Google Glass
Competitors in Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York were asked to pay $1,500 (£980) to enter the competition. .

A new generation of hi-tech glasses developed by internet search giant Google has been unveiled after a competition that attracted 8,000 entrants.

The company asked entrants to submit their reasons, in 50 words on Twitter, why they should be accepted to own a pair of Google Glass spectacles.

Would-be owners in Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York were asked to pay $1,500 (£980) to enter the competition, with the offer of a free pair of frames.

The Google Glass product displays smartphone-style information right in front of a wearer's eyes, and is compatible with the company's Android operating system.

Stanford University graduate Andrej Karpathy collated the names of the first 4,000 competitors. His research showed 26 percent of respondents had fewer than 100 Twitter followers, while 61 percent had fewer than 1,000, and 7 percent had more than 10,000 followers.

The technology essentially comprises a wearable computer with a tiny display, which is attached to a pair of glasses.

Google is considering partnering with manufacturers such as Ray-Ban to market the device, according to The New York Times.

Watch the official promotional video of Google Glass below.

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