As written for Social Media Today
If you were a developer fortunate enough to have won entrance to the exclusive Google I/O conference in San Francisco last week, you might have also been one of the first to play around with Google Glass prototypes. Indeed, Mashable proclaimed the device the hands-down, breakout winner of the annual event.
And this week eWeek reported Google Glass is set to be available to the general public earlier than expected. “Our goal is to launch Glass later this year,” the source told eWEEK in an email response to rumours circulating in online news reports about an earlier release timeframe are accurate.
But some say Google Glass is just getting creepier. The Bi-partisan Congressional Privacy Caucus sent a letter to Google CEO Larry Page asking some pointed questions about how Google planned adhere to privacy regulations. If it wasn’t disturbing enough that people are walking around everywhere with fully functioning cameras on their faces, now they can use those cameras to take a photo…by winking. Nature shots, concerts, time-lapse videos, weddings; the Google Glass photographer does it all.
How creepy is it really? I mean, we’re talking an anticipated $1,500 starting price point when, in fact, spy glasses have been available on eBay for less than $60 for years. And they look a whole lot more Oakley than Star Trek, so they’re even less conspicuous.
Soon, you can decide. Hopefully Google Glass won’t be as hilariously awful and emotionally harmful as these new parody videos from Grovo.