WSJ Reviews Google Glasses and Dubs Them 'Disappointing

Next year, software developers will have the opportunity to test out and comment on Google's Project X virtual reality glasses -- also known as Project Glass or Google Glass. But that's next year. Now that the futuristic glasses have been featured in Google's promo videos, worn at events by the company's leadership and most recently made their New York runway debut on Diane von Furstenberg's models, you may want some outsider, independent perspective of how the technology works thus far. Look no further.

The Wall Street Journal's Spencer Ante recently had the opportunity to give the glasses a spin and offers his perspective. He describes the device as a "wearable smartphone" with his overall analysis being that he sees their potential but the technology, in its current state, was "ultimately disappointing." He acknowledges this could be because it's still undergoing development.

Here's a bit more from Ante's 10 minutes with the device:

The device fit well. It was easy to snap a picture or video without taking my smartphone out of my pocket. It was cool to see the information there in front of my right eye, though a little disorienting. I kept closing my left eye, which was uncomfortable.

Features showcased in the promo video for Google Glass that Ante wanted to see, like the navigation capability and viewing text messages, were unfortunately not available on the prototype he was wearing.

Later down the road after further product development, Ante writes he hopes Google will make the project open, meaning software developers could come up with apps to "show the technology's potential."

"We definitely like to make things open but right now we are working hard and fast to make something reliable we can get in the hands of users and developers," Sergey Brin, Google Glass' project lead, told Ante. "I expect lots and lots of people will be using technology like this in years to come."

Watch Ante's interview with Brin:

In the video, Ante asks Brin if he feels this technology will go mainstream -- something in his article he doesn't think will happen unless the price drops lower than the $1,500 price tag offered to software developers for pre-orders in June. Brin said he is "optimistic" about it being technology that "could transform the world."

"We're working as hard and as fast as possible to get something reliable into the hands of users and developers alike," Brin said in the interview.

Read Ante's full review of the Google Glass in the Wall Street Journal here.

(H/T: Gizmodo)