Photo: Courtesy of Laforge Optical. Move over Google, Laforge Optical is here. No people, do not adjust your screens. The virtually unknown smart eyewear startup is taking on the biggest tech company on the planet with their new smart glasses Icis.
In their newly released Indiegogo campaign, Laforge Optical CEO Corey Mack tries to sell us on his fashionable smart glasses as a less embarrassing alternative to the cumbersome Google Glass, which up to now has been the only player in this ultra-niche market. "Our biggest competition is Google Glass but our approach is different," Mack said in a recent interview. "We focused on creating a device that people don't mind being seen in."
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According to Mack, the Icis frame is not only more aesthetically pleasing than that of Glass, but the interface is more user friendly. Rather than looking up and to the right, all of Icis' information is displayed on the edges of the field of vision.
The glasses will act as a central notification hub, where you'll be able to receive text messages and Twitter mentions, and even basic turn instructions with map applications. A premium model, called Icis Bold, will also be available and feature a camera, microphone, and speaker, which puts it more or less on par with Google Glass.
The Indiegogo campaign has only raised just under $5,000 of its $80,000 goal, which means it has a long way to go in its fight against Google, a company worth about $400 billion. Well, we've got a five piece. Will that help? (Venture Beat)