Google Urges Google Glass Users To Stop Being Weird, Ordinary Human Beings

from the I'm-a-creep dept

Google initially loved the fact that the strange appearance of the not-really-available-at-market Google Glass gets weird looks when people walk down the street wearing it. But as the novelty has worn off in recent months, the company has apparently grown concerned that the product's target market of young nerds with oodles of disposable income might not be quite the sexy brand ambassadors they had hoped. As such, the company recently released a list of dos and don'ts for participants in the Google Glass Explorer program. Among them -- don't stop and think, or stare dreamily at the ceiling while using Google Glass:

"(Don't) Glass-out. Glass was built for short bursts of information and interactions that allow you to quickly get back to doing the other things you love. If you find yourself staring off into the prism for long periods of time you're probably looking pretty weird to the people around you. So don't read War and Peace on Glass. Things like that are better done on bigger screens."

Yeah, don't read books, weirdo! Google also would like it if Glass users would stop being odd in any way immediately, as being "creepy and rude" -- or just an ordinary run-of-the-mill hostile jackass -- won't get people excited about that unavailable product attached to your face:

"(Don't) Be creepy or rude (aka, a "Glasshole"). Respect others and if they have questions about Glass don't get snappy. Be polite and explain what Glass does and remember, a quick demo can go a long way. In places where cell phone cameras aren't allowed, the same rules will apply to Glass. If you're asked to turn your phone off, turn Glass off as well. Breaking the rules or being rude will not get businesses excited about Glass and will ruin it for other Explorers."

Initially there might have been interesting marketing opportunities created by the confusion of seeing someone with a $1,500 plastic computer on their face, but as the novelty wears off, the product stops selling itself, and Glass wearers have been left relying on their charisma (or lack thereof) in their role as inadvertent sales agents. Google obviously wants to limit the amount of bans on Glass by establishments, but perhaps you're asking just a tad much of your customers -- and of yourself as a company -- if you actually believe you have the power to manage the normal personal peculiarities of your seemingly-endless beta participants.