Google sneaks out new clip-on tech goggles for saddo Glassholes

Smartglasses in possibly useful situation shocker

Google has reportedly been developing a revision of its infamous Glass product for use in the workplace.

The Wall Street Journal cited sources familiar in reporting that the new version of Glass will be a clip-on system designed for specialized tasks.

Google execs have previously said that the Chocolate Factory was looking to develop new versions of Glass.

According to the WSJ, the Glass headsets will no longer come mounted onto a pair of glasses, but instead be a clip-on design with the ability to attach to any set of glasses or goggles. Potential uses for the headsets include manufacturing and healthcare industries.

This is a stark contrast to the earlier iterations of Google Glass. Billed as an augmented reality device, the first run of Glass clipped the camera and display units onto the side of a pair of Google-made clear glasses. Later models would add support for prescription lenses.

Despite a marketing push that included a pair of floating showrooms built from giant barges, the techno-goggles never really took off.

Unfortunately for Google, the Glass headsets proved to be neither fashionable nor functional. Those who tested Glass quickly gained a reputation for making those around them uneasy, and earned the moniker Glassholes. A number of bars and theaters banned Glass headsets over fears of illegal recording.

To make matters worse, Glass was a dud with third-party developers, who couldn't see much reason to develop for a platform that had a small audience and little practical application.

Google was eventually forced to pull the plug on the first iteration of Glass, ending its so-called Explorer program and shutting down production of new models. ®