The last week or so has been filled with Google Glass criticism. The innovative new device first appeared amid plenty of buzz and excitement, but the more people see it in action, the more vocal critics get about it.
It's not even just about privacy anymore, although people have definitely complained about that (Las Vegas' Caesar's Palace is the latest place to ban the device). There are arguments stating Google Glass is simply way too dorky to catch on. It's being compared to the pocket protector and to the Segway. It's even being compared to the iPad, and in one writer's estimation, Google Glass doesn't compare very well.
Over at BGR, Zach Epstein writes that even though some might say Google Glass is the next iPad, the two are very different beasts.
"Here's the big difference between Google Glass and the iPad: Apple's iPad was a revolutionary device and a trend setter," he wrote. "It set the bar. It was the device by which all tablets that followed it were measured. Glass is revolutionary but at best, is a jumping-off point."
The criticism seems to boil down to Google Glass' trendy appeal. It might be revolutionary in terms of capability and what it means for the future of technology, but in its current state it's just too off-putting to catch on with the mainstream. This is a pretty common refrain being echoed lately.
"Is it buzzing among mass-market users?" Epstein asked. "Most of the chatter I've heard offline revolves around two common themes: How 'creepy' glass is and how ridiculous it looks."
There's definitely been a fair share of mocking Google Glass for its ridiculousness (Exhibit A), but Jason Hiner over at ZDNet doesn't even seem to consider the glasses all that interesting. When it comes down to answering the big question of "How does it make my life better?" he says there's no clear answer.
After all, Google Glass doesn't do anything that your smartphone can't do already. In fact, it won't even really function the way it's intended to if it isn't tethered to a cellular connection anyway.
"[Google Glass] sounds like something that makes your technology experience more complicated rather than making it simpler," Hiner wrote. "It's another device that you have manage. The functions of Glass overlap with the technologies that you're already carrying. And, with roughly 3-4 hours of battery life, it's another thing you have to jockey for a power charge."
We could argue back and forth over whether or not something like the iPad really makes your life better, but I think it's a valid point to question just how much benefit Google Glass can bring in its initial release. It may be cheaper than $1,500, but even at $1,000 or so, is it worth the cost when it must be connected to another expensive device and doesn't do anything different? Or does Google Glass make things easier in ways we can't picture quite yet? Let us know what you think below.
