My First Time... With Google Glass

A couple of weeks ago, PMG got a chance to jump into the future. We received our first Google Glass. At first glance, the hardware looks like a prop from Woody Allen’s Sleeper.

As I lift the Glass out of the case, I’m immediately struck by how solid it is. From the videos and pictures I had seen online, Google Glass looked so flimsy I thought it might snap if breathed on too hard. Instead, Google Glass is a very sturdy piece of hardware that I feel is no more fragile than my mobile phone or tablet.

As I unpack all the accessories, I’m impressed with the entire unboxing process. Taking a page out of the Apple packaging playbook, Google has made opening your Glass into a story, a journey of you embarking into the future.

Directions for unpacking and setting up each piece are printed directly on the packaging, designed to reveal itself just as you need each piece of instruction.

Setting up the Google Glass is unbelievably easy, so long as you have a Google+ account (yes, yes – Google+ is not going anywhere, ladies and gentlemen, but that is a topic for another time and another blog post). Once paired with my Google+ account, getting connected online takes only minutes (most of that trying to remember my wifi password).

And then, in an instant, the stylized Glass logo is floating in the upper right corner of my vision.

I wear regular glasses and have since I was 7. I have never ventured into the contact lens side of the pool and don’t have any intention to do so. I was expecting a rough time getting Google Glass to fit comfortably over my prescription spectacles.

I must have lucked out with my taste in frames or something, because unlike every other four-eyed blogger I’ve read online, the Glass fit snugly and comfortably over my regular glasses with minimal adjustment required.

Right away, I was surprised at how natural it felt to have the Glass screen floating in front of me. I had anticipated a much more distracting experience. Instead, I find myself less distracted than I am by my phone.

Instead of habitually checking the time on my phone, or looking for email updates every few minutes, I get that information put right in front of me. No looking down, no stuttering or stammering of conversation, just a quick glance to the corner of my vision; it’s like checking your rear-view mirror while driving.

There’s so much more to say on Glass, I couldn’t possibly fit it into one post. I’ll be back next week, writing about how others around you may react to Google Glass.

OK Google, SELFIE!