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Version History: Google Glass

The Vergecast

2025/12/21
The Vergecast

The Vergecast

2025/12/21

Shownote

Google didn't invent the concept of smart glasses, but it was one of the first companies to actually put them on people's faces. It was a revolution, and also a problem: Google made face computers extremely uncool, and its early user base was so off-puttin...

Highlights

Google Glass was once the most talked-about wearable in tech, a bold experiment that promised to change how we interact with digital information. Born in Google's secretive X lab, it captured imaginations with its futuristic vision of augmented reality embedded in everyday life. Yet despite early excitement and high-profile stunts, its journey from hype to heartbreak reveals more than just a product failure—it tells a story about timing, human behavior, and the delicate balance between innovation and social acceptance.
00:00
Google Glass was right about more things than people realized.
17:58
The Google Glass demo involved wingsuit divers and a blimp over San Francisco.
30:28
Google Glass caused eye strain due to fixed focus display
42:23
Engineer Charlie Mendes stated Google Glass could record everything all the time
51:59
Robert Scoble wearing Google Glass in the shower became a damaging meme.
1:02:26
Google Glass wasn't the wrong idea—it was released at the wrong time.
1:05:22
Google Glass had genuine use-cases but failed as a phone-replacement concept
1:14:46
Google Glass pioneered the shift of smartphone UX to headset displays.
1:19:59
Google Glass is important as a touchstone in smart glasses development

Chapters

What if computers could live in your glasses?
00:00
How a single video launched a wearable revolution
12:22
Can technology ever truly be fashionable?
25:35
Why did everyone suddenly hate Glass wearers?
37:44
When innovation invades personal space
47:14
From consumer flop to factory floor hero
54:40
Was Google Glass genius or just premature?
1:05:22
What could have saved Google Glass from failure?
1:10:11
How Glass quietly shaped the future of smart eyewear
1:17:32
Why some failures leave the biggest legacy
1:22:34

Transcript

Speaker 3: Support for this episode comes exclusively from Snapdragon. PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are made to go the distance. With up to 22 hours of battery life, they give you true freedom to work and wander without being tethered to an...