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Ray-Ban Stories: Facebook introduces smart video glasses

2021-09-10T08:58:29.308Z


The new glasses record videos and photos and, thanks to microphones and speakers, are also suitable for phone calls and listening to music. The most important feature, however, is likely to be a small switch.


Enlarge image

The design has long been known: Facebook's new smart glasses

Photo: HANDOUT / AFP

Five years after Snap tried to set a trend with the Spectacles video sunglasses, Facebook is now venturing into this area too.

Together with the Italian group EssilorLuxottica, which also owns the Ray-Ban brand, the company has developed smart glasses called Ray-Ban Stories.

The new gadget is available in three versions based on the classic Ray-Ban designs Wayfarer, Round and Meteor.

Technically, the new models are equipped with two 5-megapixel cameras with which users can record videos and photos.

To trigger a recording, you have the choice of either pressing a release button on the glasses frame or saying a voice command: "Hey Facebook, record a video".

The length of the video recordings is limited to 30 seconds.

According to the manufacturers, more than 30 such videos or more than 500 photos fit in the memory of the glasses.

Compared to modern smartphones, that seems puny, but the glasses are intended more as a video and photo supplier for the cell phone, according to the two companies they should be used if you don't have your hands free or if you want to spontaneously capture a moment.

Open to apps from others

A white LED on the front of the glasses should light up so that outsiders can see that they are being filmed or photographed. Another LED on the inside also informs the user about ongoing recordings and with different color signals about the charge status of the battery. The Ray-Ban Stories do not have a screen, so they have nothing to do with Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR).

The connection with the smartphone is established via an app called Facebook View, for which users need a Facebook account.

This allows you to download photos and videos from the glasses and share them via various social networks.

You are not limited to the company's services, but can also fill TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter and other offers with the images of the glasses in addition to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.

Microphones and "micro-speakers"

The Ray-Ban Stories batteries are charged in the supplied case.

Facebook promises that you can "use the glasses for a full three days in addition to the current charge level." With occasional use, a single charge should be enough for six hours of running time.

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For phone calls and voice commands, there are three microphones in the frame of the glasses, according to Facebook, several “micro-speakers” ensure “a sophisticated calling experience, as you know it from high-end headphones.” Independent tests determine whether this is really the case to consider.

And whether the Facebook glasses are really suitable for listening to music still has to be tested.

Audio specialist Bose had previously equipped sunglasses with speakers - but the result was not convincing.

Just switch off

The fact that Facebook is concerned that the video glasses could stir up data protection concerns is clearly noticeable in the press release on the gadgets.

The group expressly points out that the recordings of voice commands sent to the glasses can be viewed and deleted.

And that you can control the glasses without speech.

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Above all, however, the company insists that users use the devices "safely and responsibly" and switch off their glasses "in private areas such as churches, doctors' offices or changing rooms".

The most important component of the glasses is specially designed for this: a physical off switch.

For the bystanders, however, this should only be partially apparent.

The Ray-Ban Stories are currently difficult to obtain for German interested parties.

At launch, the new glasses will only be available in the USA, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Great Britain and Italy.

The price is 299 dollars or 329 euros.

Facebook and EssilorLuxottica have not yet commented on when the video glasses will be launched in Germany.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2021-09-10

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