The basic MOD system incorporates a micro-optics display (MOD) inside your goggles and displays such data as your current rate of speed, vertical distances traveled, the temperature and so on. The system also incorporates a GPS chip so that it can track your location and the routes you take on the mountain. It even includes a sophisticated chrono/tracker for showing you real-time info on your current run.
All of that is pretty cool stuff, but it is also technology we've seen in goggles before. Step up to the MOD Live system however, and you really get some cool additions. MOD Live is powered by Google's Android operating system and links up to your smartphone via Bluetooth technology. With a data connection enabled, the MOD Live can add navigation cues to your screen and includes a database of a ton of resorts across the world to show you the best runs and points of interest. It'll also allow you track the location of your friends who are also using the Live system, and will display text messages and caller ID on the screen.
I had a chance to play with a pre-release version of the device at Outdoor Retailer this past August and thought that it was very cool. While I wasn't actually on the slopes of course, I did get to see what the tiny screen is capable of, and came away quite impressed. The outdoor-enthusiast-slash-tech-guy in my was drooling a bit over the possibilities, and its good to see that MOD and MOD Live are now available. Price? $299 and $399 respectively.
Check out the video below to see more of what these devices are capable of.