[npunt]

> I think one of the big problems with glass was that they picked the wrong sort of people to be early public users

Totally agree. As awesome a technical achievement as Glass was, it was the product of 20 years of work from some very odd people (MIT's borgs) that literally wore desktop computers on their backs prototyping it, ignoring all social convention in the process. While their insights were valuable for their particular approach to wearable computing (HUD-based, data recall oriented, etc), that approach isn't the right approach for the mainstream, nor are they the right brand ambassadors.

Google's perennial issue is they're a technology factory that thinks they're a consumer company. The goto market strategy Glass should have adopted was in enterprise, where there are many valuable use cases like ones in this article, and Google could have refined it there. But Google isn't good at picking markets or any form of understanding marketing, so they decided that a bunch of geeks walking around cafes, bars, and restaurants was the right way to go. sigh

[M_Grey]

I'd be a lot more understanding if Neal Stephenson hadn't foreseen and lampooned the concept in 'Snow Crash'. Seriously, how many people on HN took one look at Google Glass and though, "Oh shit, gargoyles!"

[rhaps0dy]

I didn't do it until now, when I looked at the actual borgs :)

https://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_960w/Boston/2011-2020/2012/07/15...

[abakker]

Google could do great in the enterprise. But they have been resistant to offering the support that companies want to buy with products they rely on.

[LoSboccacc]

Enterprise are really adverse to storing/sharing data outside premises

[abakker]

Some are, some are not. They are definitely adverse to having it mined, though. That should not be a problem for google if they are charging for the product, rather than trying to recoup costs selling the data.

[digi_owl]

All that can squarely be blamed on Sergey Brin.

I guess he let all the comparisons to Tony Stark go to his head...

[TeMPOraL]

> But Google isn't good at picking markets or any form of understanding marketing, so they decided that a bunch of geeks walking around cafes, bars, and restaurants was the right way to go.

Isn't Snap currently proving that the market was right, but you need a different marketing copy?

[rch]

They did the same thing to Ara: interesting tech anchored by a down-market consumer agenda.