Google Glass commercially available for one day only

Today’s tax refund burning a hole in your pocket? If you hurry, you might be able to spend $1,500 of your hard-earned cash on some high-tech specs. Today, for one day only, Google will allow folks like you and me, from the “mainstream”, to obtain Google Glass and join their Explorer program. If you have a mailing address in and are a resident of the U.S., are at least 18, and have the money, go to http://www.google.com/glass/start/how-to-get-one/. Buy today and you’ll receive your choice of a sunglasses shade, or the brand-new prescription glasses frame.

The inclusion of “civilians” in the Explorer beta-testing program marks a departure for Google. Since 2012, the only people given access to Google’s wearable computers have been developers, salespeople, marketers, technical writers, and others in the business. Google says that they receive daily inquiries from people wanting Glass, but have been limiting the number who get the goods until now. They hope to diversify the test culture and obtain new insights on how to improve the product.

One change recently made is to remove the capability to make video calls. At least for now the quality of the interaction has been disappointing to the test community. Also, less than 1 in 10 Explorers had ever even tried the service.

If you’ve been out of touch and are not aware of the uses of Google Glass, for starters, it is like wearing your cell phone on your face. The internet can be browsed, both vocal and finger-directed controlled is provided, and photographs and videos can be taken, much more unobtrusively than with a camera or cell phone. As the Explorer program continues, especially with today’s expansion, and as Glass starts to permeate the popular culture, starting to appear in commercials and movies, Google hopes the enjoyment of and desire for the hardware interface grows.