Is Google Glass Worth $1,500?
For the second time in about a month, Google is opening up the sales of its Glass to the public. Assuming that you have $1,500 to spend, this heads-up display could be yours, according to a Google+ post. But should you splurge?
The first time Glass went on sale, Google claims that demand was so high, "we almost ran out of inventory and had to close things down early." The search giant is presumably making a killing on its expensive headset, considering that it costs less than $80 per pair to make, according to a tear down by TechInsight.
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While Google hopes to sell Glass to "optometrists, sports lovers, online retailers, cooks and travelers," we're curious who is actually plunking down down $1,500. During our Google Glass review, we found the device holds more promise than actual functionality. The battery endurance is frustratingly low, the touch panel on your temple gets disturbingly hot, and the camera (the most useful feature) takes lackluster pictures.
There's also social considerations surrounding Google Glass. We were on the receiving end of curious stares and some laughs while wearing the device around New York City. Some fear being mugged while donning Glass, which has occurred in San Francisco.
That's not to say Glass doesn't have its merits. For hands-free pictures with a literal wink of an eye, this device is tough to beat. The voice recognition ability was fairly impressive, and we're happy to see Google has added a prescription lens option to Glass. However, with the relatively small number of apps available, we see limited use cases at this moment.
We hope this is a limited edition sale and that the final, non-beta version of Glass will be considerably cheaper. What would the price need to be for you to sign up for a pair?
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