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“I’m calling you from my sunglasses,” I tell my sister, Linda, after having purchased a smart pair for myself this past Christmas. “I’m answering from my smart watch,” she replies.
At 65 and 67, respectively, we’re still at the forefront of technology!
My new glasses look like regular sunglasses but have artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and allow me to shoot photos and videos, listen to music, ask questions and, yes, take and make calls and text messages.
I like that the glasses’ speakers are housed in the frames, which makes it easier for me than the earbuds I’ve tried in the past to hear cars and other noises around me while I’m walking my dog. I also appreciate the smooth, calming male voice that responds to the prompt, “Hey, Meta.”
He can read signs for me, translate, identify objects and provide weather information and directions. The phone function works great, and the clarity is actually better than from my car’s Bluetooth, my friends tell me. And the glasses are easier to charge than my previous tech devices — I just have to store them in the case they came in, which can recharge the glasses up to eight times before they need to be plugged in again.
Owning smart glasses makes me feel like I’ve still got an edge. As a freelance writer, I’ve never had an IT department to call when I run into a tech problem. So, I pride myself on being tech-savvy even if I can now claim status as an older adult.
I can download an app, edit photos on my phone, set up smart home devices, hook up internet service, and figure out how to do almost anything tech-wise that a Millennial or Gen Xer can do. Of course, just as with any new gadget, there is a somewhat steep learning curve with the glasses.
When it comes to answering questions, Meta is about as frustrating as Alexa, Siri, and Hey Google can be. I still haven’t quite mastered taking photos and videos with them — the button is on the right side of the frame and doesn’t always work the way I hope it will. I frequently take videos when I want to take photos, and the videos mostly consist of images where I’m looking at the ground and taking off my glasses to see if they’re working. The photos are sent to my phone, and I can edit them there, which is good because there is no zoom on the glasses’ camera.
Other challenges: The Bluetooth connection is sometimes wonky, and I am not as smooth at raising and lowering the volume on the frame stem as I’d like to be.
Ray-Ban offers a variety of Meta frames to consider, starting at $299. I purchased the iconic Wayfarer frames (think Tom Cruise in Top Gun) because they have transitional lenses, which means I can wear them indoors or out. The pitch-black frames house the AI and camera and, as a result, are chunkier than the classic frames. They overpower my face a bit, but I’m told that style is on trend right now. In fact, two of Marvel’s coolest Avengers, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt, along with 69-year-old Kris Jenner, appear in laugh-worthy ads for the very same glasses. I’ve rarely been so au courant.
I wear readers to decipher fine print, and could have gotten prescription lenses put in the frames, which would have allowed me to purchase them with my HSA funds or even possibly through vision insurance. But I wanted sunglasses for when I walk the dog, and the Wayfarers seemed like a good option. I can temporarily slip readers underneath them if I need to.
Other manufacturers, such as Amazon, OhO, Lucyd, and Blackview, are selling smart audio glasses. I’ve tried Amazon’s style, which consists of frames made by the Italian designer Carrera and powered by the Alexa voice assistant. They primarily function as regular glasses or sunglasses, plus hands-free audio devices, and start at $179.
You can make calls on them, play music, check in with smart devices in your home, and ask Alexa questions just like you do on Echo devices, but there is no camera.
Smart glasses aren’t exactly new to the market. Google came out with Google Glass in 2013, before consumer-level AI or even smart watches were a reality. Glass didn’t gain much traction with consumers, so Google has since stopped manufacturing it and is preparing to release new smart glasses sometime soon. Likewise, Apple is supposedly designing smart glasses that may be released in 2026. AARP’s tech writer Edward Baig previewed these and other smart glasses to come in an article published last year.
Smart glasses, by the way, are not the same as virtual reality (VR) glasses like Apple Vision, Meta Quest, and Sony PlayStation VR. VR glasses are typically used to play video games, tour a destination or museum, or do a training simulation. They’re much bulkier and cost more than smart glasses, and because they block out the real world, you can’t wear them to do everyday tasks. Smart glasses are also different from augmented reality (AR) glasses, which superimpose computer icons on the real-world image you view through your glasses.
My ultimate assessment: Smart glasses are fun to use and allow for hands-free listening and talking. They’re an easy way to enter the world of high tech and great conversation starters — people are very intrigued by my ability to talk through the frames and take photos (although some find the video and photo functions creepy).
AI-enabled devices are proliferating everywhere, whether we like it or not. We might as well utilize them if they make life easier, and my smart glasses do just that!
Would YOU ever try smart glasses? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below.
Derek Abella
Follow Article Topics: Lifestyle
