Skip to main content

Google Glass lands in Play Store, though price stays the same

google glass turns play store in
With Google taking such a long time to officially launch Glass as a full-fledged consumer product, there’s a chance that some consumers itching to stick a fully functioning computer on their head will either start looking elsewhere or, in extreme cases, try to build their own. Most likely is that they’ll simply lose interest in the whole thing and spend their money on another piece of emerging tech instead.

With the help of its ever-expanding army of Explorer testers, Google’s been tweaking the tech for some considerable time, developing not only the software, but the hardware, too. But a couple of years after it first took the wraps off Glass, there’s still no concrete information from the Mountain View company on when it might take the device out of beta and start offering a completed version – with a reasonable price tag – to consumers.

Recommended Videos

Now in the Play Store

Over the weekend, however, it appears to have taken yet another step in the direction of a full release, adding it (without any fanfare whatsoever) to the Play Store.

That’s correct, folks, the Explorer edition of Glass now has its own listing in Google’s online store, though disappointingly the price tag remains at $1500, or £1000 for UK shoppers. Should you choose to open your wallet, Google promises to throw in a set of frames or shades for your trouble.

Related: What it’s like to tour one of Google’s hidden, strange Glass stores

“Glass is smart eyewear that lets you live lighter, and stay in the here and now,” Play’s blurb reads. In addition, it’s keen to point out that its device “isn’t technology for technology’s sake” because “whether you’re driven by a passion for cooking, your kids, golf, or fashion, Glass helps you get more out of what you love.”

The listing also indicates that should you purchase Glass, you’ll become part of the Explorer program, helping to shape the product via feedback before the device gets that long-awaited general release.

Google has been gradually making it easier for interested consumers to get hold of Glass, expanding the reach of its Explorer program in the US back in May, and launching it in the UK in June.

[Glass in the Play Store]

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 vs. Fitbit Sense
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch, worn on a person's wrist.

The Galaxy Watch 4 is Samsung's take on a modern, hi-tech wearable that doesn't imitate an old-school analog wristwatch. It eschews the classic design of its predecessors for a sleeker, more streamlined look, while also providing some excellent hardware and features. These include a Super AMOLED touchscreen, 16GB of internal storage, generous battery life, and some great health-tracking software.

It's certainly one of the best smartwatches out there, but in a market saturated by Apple Watches and various Android equivalents, it certainly isn't without competitors. One of these is the Fitbit Sense, which in 2020 emerged to offer a premium version of the core Fitbit experience, replete with an ECG sensor, a choice of virtual assistants, and a wealth of fitness features.

Read more
This $4,000 titanium beauty is the ultimate square G-Shock
The G-Shock MRG-B5000B.

Do you want the very best Casio offers in manufacturing, design, and technology from your new G-Shock, all wrapped up in that highly recognizable square case? In other words, the ultimate version of a truly classic G-Shock watch? If so, the new MRG-B5000B is exactly the model you will want, provided cost is no object. We’ve been wearing it.
What makes MR-G so special?
Although Casio is best known for tough watches that won’t break the bank, Casio also has decades of watchmaking experience, and it showcases its talents most effectively in its highly exclusive MR-G family of watches. These models, its most luxurious, are assembled by hand on Casio’s Premium Production Line located in the Yamagata factory in Japan, where only the company’s most experienced, specially certified technicians work on the top MT-G and MR-G models.

The square G-Shock is one of the most popular models, having been around since the G-Shock brand first started in the early 1980s, and bringing it to the luxury MR-G range is going to see a lot of people reaching for their wallets. What makes it so special? It’s the first time the classic, beloved square G-Shock has been given the MR-G treatment, with most other MR-G models over the past few years featuring an analog dial. There's a huge section of an already large fan base waiting for this.

Read more
Fitbit recalls Ionic smartwatch after several burn reports
best walmart deals on apple watch garmin and fitbit ionic smartwatch adidas edition ice gray silver

Fitbit Ionic smartwatch users need to stop using their devices right now. The company has recalled its Ionic wearable after over 150 reports of the watch’s lithium-ion battery overheating, and 78 reports of burn injuries to the users. It will offer a refund of $299 to the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch users who return the device.

Fitbit has received at least 115 reports in the United States and over 50 reports internationally about the Ionic smartwatch's battery overheating. It is recalling the device as there are two reports of third-degree burns and four reports of second-degree burns out of the 78 total burn injuries report.

Read more