Why Google Glass is fascinating; Chromebook Pixel just puzzling - Chicago Sun-Times

Concluding paragraphs of an Andy Ihnatko Glass + Pixel perspective piece

"The defining characteristic of an A-list tech company is its ability to develop and pursue their own vision of the future, regardless of what today’s consumers think they want. Apple has that ability so long as they keep designing hardware that people love. Microsoft has it, so long as the rest of the industry continues to fail to produce an alternative to Windows or Office that makes sense to the majority of businesses and consumers.
Google’s ability to pursue its own destiny is fueled by their search product. Google Search makes Glass, Android, and Chrome better, but its fortunes aren’t tied to these other products the same way that Apple and Microsoft’s cash cows are affected by the rest of their product lines. This gives Google the freedom to produce something as exciting, as risky, and as unproven as Glass."

Why Google Glass is fascinating; Chromebook Pixel just puzzling - Chicago Sun-Times