Report: Google Glass to get general consumer release by end of this year (and one user?s take on it from personal experience)

It?s been a good month for Google Glass, it seems. Following seemingly successful rounds of developer workshops (the results of which are being protected under strict non-disclosure agreements), Google confirmed it would be expanding the Glass Explorer program to give lucky (and rich) users a chance to get the device in its early stages for $1,500. While most of us probably won?t be crazy enough to spend that much on it, new information suggests we?ll all have a crack at the device for a cheaper price much sooner.

CNet has heard it from a source that Google would carry out a consumer launch of Google Glass by the end of 2013. The original timeline was early-mid 2014 so this is even better than we expected. The device will apparently come to us for less than $1,500, though price has yet to be pinpointed just yet. We?re just keeping our fingers crossed that it won?t be in the range of thousands of dollars.

Other information gleaned from the source suggests Google Glass will be able to interface with both Android devices and iPhone devices, and will do so via Bluetooth. The device won?t have its own cellular radios so it?ll leverage the WiFi connection or cellular data from whichever phone or tablet it?s connected to. This makes a lot of sense, and to be quite honest we never expected Google Glass to be made with the idea that it could be used 100% independent of other devices.

In other news, The Verge?s Joshua Topolsky has had a go with the smart glasses for himself. As far as we know, this is the first user account of Google Glass out there, and it gives us a good idea of what to expect from a consumer standpoint before they officially hit store shelves.

Topolsky discusses design, potential, and his thoughts on whether or not Google Glass has what it takes to be the next big innovation in computing ? long story short, he says it?s a matter of ?when,? not ?if.? Find that delicious story here, and let us know if you?re going to be in line for a pair of these if they do, in fact, drop by the end of this year.

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Quentyn Kennemer is a Contributing Editor for Phandroid.com and has posted 6835 articles. Connect with him on G+.

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