SAN FRANCISCO-
Google Inc has revealed a set of fashionable prescription frames and shades for its Glass Internet-connected eyewear in an image makeover to give it broader appeal before a mass launch in the United States later this year.
Google also announced a deal with Vision Service Plan, the largest U.S. optical health insurance provider, that will allow consumers to get prescription lenses specially fitted to the device.
A stamp-sized electronic screen mounted on the side of a pair of eyeglass frames, Google Glass can record video, access email, provide turn-by-turn driving directions and retrieve info from the Web by connecting wirelessly to a user’s cell phone.
The version of Glass available until now was mounted on a titanium band that rested on the bridge of the wearer’s nose, resembling a pair of glasses without lenses and inspiring a bit of ridicule – from a parody on “Saturday Night Live” to a popular blog poking fun at its users.
Google’s website on Monday showed off a new selection of four different frames, in styles including “Bold” and “Curve”, available for $225 each, and a couple of different sunglass shades for $150 each.
“This new collection marks a step into an entirely new category of smart eyewear,” Google said in a statement.
