What exactly is Google thinking? That’s what some industry analysts and marketing professionals are asking in response to the news that Google will make its wearable technology called Google Glass available to the public for one day only this week – Tuesday, April 15th.
On Tuesday, Google is opening sales of Glass to any adult in the United States who wants one and has $1,500 to burn.
Sales commence at 9 a.m. EST.
“This is the first time the device has been available to the general public,” CNN reports. “So far, the face-mounted computers have been sold only to Google ‘Explorers,’ the company’s name for early adopters. At first only developers could buy Glass, but Google slowly expanded the program to include regular people. Some were hand-picked, others applied to be Explorers through Google contests by sharing what cool projects they would do if they had Glass.”
Although many have hailed Google Glass as the future of computing, others have bashed the tech and the company behind it, calling Google Glass supporters “Glassholes,” because of how the tech purportedly makes some of its users more distracted and self-focused.
“Releasing this thing for a day – and on Tax Day no less – doesn’t seem like a smart move,” says independent market analyst Ian Hayes. “If the demand isn’t overwhelming, Google is going to look like they have this long-awaited product that nobody wants.”
“Google needs to set a concrete release date for Glass and then dazzle us every day with its potential,” Hayes adds. “This whole thing just seems odd and rather pointless.”
Do you think Google’s Tuesday sales extravaganza is a smart move? And will you be one of the buyers? Please weigh in with your thoughts or comments below.
