The Old Days
Remember the old days when Google Glass came out? The odd little single lens attempt at augmented reality that looked more like a dentist magnifying accessory than the cyber punk tech it was meant to be? It was an interesting development in wearables at the time, but really, it looked very silly. It didn’t last for a number of reasons but the primary killer of that particular bit of technology was the fact that, for a brief moment, the entire world came together and agreed to relentlessly bully anyone seen wearing the thing out in public. It was the fastest and most expensive way for the average tech geek to re-live the glory days of being stuffed into a high school locker for being seen with a pocket protector. It was the penultimate geek statement, a clear and impossibly odd-looking sign that proclaimed loudly to all who could see “I am a geek! Please bully me!”
While that product came out in the early days of the “tech bro” era, it still struggled against the standards of a society that revolved around aesthetics. Not much has changed as far as the expectations of the greater public, but boy oh boy has the world of wearable tech changed.
From Tech Geek to Tech Bro
Gone are the days of Mark Zuckerberg getting caught slathered in sun screen looking like a wet mime. Now our boy Zuck is fit. He does MMA and wears a little gold chain. He gets into manly flame wars with other tech billionaires on “X.” Silicon valley has been transformed from the land of the nerds to a world of high-powered Bros, flexing their style and wealth, strutting their stuff on the boulevard. These demigods wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something so lame as the Google Glass, heck no. They’re too cool for that by a mile. That’s where the Meta Ray-Bans come in.
Not AR, but a Personal Assistant For Your Very Cool Face
This time around Meta learned from Google’s mistake and they went with form over function. While these glasses are still quite capable, the primary goal here was to make something cool enough to be worn in public without the wedgies and purple nurples that came with the Google Glass. All the tech we are about to go over is built into three styles of Ray-Ban glasses. The same Ray-Bans we know and love as a cultural icon of “cool guys,” in film and TV have been rebuilt to house a surprisingly complex bit of hardware, turning them from simple cool sunglasses into personal assistants plugged straight into the wearer’s eyes and ears. While the comparison to the Google Glass works for the most part, it is important to note that these are not “AR” glasses (augmented reality for those not in the know). They are personal assistants, more akin to Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Home. They answer questions, identify objects, speak in your ears, but they do not have any kind of display. You can’t see anything projected on your lenses, they rely on a connection to your phone and speakers on the ear stems to relay info to the user. Built-in cameras and some microphones observe everything the wearer sees and uses that information to respond to questions and requests.
How They Work
The external features that are most important are:
- A touch sensitive area on the side that allows tap and swipe control
- A respectable 12 megapixel camera
- A 5 microphone array spread across the two temple arms and the nose bridge
Using these three input systems the Meta Ray-Bans can take in the wearer’s surroundings and vocal/touch input to manage a wide array of tasks and features.
Using all this nifty tech, anyone wearing these bad boys can
- Listen to music and podcasts
- Answer and make phone calls
- Use the “Hey Meta” command to ask Meta’s AI to respond to requests
- Take photos
- Listen to map navigation while in motion
- Directly share pictures and thoughts to your socials
They don’t handle the real heavy lifting of internet connectivity and processing on their own, they are designed to interface with your phone to do all that. To do that you’ll have to install the Meta View mobile app. This isn’t the same Meta app used for the oculus or to access Facebook though, so if you’re a VR or Facebook user you’ll need a whole new app. It’s a bit unwieldy for users who aren’t accustomed to pairing wearables with their phones, but for the rest of us it is business as usual.
The Specs
As always with technology, I’ll give you a breakdown of the actual specs. This is for the tech heads among us so if you’re not a fan of all things silicon and diode don’t worry, this one is pretty short!
Weight – 52 g
Camera – 12 MP ultra-wide
Video – 3K at 30 fps
Storage – 32 GB
Battery – 8 hours use
Charging case – up to 48 hours extra power
Connectivity – Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Water resistance – IPX4
The Downsides
So let’s not pretend that these things don’t raise a lot of concerns. While very cool and potentially helpful, they have hit the news for a number of reasons. Let’s take a look at why the Meta Ray-Bans have been stirring up controversy lately.
- Privacy concerns: These things are basically James Bond gadgets. Spy cameras and secret microphones built into glasses in a way meant to be inconspicuous and not immediately noticeable. While the camera comes with an indicator light to make it clear when they are recording, that can be hacked in any number of ways from software cracking to a little dab of glossy black paint. They have already been called out for being used to secretly film people in the past and we can only assume that will keep happening. Because of this, people are generally wary of anyone seen wearing these. Just know that going in, you aren’t getting strange looks because you’re not cool, you’re getting them because you’re pointing a camera at everyone!
- Battery life: The Meta Ray-Bans are really meant for all-day wear. They can be fitted with prescription lenses, but the battery only lasts 7-8 hours at the best of times so they will need to be regularly charged. While they come with a handy charging case similar to moder earbud cases, the idea that you might have to regularly take off your glasses to charge them is frustrating.
- AI: Look, I don’t think I have to explain why this is a potential downside but for the sake of clarity, let’s talk AI. It ain’t perfect. When asked how to keep toppings from falling off someone’s pizza, Google’s AI famously suggested using glue. When used as a legal assistant, AI has gotten lawyers disbarred for being so dramatically wrong about so many things. Some models have been measured to be wrong 60% of the time! All AI models currently available are flawed. There are moral implications to using AI as well, but this isn’t the place for that discussion. All I’m trying to say is, if you’re going to strap an AI device to your face and use it to guide you through life, you should be willing to make a few mistakes along the way.
Who These Are For
In a world of Instagram and TikTok influencers, an always-on front-facing camera just makes sense. The ability to post video and images directly from the glasses is a huge win for content creators, world travelers and people who are just tired of always pulling out their phone whenever they wanna save a memory because, as we all know, using our actual brain memory is simply not an option!
Content creators, tech enthusiasts, and travelers, are certainly the prime demographic for these, but they don’t quite meet the needs of anyone looking for true AR. The lack of a heads up display greatly limits the functionality of these glasses, so if you are looking for something truly futuristic, these ain’t it. For around $379 it’s a tough sell, but they are the hottest new tech so if that’s reason enough, then go ahead and pick these up!
There are some really good real-world non-luxury use cases for the Meta Ray-Bans, though. For people working dangerous jobs, like factory work, heavy machinery farming or construction, mining and road work, these glasses could be a game changer for post accident clarity. Being able to rewind an accident and see exactly what happened could protect you legally and help train future workers on best practices. Doctors can use these to take footage while working on (or in)_ a patient, making mistakes easier to catch or oddities more likely to spot. No more losing your smart watch inside your patients! The microphone and recording could very well make people with limited hearing more connected to the rest of the world by letting them re-listen to interactions they missed.
Final Thoughts
While these were not really my style, my time with the Meta Ray-Bans was interesting and pretty darn fun. They are a novelty for people like me, but I can see them becoming a standard for a younger more connected audience. The price tag is pretty high, but the product is exciting enough to try on for yourself!
Bio: Every since George was disappointed with a toy that did match up to the advertising, he became a tireless advocate for consumers. He’ll review anything that folks have to spend their hard-earned dollars on. George is grateful that he gets to use his skills as a writer and an artist to help connect with consumers and help them make the best decisions possible.
This article is for informational purposes only and reflects the author’s independent opinion. Product features, specifications, pricing, and availability may change without notice. Readers should verify details directly with the manufacturer or retailer before making a purchase decision.
