The people who buy these glasses will soon be out in public and private spaces, photographing and recording the rest of us, and using Facebook’s new “View” app to sort and upload that content. Confusingly dubbed Ray-Ban Stories, they start at $299 and bring together much of the technology we’ve already seen in smart eyewear. They’ll let you take first-person photos and videos on the go, like Snap’s Spectacles. And, similar to Bose and Amazon’s speaker-equipped glasses, you’ll be able to listen to media, as well as take calls. Wayfarers were designed in 1952 by American optical designer Raymond Stegeman, who worked for Bausch & Lomb, Ray-Ban’s parent company at that time.
The View app requires a Facebook account to log in, but the content doesn’t directly connect to your account. The video and photos are stored locally on your phone, not sent into Facebook’s servers or the cloud. Basically, if you don’t choose to post those photos to Facebook, Facebook can’t see them or have anything to do with them, which is probably what you want. Well, if you buy Facebook glasses, I don’t really know what you want.
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 ray ban new wayfarer 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.
The camera lenses and indicator light on the Ray-Bans are easy to miss. Where Snap’s design team has leaned into the Burning Man aesthetic for its Spectacles, Facebook and Ray-Ban went normcore. If you ignore the fact that they have cameras and wireless connectivity, Ray-Ban Stories are just a pair of Wayfarers. We weighed one of the pairs, which measured 49.3 grams—just shy of the stated 49.6 grams cited in the specs, and around 5 grams more than the original Wayfarers they’re modeled after. Crucially, that extra weight is distributed well, and both of us remarked that it was easy to forget you were wearing tech-laden shades.
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.
An onboard white LED will glow to indicate to the people around the wearer that a video is being recorded. Now the colors your patients see in plano in other stores, they can get with you in their prescription. And, well, we know how much Mark Zuckerberg wants to transform it into a “metaverse company.”
ShadesDaddy is dedicated to providing sunglasses with the best possible lenses, including prescription lenses. You may also use out-of-network benefits at Lenscrafters.com for most other vision insurance companies, like VSP and Spectera. Established in 1936, Ray-Ban has become known for sunglasses that mix the quality construction and durability of performance eyewear with timeless styling. Ray-Ban emerged as a Hollywood favorite in the ’60s when Audrey Hepburn wore the Wayfarer in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and their classic Aviator has been featured in a number of films. In 2006, Ray-Ban reintroduced their original Wayfarer, recreating it down to the tiniest detail.
The white recording light is also fairly dim, which could pose privacy concerns if people don’t realize the glasses are capturing photos or video. The companion View app is bare-bones, serving as a camera roll for the glasses with basic editing capabilities. You can favorite clips and do minor touch-ups before sending footage to any app of your choice. During initial setup, it walks you through the privacy policy that asks to let Facebook collect data about how you use the glasses. A Facebook account is required to use them, but the company isn’t analyzing what you record and save in the View app to personalize ads to you. As ambitious as they may seem, Ray-Ban Stories are also yet another example of how Facebook seemingly can’t help but imitate Snapchat, which has been dabbling in smart glasses since 2016.
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.
For added peace of mind, photos and videos are encrypted on the smart glasses. Controls in the Facebook View app help you customize your experience—you determine things like your personal preferences for importing photos and videos and when and where you share content you capture with the glasses. The ability to control your settings and content were top concerns for people in user research we conducted on wearable technology and privacy. Ray-Ban first achieved notoriety with the introduction of its sleek and distinctive Aviator sunglasses in the 1930s—a style still immensely popular. These prescription sunnies are examples of exceptional quality in a classic, bold style. Find a wide variety of traditional and contemporary shapes, including Wayfarers, Aviators, Clubmasters, rounds, rectangles, and squares, each customized with top-quality lenses in your own prescription.