Google Glass: seeing double

Google is sending out invites asking existing Glass users to nominate a friend to join the Explorer program and receive their own smart headset too.

If you're a US resident, aged 18 or over, are obsessed with new technology and cutting-edge gadgets, then good news! You could be in line to join the next phase of Google's project Glass Explorer program. The Search giant is opening up the project for testing its Glass headset to more people, essentially doubling the size of the test group. However there are two catches. Firstly, to be in with a chance, you have to know someone who already has a pair; and secondly, you need to be able to travel to either San Francisco, New York or Los Angeles to receive the headset in person.

Just like it did with Gmail when it was still in its beta phase, Google is asking existing Glass users to invite a friend to join. One imagines that said nominated friend will also be expected to pay $1500 for the privilege of testing the device, but the expansion of the group also suggests that Google is forging ahead and making progress with its first wearable tech device, despite a stream of issues emerging around it regarding invasion of privacy.

The latest development suggests that the company is on track to release a consumer version of the device some time in 2014.