Glass arrived today.  It’s still in the box.

I’ve been thinking about this technology purchase a lot.

I’m an early adopter.  I’ve worn a fitbit for years now – I’m on my sixth one now.  I wear a Pebble.  Attached to this computer – right now – there is a multiple USB hub with the fitbit charging in one dock, my iPhone 5 charging in another (including its mophie case) and my watch charging in a third.  I already have my iPad Air.  So it’s not like new tech phases me.  But I’m having very mixed reactions to Glass.

Glass is expensive.  Not only do you need to get an invitation in the first place, but it’s $1500 just get over the initial bar.  Plus tax.  At least the shipping was free and fast.  But I’d like to upgrade my MacBook Air, and Glass is expensive enough I had to decide what was going to wait if I bought it.  The MacBook Air now has another year of useful life and I have a cleanup job to do on the hard drive so I can get that year out of it.  You know I want something pretty badly when I’m willing to spend time to clean up electronic messes.

Glass is beta.  As far as I can tell, I’m now what is knows as a “Glass Explorer” which means I’m beta testing this product, and I paid dearly to be able to do that.  I’m not going to make money from Glass – I’m not a software developer itching for the SDK or a famous entertainer who can feed off the cred of wearing Glass.  I’m kind of a normal person.

Although, check that.  A little, anyway.  I am a CIO and a futurist and a science fiction writer.  Most normal people aren”t three things.  One of the reasons I wanted Glass is to see what it would be like to have real useful wearable tech.  I write about it in fiction all the time.  Living it is attractive.  Living it in beta maybe won’t be, but I guess I’ll see.

Glass makes me nervous.  I wear a red Pebble, but most people don’t notice it.  My geekier friends do, but mundanes see it as a slightly bulky fashion watch and don’t know it answers my phone and forwards me my texts and integrates with apps (a few apps, anyway). But Glass goes on your face.  It’s iconic.  Everyone will notice it. In addition, everyone will recognize it. Will people see me as “Fond of Geeky Headwear” or will they see me as an “early adopter futurist?”  or as a “Glasshole?” Will they be afraid I’m winking and taking their picture every moment?  Glass will be banned in the gym locker room (cellphones are), but will it be banned in the gym?  Will people see me through Glass?  Will it bring me closer to people or push me away?

I saw Vint Cerf wearing Glass at a FiRe 2013 conference and I thought he looked cool in.  So why don’t I think I’ll look cool in Glass?

I’ll find out soon enough.

I’m waiting for the IOS My Glass app  (Glass is rumored to be no better than an app-enriched bluetooth slave like the Pebble without My Glass).  I had actually started pricing android phones and mourning the loss of IOS, which I love.  I’ve never used Android, but I went from all-windows at home to all IOS a few years ago, and I’ve been happy).  I was planning to get an Android today, maybe even as a second line just for Glass, so I’d have it when Glass showed up.  But then My Glass for IOS showed up yesterday, and hit the news about the time I got my tracking number for Glass.  The app has since been pulled with assurances from Google that it will return by the end of the week.  So I’ve been teased, but I trust that the app will return for a second date.

For the moment, my Glass is unopened and I’m checking the Apple App Store from time to time.

Follow me here or on FaceBook or on LinkedIn if you want learn how this works out.  I’m looking forward to the journey in spite of my nerves.  And in the meantime, there are holiday cards to print,  a household teenager to get though finals, and gifts to wrap.