(Image source: Android Community)

BY EVAN THOMAS

ANCHOR JIM FLINK

Iron Man-vision is a step closer to reality, if you listen to the rumors. A tipster somewhere inside Google’s labs has told 9to5 Google the company is working on a glasses-based heads-up display that will tie right into your smartphone.

According to the tipster, the glasses look a bit like Oakley Thumps. 9to5 Google reports they sport a one-sided display, a front-mounted camera and gesture-controlled navigation. Oh, and they’re a phone, too.

“I/O on the glasses will also include voice input and output, and we are told the CPU/RAM/storage hardware is near the equivalent of a generation-old Android smartphone.”

If true, that kind of muscle would make these the perfect phone companion, says Phandroid.

“I imagine reading email, text messages, social network updates and receiving phone calls will be some of the main functions featured on this so-called device. Imagine being able to see who’s trying to contact you without ever having to reach for your phone.”

Now, these things likely won’t be as sleek as Oakley’s music glasses, or so says TechCrunch. But we do have to start somewhere.

“Whether you think it’s a good idea or not, this kind of thing is going to come eventually, so it’s natural that Google would want to start girding itself for the approaching augmented glasses wars of 20XX. (Twenty-something)”

The rumors suggest Google is looking to test the tech in the field sometime soon. Gizmodo is excited.

“The glasses are still a long way from completion, but Google is reportedly looking into a pilot program like it did with Chromebooks. Anything that gets these things on my face faster is all right with me.”

The name Google Goggles is unfortunately already taken, by Google’s augmented reality application. But Google Glasses is still up for grabs, and has a certain aliterative attraction.