says “Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_ALREADY_EXISTS]“.  This is because I have installed this application in the past.  Your Command Prompt should say “Success”.
• Now you might be wondering, “What launches this app?”  It is a special command that is specific to this application, and this application alone.  Type “adb shell am start -n com.mikedg.android.glass.launchy/.MainActivity” after “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb>”, and hit “Enter”.

• Restart Google Glass.

Step 10:  Start installing!

Now you can start installing “Side-loadable” applications at your leisure.  To view a list of “Side-loadable” applications, click here:  http://glassappz.com/apps-features/side-loadable/.

Here is an example of how you would install an application called “Glass Copter”.

• Download the apk for the application.  
• The apk will open in a Zip file, so you will need to extract it into the “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb” folder.
• Type “adb install glasscopter.apk” after “C:\Users\QA\Downloads\adb>”, and hit “Enter”.

Now you give it a try!

New Glass Abstracts

Here are a couple new abstract photos of Glass.  All of my Glass photos are taken with a 60mm macro lens.  These are more artsy, but I have a lot of detail shots of the prism, camera and sensors under the “Macros” link above.

All things Glass at Google I/O

Here is a quick link to the Glass sessions at Google I/O 2013:

Or you can just visit this link:

Google I/O 2013 Glass

…to see the 4 sessions individually.

Glass Abstracts

Here are some new abstract macro shots of Glass. These are variations of the same view – some with more detail, some with a narrower depth of field. I couldn’t decide which was best so I figured I’d post all 4 of my favorites.