Google Project Glass spectacles on eBay? Not so fast.
eBay temporarily hosted a listing for a tester pair of Google Project Glass headgear. But by today, the device had disappeared.
Google's Project Glass is coming. Just not to eBay.
Queuing up to bid on a brand new tester pair of Google's Project Glass "smart" spectacles on eBay?
Don't bother. The listing is long gone.
The backstory: Last week, the Internet's attention was drawn to eBay item 221192598719 – allegedly a pair of brand new Google glasses. The seller, bla7kcat promised free delivery on the device, and posted an opening price of $1,500.
Within a couple days, more than 33 bids had been entered, with a top bid of $15,225, according to a screen grab captured by The Daily Dot.
"I've been selected as an early adapter for Google's upcoming release," bla7kcat wrote in the description field. "You are buying a brand new unopened pair of Google's Project Glass glasses. I will be personally attending and picking up my pair in either Los Angeles, or New York at Google's Project Glass launch event, which will take place some time after [Feb.] 27th. As for what colors will actually be available... if I am offered a choice, I will choose the color of your choice."
But by this afternoon, eBay item 221192598719 was removed for the site. And probably for good reason – we have our doubts it was for real.
As Monitor readers will remember, Google recently opened Project Glass testing – previously confined only to Google employees such as subway-rider Sergey Brin – to the public at large. To get a position as a tester, you need to apply via Twitter or Google+, using the #ifihadglass hashtag.
If you are selected, you'll pay Google $1,500, plus tax, and have to cover your own expenses to "a special pick-up experience" in New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. The deadline is today. So yes, maybe bla7kcat was selected as one of the testers. Maybe he got lucky.
But as Chris Matyszczyk of CNET notes, Google has already stated that "invitations are nontransferable."
In other words, even if bla7kcat was for real, Google probably would try to block him or her from unloading the glasses to you.
Want a pair of Project Glass specs? Guess you'll just have to apply like the rest of us.
For more tech news, follow us on Twitter @venturenaut.