Google Glass proved all the haters wrong on Tuesday, April 15, when it opened Glass up to the public in the United States for the first time. Within just a few short hours, Google was sold out of the white "cotton" version on Glass. After just one day, Google ran out of Glass completely.
That's right, Google Glass is sold out. In spite of all the critics, the bar bans, the driving bans, the assaults, the Taser threats and the hate mail, Google Glass is more than a success -- it's a triumph.
"We're out of spots in the Explorer Program for now, but may have more to share soon," Google said on its Glass sign-up page on April 16, the morning after the sale.
The one-day sale marked the first time Google has opened Glass up to the public at large to gauge its response. Prior to Tuesday, you had to apply to Google's Explorer Program to even be considered eligible for a pair of Glass. The invitation-only aspect of Glass, as well as its futuristic, high-tech nature, led to a lot of backlash among those who fear new technologies. The derogatory term "Glasshole" was even coined to describe the sort of people who wear Glass every day.
Google has had to work overtime to repair Glass's image and still, its opponents are fierce. Those who dislike Glass also distrust those who use it and claim that it is an invasive technology that violates their expectation of privacy. Google, of course, doesn't see Glass that way. Nor do those who use it. Glass users are a tech-savvy crowd who like to try new things.
"To discover new places, sometimes we need to leave the map behind," the Glass sign-up page reads. "And that's what Glass Explorers do. They are the first to make, to tinker, to create, to shape, and to share through Glass. We're expanding little by little, and experimenting with different ways of bringing new Explorers into the program."
Judging by the overwhelming demand for Glass that was demonstrated on April 15, it seems safe to say that many Americans agree with Google's vision of Glass. Google also told those who missed out on the one-day sale that Glass will still be available via invitation. The company also plans to offer a cheaper version of Glass later this year.
