A Boston Start-Up Competes With Google Glass on Indiegogo

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Google Glass has been a titillating device for techies since its arrival, even trying to up its appeal within the style set with the introduction of four optical frames last month. Yesterday, a Boston-based start-up, Laforge Optical, set out to compete with Glass in launching an Indiegogo campaign for its own smart eyewear concept, Icis. Starting at $420, its product is priced considerably less than Google Glass—all while keeping the features intact, including varied frames, prescription lenses, and a bluetooth link to your smartphone whether it be Android, iOS, or Windows.

CEO Corey Mack says in a release: "We want to give people the option to sport wearable technology that doesn't make them stick out like a Knicks fan at a Celtics game. People can stay connected to their phone, without necessarily having to go through the hassle of pulling it out of their pocket." Using an app on their phone, users can customize the dashboard of their eyewear, notably which notifications (texts, turn-by-turn directions, tweets) are projected into their field of vision. The Icis angle is style and wearability, concealing its tech components at the temple of the made-to-order glasses. Laforge hopes to hit its $80,000 goal by March 20.
· LAFORGE Icis: Prescription Smart Glasses [Indiegogo]
· LAFORGE Optical [Official Site]