The glasses, which come in several different designs and lens colors, are impressive because they seem so nearly normal, even more so than the Amazon and Bose versions. The Ray-Ban Stories look innocuous at first, but they’re still not everyday normal — the arms are thick, and the charging case they come in is particularly shaped just for these glasses. And while my Ray-Ban glasses have sunglass lenses, they can be outfitted with polarized and prescription lenses. But right now, my review units didn’t come prescription-equipped, so I used contacts when I wore them around. Ray-Ban Stories, the smart glasses being debuted by Facebook and Ray-Ban today, are most notable for just how much they look like a standard pair of the brand’s sunglasses.
As you’d expect from Ray-Ban, even with all of those smarts inside these glasses look incredible smart, too. You can choose from three of its classic styles – the Wayfarer, Round or Meteor – all of which pack in the same quality, luxury and fine design that the company is so well known for. You can speak to them, too, with voice control that’s powered by the Facebook intelligence that is built into these glasses. 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. In many ways, Ray-Ban Stories look just like any other of the brand’s glasses.
I’m fastidious about putting my sunglasses back in their case when I take them off so I don’t break them, so I kept them well charged up. There are speakers in the arms of the glasses; they’re activated by touch, easy to use, and a surprisingly great feature. I went for a stroll listening to an audiobook , and it was oddly nice to not hassle with AirPods.
In 1937, the iconic eyewear brand was created to help reduce or “ban” sun glare for US Army Air Corps pilots, and thus the brand name was born. A year later the sleek metal frame was added, creating the Ray-Ban Aviators. To this day, you can still purchase these clubmaster iconic sunglasses, among hundreds of other sunglasses and eyeglasses for men, women, and children. From timeless Aviators, to classic Wayfarer styles and everything in between, Ray-Ban offers countless styles and shapes to compliment any face shape or style.
Yet the tech companies that have pursued these ideas have often failed to achieve them, as people have shunned wearable computers — especially on their faces. News Corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. Alex Himel, VP of AR at Facebook Reality Labs, informed me over a Zoom chat that taping over the LED light was a violation of the terms of service of the glasses, which prohibit tampering with the device.