Google Glass has been blasted as nerdy, dorky and just plain ugly.
For Todd Blatt, none of those descriptors seemed to hit hard enough. Last year, Blatt -- an early Glass explorer who also designs and sells 3D-printed goods online -- set out to make the expensive headgear more usable. But the also made it a hell of a lot dorkier.
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The end result was Glasskap, a set of 3D-printed Google Glass accessories that run the gamut from practical to hilarious. His bright red lens cap protects the gear as well as the privacy of would-be subjects before Glass’s camera. Another plastic cap slides over the glass prism to save it from scratches when in transit, which many Glass users could find useful, especially given Glass’ hefty $1,500 price tag. Other accessories help users see the screen in low light or add a pencil-holding functionality.
Some Glasskap products seem a bit more fanciful. There’s the “Opti-Grab,” ripped right from the 1979 Steve Martin film The Jerk. (It looks as nerdy on Glass as it did on glasses.) A charming “On Air" sign lets users know they’re being filmed.
“That’s a great hit at parties,” Blatt said.
While none of the designs will revolutionize the usability of Google Glass, Glasskap speaks to the larger revolution in manufacturing. Blatt's gear is available here.
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