The glasses on their own get about six hours of battery life with moderate use, and they’re not waterproof, according to Facebook. The $299 model has standard frames, while the companies will also offer a $329 polarized model and a $379 version with transition lenses. Zuckerberg has said he thinks virtual and augmented reality-powered devices are the next major platform for human communication, after mobile phones, eventually replacing some in-person interactions. I was able to say “Hey Facebook, take a photo” or “Hey Facebook, take a video” and the glasses understood me.
They don’t look as goofy as the Snap Spectacles, and they’re far more comfortable to wear than Bose and Amazon’s Frames. I could only use the Stories in limited situations though, since I need prescription lenses to actually see well. Unlike carrying a phone or a devoted camera, you won’t have to reach into your pocket and pull it out, by which point the moment is probably gone. And you don’t have to hold a device in front of your face, taking yourself out of the moment so that you don’t really get to experience it the first time around. The frame that started it all, the RB3025 Aviator is Ray-Ban’s first design.
The brand is known internationally for their Wayfarer and Aviator lines of sunglasses. In the years since, Ray-Ban has developed into an extremely successful fashion brand. Design classics such as the Aviator and Wayfarer are making Ray-Ban clubmaster a leader among another sunglasses brand. This style is a 62 eyesize and provides all the coverage and wrap you can expect in a performance frame. You’ll get excellent coverage, wind protection, and a secure fit with rubberized temple tips.
Protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays with crystalline vision in classy cat-eye frames or throwback Clubmasters. The glasses aren’t a stand-alone product, so music and calls are streamed to the glasses from an iPhone or Android phone via Bluetooth. Facebook is requiring the use of an iPhone or Android app called Facebook clubmaster View, which is used to manage and set up the glasses. When a user takes a photo or video, the media will appear in a section of the app. A user can then choose to download that photo or video to their device for storage and editing. The glasses’ nicest surprise might be the tiny speakers embedded in the rear of each temple.
The touchpad on the side of the frame is a welcome inclusion for volume adjustment. With their core ability of taking photos and videos, Ray-Ban Stories are essentially a sleeker version of Snapchat’s Spectacles, which first debuted in 2016 to a lot of hype that quickly fizzled. These Ray-Bans don’t have displays in the lenses, like the latest Spectacles that were unveiled earlier this year.
Even though this is a product collaboration between two globally recognizable brands, these are Facebook glasses. People using Ray-Ban Stories may also be subjected to additional surveillance. The View app states that a wearer’s voice commands could be recorded and shared with Facebook to “improve and personalize [the wearer’s] experience.” The user must opt out to avoid this.
The glasses will become a perpetual viewfinder, emphasizing each wearer’s perspective over the experience of being in any group. As a result, people wearing them may be more drawn to capturing scenes from their unique point of view than actually participating. Also, since more than one person at a time might be wearing the glasses in any given group, this effect could be magnified, and social cohesion could be further fragmented. The smart sunglasses come in three classic Ray-Ban styles, with a number of color and lens combinations. The glasses will start at $299, with polarized and transition lens options coming in at a higher price point. The perfect match of Ray-Ban’s legendary style and Essilor’s expertise in sight.