So we just got word that Google is closing the Google Glass Explorer Program. Not sure what this all means get but below is the messages we got from Google Being an Explorer was a great experience. If it would have costed only $500, I would have no regrets.Which might be a sign of a larger problem.
Presenting with Google Glass got me into places that I would not have been without it. The experience of being part of the closed beta taught me a lot about customer services and engaging your user community. Google did all that very well. As a teacher in virtual pilot pilot program, I observed how they treated close beta uses and applied some of that to our program.
I have met great innovative people. I have learned how to embrace the new technology. There is value in moonshots. I have learned through mistakes and testing. Being part of this program inspired me to take some personal moonshots.
There's no statement about the future of Glass in the messages. No statement they are killing Glass overall. Just the end of the beta program.
| Hi there, |
| It’s been an exciting ride. Since we first met, interest in wearables has exploded and today it’s one of the most exciting areas in technology. We asked you to be pioneers, and you took Glass further than we ever expected. We’ve learned a ton, we’ve "graduated" from Google[x] labs, and now we’re hard at work and you’ll see future versions of Glass when they’re ready. |
| Since we’re focusing all our efforts on the future, we’ll be closing the Explorer Program on January 19. We realize you might have questions about what this means for you. New feature development on the Explorer Edition will stop while we work on the next version of Glass, but you can still call or email us anytime with questions, thoughts or feedback. |
| In the meantime, we’ve created Glass Vol 001 to honor the Glass Explorer Program. It’s a collection of photos and stories from the early days of Glass. You were one of the most active participants in the Explorer Program, so as a special thank you, we’ll be mailing you a collector’s edition as a gift. If you’ve moved recently, or think we might not have your address, please give us a call at 1-844-GLASS84 so we send your gift to the right place. |
| For now, we welcome you to preview the digital version. From Google Glass on Google + We’re graduating from Google[x] labs It’s hard to believe that Glass started as little more than a scuba mask attached to a laptop. We kept on it, and when it started to come together, we began the Glass Explorer Program as a kind of “open beta” to hear what people had to say. Explorers, we asked you to be pioneers, and you took what we started and went further than we ever could have dreamed: from the large hadron collider at CERN, to the hospital operating table; the grass of your backyard to the courts of Wimbledon; in fire stations, recording studios, kitchens, mountain tops and more. Glass was in its infancy, and you took those very first steps and taught us how to walk. Well, we still have some work to do, but now we’re ready to put on our big kid shoes and learn how to run. Since we first met, interest in wearables has exploded and today it’s one of the most exciting areas in technology. Glass at Work has been growing and we’re seeing incredible developments with Glass in the workplace. As we look to the road ahead, we realize that we’ve outgrown the lab and so we’re officially “graduating” from Google[x] to be our own team here at Google. We’re thrilled to be moving even more from concept to reality. As part of this transition, we’re closing the Explorer Program so we can focus on what’s coming next. January 19 will be the last day to get the Glass Explorer Edition. In the meantime, we’re continuing to build for the future, and you’ll start to see future versions of Glass when they’re ready. (For now, no peeking.) Thanks to all of you for believing in us and making all of this possible. Hang tight—it’s going to be an exciting ride |
I have recently been given an invite to inbox. There are not that hard to get. You can request one at http://www.google.com/inbox/ or if you know some one that it - they can invite you. It's the "and they tell two friends" roll out. (See old cultural reference that follows. Use YouTube if you are too young)