The real breakthrough here is Meta’s voice-activated AI assistant integrated into the glasses. It may sound trivial, but the convenience of having AI right on your face makes a significant difference.
With the rise of AI gadgets and advanced chatbots, I often wondered what practical use they had in everyday life. Sure, ChatGPT is great for cooking advice, but most queries are easily handled by a quick Google search. That perspective changed once I started using Meta’s glasses. Wearing these voice-activated glasses, I suddenly found myself wanting answers to all sorts of questions.
Curious about the price of the house across the street? The AI couldn’t tell me that, but it did inform me that my walkway needed resurfacing. I asked it to identify plants and cars, and it performed impressively well, particularly with the distinctive vehicles in my neighborhood, like Subaru Foresters and Dodge Challengers.
The glasses also translated my son’s Spanish books quite accurately, adding its own commentary. “We don’t know why Rafa is getting in the car, only that he will arrive by 3,” the Meta AI remarked, offering an anxious aside while translating Que hacen Gabo y Rafa?
I’ve always supported the concept of the metaverse, enjoying various mixed-reality headsets and VR games. However, while Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses don’t project images or immerse you in virtual worlds like those headsets, they bring a sensor-enabled, phone-free internet experience into the real world. They offer the easiest gateway into the metaverse that I’ve encountered.
These glasses aren’t about gaming, so their value is more universally appreciated. They are also affordable and accessible—you can pick up a pair at Sunglass Hut without breaking the bank or joining a waitlist. Unlike cumbersome VR goggles, they are comfortable, battery-free, and not awkward to wear in public. They outperform the Humane Ai Pin and the Rabbit R1 by actually working effectively. Plus, you don’t have to remember to carry them around; you’re already wearing sunglasses.
Switching from the Meta sunglasses to my prescription reading glasses when I start working feels a bit odd, especially since work is when I have the most questions. If there’s a product that could tempt me away from Apple’s ecosystem into the realm of a company with a mixed track record on data privacy, it’s these talking sunglasses.
