Barcelona's Brazilian guard Marcelo Huertas shoots as he wears Google glasses during a test prior to the Euroleague basketball match on April 10, 2014. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE
By Terry Fredrickson
Google Glass is now available, but only in the US and only if you have $1,500 (48,600 baht).
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Google selling Glass Internet eyewear in US
SAN FRANCISCO, AFP — Google's Internet-linked eyewear – hotly anticipated by some, feared by others – is now available to anyone in the United States with $1,500 to spare and a yen to become an "explorer."
The decision to open the "Glass" test, or beta, program on Wednesday to anyone with enough money and curiosity came about a month after a one-day sale of the eyewear to the public.
"We learned a lot when we opened our site a few weeks ago, so we've decided to move to a more open beta," said a post on the Glass page at Google+ online social network.
"We're still in the Explorer Program while we continue to improve our hardware and software, but starting today anyone in the US can buy the Glass Explorer Edition, as long as we have it on hand."
In a possible sign of interest in the eyewear, the Glass page on the Google+ network has more than 678,000 followers and has been viewed more than 107 million times.
Google in March said it is joining forces with the frame giant behind Ray-Ban and other high-end brands to create and sell Glass Internet-linked eyewear in the United States.
The partnership with Luxottica was portrayed as Google's "biggest step yet into the emerging smart eyewear market."
Luxottica brands include Oakley, Alain Mikli, Ray-Ban and Vogue-Eyewear.
The first smart glasses by Luxottica for Google Glass will go on sale in 2015, the head of the Italian eyewear group said Tuesday.
Google has been working to burnish the image of Glass, which has triggered concerns about privacy since the devices are capable of capturing pictures and video.
Google recently sent out a release to debunk what it claims are myths about Glass such as the ideas that it invades privacy, distracts wearers and is for "technology-worshipping geeks."
"If someone wants to secretly record you, there are much, much better cameras out there than one you wear conspicuously on your face and that lights up every time you give a voice command, or press a button," Google said.
"If a company sought to design a secret spy device, they could do a better job than Glass."
During the Explorer testing phase, developers are creating apps for Google Glass, which can range from getting weather reports to sharing videos to playing games.
Vocabulary
anticipated: creating a feeling of excitement about something enjoyable that is going to happen soon - รอคอยอย่างคาดหวัง
app: application; a program designed to do a particular job; a piece of software - โปรแกรมใช้งาน, โปรแกรมคอมพิวเตอร์
available: that you can get, use, find or buy - มีอยู่, หาได้
beta: beta test; a test on a new product, done by somebody who does not work for the company that is developing the product - การทดสอบก่อนที่จะนำออกขายในตลาด
brand: a type of product made by a particular company - ตรา, ยี่ห้อ
burnish: to polish metal until it is smooth and shiny - ขัดเงา,ขัดให้วาว
capable: able to do something; very good at a job - มีความสามารถ
claim: to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it - อ้าง
concerns: worries - ความกังวล
conspicuous: easy to see or notice; likely to attract attention - ที่เห็นได้ชัดเจน
curiosity: a strong desire to know about something - ความอยากรู้
debunk: to show that an idea, a belief, etc. is false; to show that something is not as good as people think it is - แสดงให้เห็นว่าความคิดหรือความเชื่อนั้นผิด, หักล้างความคิด
device: a machine or piece of equipment that does a particular job - อุปกรณ์ เครื่องมือ เครื่องจักร
distract: to take your attention away from something - ทำให้ไขว้เขว เสียสมาธิ
emerge: to start to exist; to appear - เกิดขึ้น
explorer: a person who travels to unknown places in order to find out more about them - ผู้สำรวจ,นักสำรวจ,ผู้สำรวจตรวจค้น
eyewear: things worn on the eyes such as glasses or contact lenses -
frame: a structure of plastic or metal that holds the lenses in a pair of glasses - กรอบแว่นตา
geek: a person who is very skilled with computers, technology or other subject - คนที่เก่งแต่ไม่มีทักษะในการทำงาน, บุคคลที่มีความรู้ทางคอมพิวเตอร์สูงมาก
high-end: expensive and of high quality; having a lot of money to spend - มีคุณภาพ
image: an opinion that people have about someone or something - ภาพลักษณ์
improve: to make better - ทำให้ดีขึ้น
invade: to enter a place in large numbers, usually when unwanted - บุกรุก
join forces: to work together to accomplish something - รวมกำลังกับ
linked: connected - เชื่อมโยง
myths: existing only in myths; imaginary, or not real - ซึ่งเป็นนิทาน
on hand: at a place and available for something; present - ปรากฎอยู่
partnership: when a company owns and runs a business and shares profits, etc or with another company - หุ้นส่วน, ความร่วมมือ, ห้างหุ้นส่วน, ห้างหุ้นส่วนจำกัด
portrayed: represented or described someone or something - พรรณา
press release: a public statement given to the press to publish if they wish - ข้อมูลที่เตรียมทำเป็นข่าว
prior to: before - ก่อนหน้า
privacy: the freedom to do things without other people watching you or knowing what you are doing - ความเป็นส่วนตัว
range from: to include a variety of different things in addition to those mentioned - ขยายออก, แบ่งประเภท
sign: an event, an action, a fact, etc. that shows that something exists, is happening or may happen in the future - สัญญาณ
smart: intelligent, clever - ฉลาด
social network: websites or other services on the internet for communication with people who share your interests - เครือข่ายสังคม
spy: of something used to watch the activities of an enemy, competitor, etc. - สืบหาลับๆ, แอบสืบ
trigger: to cause - ก่อให้เกิด กระตุ้น
yen: a strong desire - ความต้องการ, ความปรารถนาอย่างแรงกล้า, ความอยาก
