China's Answer To Google Glass: 'Cool Glass One' Wearable For A Fraction The Price

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Google is about to be really flattered. A Chinese company has unveiled its answer to Google Glass, the tech giant’s most recent foray into wearable technology, with Cool Glass One.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Shanghai, Beijing Palo Alto Tech Co. Ltd. unveiled its take on wearable tech, and it has a striking resemblance to Google Glass. However, one thing that is drastically different is the price: Shanghai news blog Shanghaiist.com reported Cool Glass One will range from $300 to $500, far less than Google Glass, priced at $1,500.

Business Insider reported that besides the look of the product, the specs are pretty similar too. Cool Glass One features a touchpad on the side to allow users to physically control the device by swiping through the interface. The Cool Glass One camera can take photos and record videos at an impressive 1080p HD quality, compared with Google Glass’ 720p. Unlike Google’s option, which is compatible with both Android and iOS systems, Beijing Palo Alto Tech’s version of the wearable can be used only with phones using Android operating systems, which will likely be an issue for many of China’s Apple and iPhone loyalists.

Ye Chenguang, CEO of Beijing Palo Alto Tech, admitted at the show the product was indeed “inspired” by Google Glass. While some tech innovators in China are trying to shake the copycat reputation, products on the Chinese market continue to pop up that often have Western counterparts that served as models.

Take Xiaomi’s new compact HD video camera, which has been compared with the popular GoPro cameras made in the U.S., which are commonly used for recording high-action or impact activities. As with the Cool Glass-Google Glass comparison, Xiaomi is offering its camera for just $64, compared with GoPro’s wide range of cameras, which start at $130.