When I first saw the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses a few weeks ago, I noticed something. In the event space that Mita had so carefully prepared, there was a wall displaying different frames, colors and lenses. It was meant to visualize all the different style options – more than 150 in fact. But about 10 feet away, it all blended together.
For the most part, my work with the Meta smart glasses was better than I expected. Photo and video quality has been greatly improved thanks to the new 12MP camera. Weaknesses like sound leakage seem to have been addressed as they now have five microphones instead of one. The sound quality was also better and supported spatial audio. You can live stream with them! After a few demos, this was a device I could imagine a content creator or home video enthusiast purchasing.
I didn’t like the way I looked in the couple I tried. One was the Wayfarer, the other was the new round headliner. Although Wayfarers is a popular and classic style, there are still a lot of people who use it no Like the way they look. For me, the bold black frames overshadowed my face, and with the clear lenses, my eyes looked smaller — something I’m self-conscious about. Granted, it was a short demo, and I might not have been familiar with them. But if I end up not liking either of the available frames, will having 150 variations even matter? This won’t be a problem for Zenni Optical. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of frames to choose from, with different materials, colors, and lenses. It may take some time, but I… Known I will find something that makes me feel good when I look at myself in the mirror.
Limited design options have been an issue I’ve had with every pair of smart glasses I’ve ever worn, from the defunct Focals by North to the Bose Frames and Almost every Google Glass prototype. (I It looks like the total They forced me In Bose Frames Tempo.) This is because smart glasses, in general, are difficult to do well. You have to present a compelling use case, pack it with enough technology to make sure it works well without feeling uncomfortable, and it has to look good. I have a hard time naming a company that has done all three of these things.
The problem is that if you’re mass producing a gadget, the human body is kind of your enemy. No two faces or vision of two people are the same. Low nose bridges, strong prescriptions, astigmatism, and facial shapes are all things you have to accommodate. Meanwhile, wearable device makers must pursue designs that fit “most people.” While this works with phones, tablets, and even smart watches, it’s less effective with something you wear on your face. Again, just because most people seem to be fine in Wayfarers, that doesn’t mean everyone Wants Wear it.
When worn Razer Enzo For testing, I thought they looked okay to me. My husband hated the way they made me look. The nicest thing my friends and colleagues have said to me is: “I don’t hate them.” Vanity may be the sin of pride, but if the eyes are the windows to the soul, I want my glasses to be a pair of attractive curtains. The Razer Anzu was as essential to my life as a smartphone was to me to be able to do everything in function rather than form. They weren’t. Now I wear a pair that both my wife and I like, and the Anzu is collecting dust in the drawer.
For this reason, all smart glasses tend to look similar. Not everyone will like the way a wide, thick frame will look. You can have the most powerful smart glasses ever, but that means jackass if people don’t want to wear them.
I hate to say it, but if smart glasses become mainstream, looks matter. Companies need to give people as many options as they find online or at their local eye doctor. The Google Glass story illustrated the lesson that weird design (and questionable privacy) invites ridicule. You’ve probably never heard of Epson MOVIORO GLASSES Because you’ll never get a date wearing it. You’ve probably forgotten about the Echo Frames, not only because sticking Alexa to your glasses is unnecessary but also because the design is completely forgettable.
That’s why, of all the smart glasses I’ve seen so far, the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses may have a real chance. At $300, they’re expensive but on par with regular Ray-Bans. This time, there’s a clear use case: hands-free video that you can actually share on social media platforms. Socially, privacy is still a concern, but the age of TikTok has also turned everyone into potential content creators. For better or worse, every time I go out, I assume I’m going to be an addition to someone else’s life. Although 150 different shapes is still not enough everyone If you want a pair, there’s a better chance of finding a set you like than if you only have two or three options.
Style aside, at the end of the day, these glasses still need to function and work well. That’s why, despite my reservations about the way I look, I’m cautiously optimistic that, unlike Anzu, the upgrades might encourage me to keep going. I won’t know for sure until I get my review unit, but I’m curious to find out.
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