Inside Scoop: Google unveils Glass for people with glasses
Tech Industry
-Hello and welcome to Inside Scoop, I'm Sumi Das and joining me is Seth Rosenblatt, senior writer for CNET.
Seth, thanks for being with us.
-Thank you, Sumi.
-Okay.
So, not too long ago, we heard about these contact lenses that Google has developed that are supposed to monitor glucose levels intended for diabetics.
-Uh huh.
-And then, we have this new news from Google, which may make optometrist worried.
Tell us the new news.
-Sure.
So, Google is launching prescription lenses
for Google Glass, for people who have the Explorer Editions.
-Okay.
So, that means that you don't have to wear Google Glass on top of your regular prescription glasses so that you can avoid that geeky situation.
-Yes.
That was good for nobody.
-Okay.
Right.
So, I mean, we don't even know when the regular Google Glass is gonna be available, right?
-Correct.
Correct.
-We don't have the shipping dates.
So, they're making all these other kind of promises and offers--
-Uh huh.
Absolutely.
So, one of the things that they're doing is they're now making its
prescription lenses are available for Google Glass.
-Uh huh.
-The way it's gonna work is that Google Glass ships with a particular frame, sort of its default frame--
-Right.
-and that's called the Explorer Edition.
-Uh huh.
-And that's a $1500 entry fee.
-Only.
-Only.
I know I keep that in my couch.
-Give me two.
-And for another $225, you can buy one of the new four frames that they're releasing.
-Okay.
-And these frames are--
-So, you have some choice there.
-You do have some choice, a little bit of style.
-Okay.
-And these frames
are designed to hold prescription lenses.
They shipped with nonprescription lenses, glass lenses.
-Okay, so you get them filled.
-So-- And then you can take them to go get them filled.
The benefit of this is that they don't look quite as weird as the original Google Glass frame, which just sort of hangs there and sits on your head and floats.
-Yeah.
-It feels a little awkward.
The idea that Google has is that people who wear glasses or who want to look like they wear glasses are more likely to wear glass if it comes with something that's more natural.
-Uh huh.
-And since--
As a society, we've been using glasses for 500 years or more.
This is not so unusual and they think people will take to Google Glass more comfortably and not just the wears, but also people around them.
-You wear prescription glasses?
-I do.
-You got your hands on these Google Glasses--
-I did.
I did.
-the new version.
So, tell us what it feels like?
Does it look any different?
Does it kind of what you would expect that sort of like chip of--
-Yeah.
So, you've got that plastic thing that's still there.
-Right.
-But because of the way that the frames are designed, they're made out of titanium.
-Okay.
-So, they're very lightweight.
There's a little bit of extra weight on the right side as you would expect because that's where the computer and the glass hardware is, but it's not terrible and I actually got used to it, I would say, in under 10 minutes.
It was-- I'm very sensitive about extra weight on my glasses.
I have these very lightweight frames and those frames were only a little bit heavier.
- Okay.
Any additional functionality or is it just Google Glass in a pair of prescription glasses?
-Google Glass in a pair of prescription glasses.
-All right.
They do have a deal with VSP, the American Eye Care Insurance.
-That was gonna be my next question.
Does my health plan cover this?
-It might.
-Okay.
-So, the answer of that is maybe.
You get your glass.
You get your prescription frames.
You take them to an eye care professional.
You get your prescription filled.
VSP might cover the lenses and they might even cover part or the full cost
of the frames.
So, though, it's $225 plus whatever you have to pay for your prescription, it may actually be covered depending on what your insurance plan is.
-And do we know when this will be available?
-Yes.
These are currently available to any current Google Glass Explore.
-But not the general public.
-Not to the general public.
-And do we know when Google Glass is gonna be available to the general public?
That's the other burning question.
-Uh huh.
-Sometime this year?
-There are rumors.
-Google I/O.
-There are rumors that there will be an announcement at Google I/O.
-Okay.
Which is in May or June.
-May or June.
Beyond that, I would be surprised if they were available in May or June.
-Okay.
-But I would expect an announcement by then.
-All right.
Well, Seth, thank you for keeping--
-Anytime.
-and I almost [unk].
-Oh, that hurts.
-All right.
For Inside Scoop, I'm Sumi Das.
Thanks for watching.
