Its easy to be skeptical about new wearables in this age of technology revolution, with new gadgets being released on an almost hourly basis to gain a competitive edge. Its no wonder that more than 85% of these products go unused after the first 6-months of ownership as either an updated version is released, a competitor creates a better alternative, or it just simply becomes outdated or the user loses interest. For this reason, I tend to approach new technology with a cautious optimism, but I had a different experience after I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about something coming from the stables of Snapchat, or Snap Inc. as CEO, Evan Spiegel, would have it. The newly dubbed Spectacles are the latest to come from the popular video and image messaging platform, and they truly aim to change the perspective in which we share the snippets of our lives. As Spiegel remembers using the glasses for the first time:
"It was our first vacation, and we went to Big Sur for a day or two. We were walking through the woods, stepping over logs, looking up at the beautiful trees. And when I got the footage back and watched it, I could see my own memory, through my own eyes—it was unbelievable. It’s one thing to see images of an experience you had, but it’s another thing to have an experience of the experience. It was the closest I’d ever come to feeling like I was there again."
This isn't just some fad that Snap Inc. is trying to push, they even mentioned the slow rollout of the product as to make sure they get the product right, this is about changing the way we interact with our technology, creating an experience unlike any other. Some might say thats a view point shared amongst some of the greatest minds in the tech world, like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. The initial product release doesnt have a set date, but it will be this fall and at a measly $130, its hardly the most you've paid for a wearable; something tells me this will be a great gift. I certainly look forward to seeing how this "experiment" progresses, what do you think?