Both collections feature a variety of lens shapes and temple designs to fit any style. Alternatively, the Wayfarer has a simple, retro design that can work with just about any style. Its basic black body with black lenses and extended end pieces have now been imitated by hundreds of other manufacturers. Nonetheless, the original Wayfarer is a classic look that cannot be replicated.
Even though this is a product collaboration between two globally recognizable brands, these are Facebook glasses. A white LED light built into the front corner of the frames pops on to alert people when you’re recording (also, there’s a shutter-snap sound when taking photos), but these alerts are pretty subtle. In fact, my kids standing next to me in bright daylight didn’t really notice it. That, combined with the unexpectedly subtle darkened camera lenses on the glasses, make these a lot more stealthy than I was expecting.
Its popularity was only amplified when some of the brand’s collections were featured in the 1969 film, Easy Rider. Today, Ray-Bans are still one of the most popular luxury eyewear brands in existence. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation.
While they lack AR, the technology that overlays digital content on the physical world, Facebook says it eventually plans to embed that functionality. You long-press the button to take a photo, and a shutter sound comes through the built-in speakers to indicate a photo has in fact been snapped. Press quickly on the same button and the glasses start recording a 30-second video. You can also walk around saying “Hey, ray ban new wayfarer Facebook” and speaking your capture commands if you have no shame whatsoever. The videos are crisp and stable (even if they’re square); the photos, which are only captured after a maddening half-second shutter lag, measure 2,592 by 1,944 pixels, with plenty of room for editing. All images and clips export into Facebook’s View app using the glasses themselves as a temporary Wi-Fi hot spot for faster sharing.
The use of Facebook Assistant for voice command-powered capture is totally optional. You can view and delete your voice transcripts, and you always have the option to turn off voice storage and/or Facebook Assistant in Settings. As an all-day wearable, the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses need to be ready when you are. That’s why they come with a specially-designed portable charging case, so you can easily recharge your glasses — and keep them protected — while on the go. A fully charged case gives you an additional three consecutive days of glasses use.
The frames feature two-front facing cameras for capturing video and photos. They sync with a companion camera roll app called Facebook View, where clips can be edited and shared to other apps on your phone (not just Facebook’s own). There’s a physical button on the glasses for recording, or you can say “Hey Facebook, take a video” to control them hands-free. Snap first launched sunglasses with an integrated video camera in September 2016. Over five years, the company has released iterative updates to the Spectacles, which haven’t sold particularly well.