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One of my best friends works at a Silicon Valley firm that’s backed by Tesla’s Elon Musk. Given his connections in the high-tech world, it wasn’t surprising that he got an early invite to the Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) Glass Explorers program.
A few weeks ago, he posted to Facebook: “Anyone want an invite to buy Google Glass?” I have three invites.” I responded within a few minutes. And a couple days later, I got the following email from Google:
Within a few days, my Google Glass had arrived. For those in the dark, Google Glass is a wearable computer. The glasses have something called an “optical head-mounted display” or OHMD.
I spent last weekend playing around with Google Glass. It’s essentially a pair of glasses that work like a hands-free smartphone (but there isn’t a phone built in).
My Google Glass Review
The glasses are activated by a combination of voice commands and finger motions on the “touchpad” frame.
So what exactly can you do with Google Glass? To use Google’s term, I’ve only started “exploring.” But thus far I’ve been able to take photos, shoot video, send an email to my wife and made a phone call (after connecting Glass to my iPhone).
Every Apple customer knows that the company has built a strong ecosystem where devices and services interact seamlessly. Think about how the iPad or iPhone integrate with iTunes and iCloud.
Google is taking the same approach with Glass. The wearable computer works nicely with Gmail for contacts, Google Circles for sharing and Android phones for GPS and directions (as an iPhone user, I’m unable to use GPS).
Also similar to Apple, Google is allowing developers to create applications for Glass. Some examples include Allthecooks Recipes and CNN Breaking News. With the recipes app, I can simply tell Glass that I want to roast a chicken, and it shows me recipes with photos and instructions. And with the news app, CNN gives me alerts on news topics that interest me.
I’m not a technology journalist. If you’re interested in Google Glass, there are far better sources of information (simply type the product name into Google search and you’ll find numerous videos and Google Glass reviews).
As an investor and Google shareholder, this latest product from the tech giant impresses me. Today, Glass has relatively limited applications and a small group of early adopters. In fact, it’s not expected to be sold to the public until sometime next year.
Google Glass Explorer isn’t cheap at $1,500. That’s quite a bit more than the most expensive iPhone 5s, which sells for $849. In order to have wider appeal, the price will have to drop. As with all new technologies, early adopters are willing to pay more to have the first edition.
The applications for Google Glass could be endless. The heads-up display is a revolutionary technology that allows a person to gather valuable information without diverting their attention. Consider that car mechanics could wear it when repairing vehicles to read instructions. Or doctors could use Glass to review patient records and record voice dictation during an appointment.
More than anything, Glass shows that Google is thinking big and rapidly innovating. The company is making considerable investments in new opportunities with huge growth potential.
Ten years from now, we won’t think of Google as a search engine company. We’ll know the company for its next generation smartphones, wearable tech, self-driving cars, free wi-fi nationwide and who knows what else.
In my $100k Portfolio investment advisory, I’ve owned Google shares for three years. I first bought the stock at $517 in 2010. Since then, the stock is up 103%, and it recently broke through the $1,000 level.
Google is one of the most ambitious companies and best technology stocks. While you can’t yet buy Google Glass, I highly recommend picking up a few shares of this stock. Plan to put the shares away for the next decade or two, and I’m confident you’ll be happy with your investment.
Own this Stock Before Mobile Takes Over
Soon, the majority of Internet traffic will originate from mobile devices including smartphones and tablets. And even though Apple is selling over 200 million iPhones this year alone… Here at Wyatt Research, we’re NOT adding shares of Apple today. We’re recommending the one company no one is taking about… the one reaping massive profits each time a new Apple or Samsung smartphone is activated. In fact, its stock is set to soar 117%! And its shares are already on the move – it’s up 20% in the last month alone! So, before this stock moves any higher, read our latest report for all the details: Click here for the full story.