Final thoughts on first impressions

We know Glass is still in its early stages. We know "the apps aren’t there yet," so we shouldn’t be so quick to judge. We know Google is just getting started with this experiment. Still, as of May 20th, 2013, we can’t help but be judgmental. It’s sort of our job, and so we’ll let you know what we think anyway.

Glass is a slick implementation of the wrong idea. Google has worked so hard at making the device simple that it has succeeded too well — Glass simply can’t do anything Google hasn’t allotted for. Right now there’s little room for innovation by developers, because all third-party apps are trapped in a simple API that’s only capable of pushing and pulling data to and from the device. The API could grow, and Glass doesn't have to be this limited forever, but without the ability to process information on the device, most of the true power of apps on smartphones is lost here. Yes, most of the popular apps on mobile devices are games and social services, but the whole point of a wearable computer is that it should open up new opportunities: augmented reality, serendipity, ways to comprehend your surroundings, way to improve interactions with the people in front of you, and at least some sort of notetaking capability beyond sending emails to yourself. A game like Ingress should be Glass’ killer app, not Google+ sharing. Services like Google Search and Google Now will have to be smarter, not just simpler, on a device like this.

A game like 'Ingress' should be Glass’ killer app, not Google+ sharing

For a device that’s so likely to induce ridicule for the mere fact that you’re wearing a computer on your face, Google seems unconcerned with disabusing people of the notion that you’re a self-absorbed nerd who's fading from reality and becoming part of the Borg. There's not much of a "Hey, look what I can do!" feature, it's more like: "Hang on, let me wait for a push notification."

We expect many of Glass’ practical issues and bugs to fade over time: the lack of an app store, the unreliable connectivity, the constant computer usage required to manage your device, and the confusion between contacts, Sharing Contacts, and apps masquerading as Sharing Contacts. And we have to compliment Google on building a wearable computer that’s truly usable. But when will someone build a wearable computer that’s truly useful?

For now, Glass is the only viable consumer wearable on the horizon, our greatest hope. We’ll be watching carefully, updating often, and installing apps indiscriminately. We want to be proven wrong about Glass, but it just hasn’t happened yet.

Photography by Michael Shane and James Chae. Art Direction by James Chae.

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