As pre-order wrangling for Google Glass opened up this past week and with estimated delivery dates tentatively scheduled for the end of 2013, questions are naturally arising about how this amazing new technology is going to change our social norms and interaction.
It was just reported by CNET that Google Glass will be able to contact to Android and iPhones via Bluetooth and give users the option of pulling down data to the eyeglass headgear from wifi, 3G or 4G feeds.
The technology, which is slated to retail for $1,500 USD, is undoubtedly astonishing but the cultural reaction is still to be seen. Will Google be able to convince consumers to wear the device or will it remain odd and unfashionable like the Bluetooth earpiece or Segway?
And obvious questions of etiquette arise. We’ve all been annoyed by people who are attached to their smartphones during social occasions, so how do we deal with face to face interactions when both parties have data streaming before their eyes?
Furthermore, privacy issues become a concern as Google Glass will allow users to film and record with ultimate discretion, not having to hold up a camera. How do we navigate a world where our image or actions may be recorded at any time without our knowledge?
The challenge of modern culture is redefining social norms to keep up with our technological advances, and Google Glass definitely has the potential to wield huge influence not only how we process and access information but on our social roadmap as well.
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