Google Glass….Now that I have them let’s see what I can come up with!

Google Glass….Now that I have them let’s see what I can come up with!

From a creative, marketer and obsessive mind……

I received my Google Glass this week….ok so this may be the smartest or dumbest purchase of my career….we will have to see how it works out. Keep in mind that I went into this as an exercise in product development, marketing and technology, not because I envisioned these as perfect technology to fill a void in my life (that was the iPhone) - but as a test to understand this technology, why so many love them and simply to find out how the hell they work. 

As my friends, family and colleagues know about me I love technology and have no issue calling myself an early adaptor first with the Mac Classic and then on to the iPod,  iPhone, iPad and Nano watch. And of course I am Apple wired, with airplay and Apple TV in most all rooms of my home that have televisions. 

I am an Apple purist, but over the last year I have been courting Google. It is early in our relationship and although there are things I really like about Miss Google there are also irritants, but that is like any relationship. We have been on a few dates but I have yet to totally commit. The best thing about her is that she is working on herself and I cannot hold her at fault for the obvious things she is working on. 

So Google Glass…..as I see it, is a brilliant thought out way to test a new product and make money at the same time.  They are researching and selling in a very controlled manner.  Think about it, if you make something hard to get and expensive it will only attract the ones that really, really want it and most likely the ones that will use it. Should have thought of this stratagy for Apex Ski Boots. 

A little history for those not so familiar….Google Glass was introduced over a year ago and were made available by invitation only, based on your submitted story explaining what you would do with it, and recently allowed us "Explorers" as they call us to invitee three friends. My guess is that they assume that the person that bought it probably knows more "like minds" and therefore will tell others about it. I love this model….very clever. 

Will it ever be available in Best Buy? My prediction today is that it won’t if Google is smart. They have a model that works for sales and deployment. Every few months if they allow the "Explorers" to invite three more friends and of course continue taking applications for those with no friends - you never know what will happen -  It is yet to be seen….but is my take on it today. 

A few of the great things so far…

  • Incredible packaging, google meets apple’s standards on this.
  • Very lightweight and the fit is perfect.
  • Sunglasses are nice, work as good as my $300 Maui Jim’s. So however this works out I now have a second pair of nice sunglasses. 
  • Case is very nice - see below for the downside. 
  • Voice commands work, better then Siri. 
  • My 10 year old son loves them and it took him only 10 minutes to figure out how they work. Me a day or 2. 
  • New prescription frames….nice idea but with limits. (see below)

The confusion

  • Looking up to the right is straining…..however the screen is clear and crisp. 
  • Carrying case has no space to store the charger or shades….but does hold the Google Glass very nicely. Semi-ridged case would have been better. 
  • The wink to take a picture is very cool, but I am a “left eye winker” (never even considered the fact that their was a left and right blinker type)  and it is only set up for the right eye winkers. 
  • The hands free scenario is nice …and asking “glass” to do things is kinda nice, but would be really cool if you could name it so that I can say things like “ ok, Bitch” send an email or “ ok, Babe” take a picture….you get my point. 
  • Why the hell would I ever need these in my car….I have a smart phone that mounts to the dash board and only use it for navigation and is the only thing I should be using it for. Looking at my tweets, video’s etc on glass while driving is no better than texting. Take the damn things off when you are driving, pull over if you want to hear or read your emails or messages, pull over and take a nice picture if it is worth while on a drive up the canyon and by the way - no one cares what it looks like as you drive down the road...
  • It comes with prescription glasses. Works great for those that wear glass all the time, but old guys like me that need reading glasses to see the small type on my smart phone get caught having to take them on and off to live my daily life. I guess I could get bifocals with a non-prescription lens looking forward and reading glass when I look down, then add another prescription in my upper right lens to allow me to see the Google Glass screen clearly. Maybe I will go into my eye doctor and see what she says. 
  • Ok, I realize I am probably just a victim of my own insecurities, but walking around in public with Google Glass is a little stressful to think about. I am going to try it….My 10 year old would have them on all the time, maybe a lesson to learn from him. It would be one thing if I was a single younger guy looking for tech chicks - it would be a great entry point for conversation that I would hope would lead to Google Glass sex. (ok another story) 
  • GlassHoles - I totally get this one for sure - I am still working on naming the dude that has on Google Glass while he checks his email and text messages. 
  • When I finally got the package, I found a warning that talked about those that have had Lasik surgery….I am one of them and never saw this warning during the ordering process. I am going to ignore it for now, but if my eyes start bugging out I think I will have a case. 

Conclusion for today….

Still looking for that perfect real life scenario where it makes total sense, so far I have found holes in everyone I have created and/or read about. Open to suggestions?  Also, will be asked is it worth the $1,500. For me for sure, but I am not out to be a Google Glass wearing GlassHole. I am just writing it off as a company expense learning how others look at the world through them and  what they bring to our world of already hyper social beings. For everyone else….I say no for now…..do you really need to text, take a picture, search the web and video cast with your hands at your side? Any smart phone and/or a GoPro can do all of it at a much higher quality. 

Next time

  • Outlining the perfect scenario…..hate that I have to rack my brain about it, tried Googling “ Google Glass perfect scenario” and I couldn't find one post that I couldn't punch holes in. 
  • How would I make this invention fly…yes, the ultimate creative & marketing challenge, I will try….

Chalres Bell - Creative Director and hopefully never labled as a GlassHole!