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Google Glass available in SA - at a price

Cape Town - South Africans may have their first chance to try out Google Glass, but it comes at a cost.

Google's much-hyped Glass internet eyewear is available from local online retailer takealot.com.

"We expect to sell the product to a highly engaged niche of technologists who will jump at the opportunity to be the first in the market to own Google Glass," said Takealot Co-CEO Willem Van Biljon.

While there will no doubt be many who will jump at the opportunity to be first with the bragging rights to the hot tech gadget, it will retail for the nose-bleed price of R26 999.

In the US, Google has been slowly rolling out the Glass product in a difficult regulatory environment.

A number of states have enacted regulations designed to prevent people from using the next-generation smart device in casinos, while driving, and in movie theatres.

Laws

Proposed laws in Illinois and Maryland have moved to ban head-mounted computers while driving, but stops short of including other smart wearable devices.

Californian Cecelia Abadie won a case after she was given a ticket for wearing the gadget while driving. She argued that there was no evidence that she was using the device.

Despite that, there is excitement over how wearable technology could change the way people experience and interact with internet content.

It is unclear how South African authorities will respond to Google Glass though it is likely that it will be included under the ban on cellphones while driving.

Check out this video on Google Glass in action:


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