Days in the Life of Mo

Back in 2013, Google dropped something that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie: Google Glass. Imagine walking around with a tiny computer strapped to your face, voice commands, notifications hovering in your line of sight, and the ability to take photos without pulling out your phone. It was basically Iron Man’s HUD, minus Tony Stark’s charisma.

So why did it fail so hard that today the only place you’ll see it is in a Silicon Valley meme thread? Let’s talk about it.

1. Privacy Panic

Turns out, people don’t love the idea of strangers secretly recording them in public. Shocking, right? The device had a built-in camera, and users could snap pics or film video almost undetectably. Cue widespread backlash. Bars, casinos, and even restaurants banned Google Glass. “Glasshole” became a word. That should tell you everything.

2. The Fashion Disaster

Let’s be honest: they looked… awkward. You either looked like you were cosplaying Star Trek or like you got lost on your way to Comic-Con. Even Google’s partnerships with fashion brands like Diane von Fürstenberg couldn’t save it. Cool tech doesn’t matter if people feel like absolute dweebs wearing it.

3. Price Tag of Doom

The price? A casual $1,500. In 2013. For context, that’s more than a MacBook Pro at the time. For something that wasn’t even mainstream-ready, it priced itself out of the “curious consumer” market.

4. Tech Wasn’t Ready

Battery life was terrible, the display was distracting, and voice recognition struggled in noisy environments. The infrastructure just wasn’t there yet. Imagine trying to FaceTime through a window the size of a postage stamp while your glasses die after 45 minutes. Not exactly the future we signed up for.

5. The Social Awkwardness Factor

Even if you had the money, the courage, and the fashion immunity to wear Google Glass, you still had to deal with the awkwardness of talking to your face. Saying “Okay Glass” out loud in public was like announcing: Yes, I am the chosen cyborg among you mortals. It didn’t catch on.

So, Was It All Bad?

Not really. Google Glass actually paved the way for today’s AR and wearable tech. Microsoft’s HoloLens, Snapchat Spectacles, and even Meta’s AR glasses owe a little nod to Glass for taking the first (very clumsy) step. And fun fact: Google Glass is still used in enterprise environments, like warehouses and hospitals, where privacy and fashion aren’t dealbreakers.

In other words, Glass walked so AR could… hopefully not walk into the same wall.

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Tech is messy. Sometimes we get iPhones, sometimes we get Glassholes. Either way, I’ll keep digging into the stories behind the gadgets that shape (or flop) our world. Stick around; I promise not to record you secretly while you read.

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