It’s been about a year now since we were first invited to purchase Google Glass. There were some socially awkward truths about being selected to be a part of the explorer program. Wearing Google Glass says to everyone that I had the $1500.00 to put down to be part of the program. Also, in the tech community, Google said you were special enough to receive an invitation. There were a lot of people who wanted Glass but were not selected.
This is where the divide started. Among the techies and internet junkies, I’m always asked if they can try them on and how they work. There is a general interest, and a push to embrace new technologies. The opposite was true with the none tech industries. We have interactions with various businesses and industries and some have never heard of Google Glass.
With all of the buzz going on and the phrase “glass-hole,” this controlled when and where I felt I could wear Glass. In the office and in meetings with new clients were the few safe places. Both were small, intimate environments where someone who might have never seen glass before could interact with the technology. At first I did wear mine out to restaurants and other public places. I got very used to wearing them facing up and on my head instead of on my face, though.
There is this fear of wearing them in public now that someone will come rip them off your face. Think of it as walking outside with your cell phone and worrying that someone is going to come grab it from you and smash it on the ground.
If we put aside the stigma around the wearable technology than maybe we can all start to see the benefits. Being able to simply look up and voice Google search ABC bake shop, and instantly have turn by turn directions is just one benefit of Glass. Even better yet, personal virtual tours are readily available. Using Glass, someone can video call me and see what I’m seeing. If I wanted to walk somone through a house I was selling, they could look at it through my eyes. We could have a conversation, too, all while walking through the house showing it off in real time.
After owning Google Glass for a year, I’m on board to see how the technology will evolve. Some of us here are waiting for when they have a version ready for wearable contacts.