Facebook’s hardware executives traveled to tour Luxottica’s sprawling research center in northern Italy. Most of the features of the glasses (codenamed “Stella”) were decided during a weeklong workshop with top executives from both companies. Facebook says the glasses take about an hour to fully charge and that the battery will last for roughly six hours with intermittent use.
As a result, anti-reflective coatings were invented with green lenses to cut the glare without obscuring the vision. Next Ray-Ban redeveloped its lenses and frames for the benefit of sporting enthusiasts, thus creating the Outdoorsman. This was followed by the Wayfarer, made famous by James Dean in the 1955 movie “Rebel Without A Cause”. This was later followed by the “wrap style” – the Olympian I and II – which were worn by Peter Fonda in “Easy Rider”. Then came the Balorama, worn by Clint Eastwood in “Magnum Force”.
The Facebook View app, where the glasses pair with your phone and photos and videos are stored. Ray-Ban and Facebook collaborated over a new pair of smart glasses you can use to take photos and listen to music. Users will be able to control the glasses with a couple physical buttons including a “capture” button to record media and an on-off switch. A touch pad on the right arm of the glasses will allow users to perform functions like swiping to adjust the volume or answering a phone call. An onboard white LED will glow to indicate to the people around the wearer that a video is being recorded.
Ray-Ban is virtually synonymous with sunglasses, having pioneered more than one world-famous line of shades. The storied brand also sells prescription glasses infused with the same creative spark that made Ray-Ban a household name. I took the glasses for a spin on a nine-mile bike ride in Yosemite National Park where I found them useful for snapping pictures. Riding through the valley, there were moments where the trees would open up and reveal incredible views of the granite cliffs. Without the glasses, trying to shoot photos or videos of the views with my phone would have required that I ride dangerously while pulling out my phone, or that I slow down my entire group and stop to take pics.
The camera lenses and indicator light on the Ray-Bans are easy to miss. Even while pushing a computer that sits on your face and looks quite similar to regular glasses, Facebook and Ray-Ban are emphasizing the importance of making other people aware that you may be recording them . In a lot of ways, the normal look of these glasses feels like their greatest achievement. I had friends and family who were surprised that these were smart glasses, even when they were standing next to me up close. Facebook and Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica didn’t offer a specific sales forecast, but Bosworth said the glasses aren’t intended to be a niche product.
There is also a small light indicator on the inside part of the frame. The glasses are being launched in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Italy and Australia, and include a charging case similar to the one that houses AirPods. 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. Also, while the models we were given to test were sunglasses with tinted lenses, Facebook is offering 20 different configurations with three Ray-Ban frame shapes , including clear-lensed versions. Facebook lent me a pair of Ray-Ban Stories with sunglass lenses so I could decide for myself.
Facebook’s first foray into the world of smart glasses is here. 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 clubmaster speaker-equipped glasses, you’ll be able to listen to media, as well as take calls. For added peace of mind, photos and videos are encrypted on the smart glasses. The ability to control your settings and content were top concerns for people in user research we conducted on wearable technology and privacy.
The brands said Ray-Ban Stories — which require a Facebook account to use — weigh about 5 grams more than Ray-Ban’s original Wayfarer design — they compared the weight of the glasses to a teaspoon of salt. This is a major launch for Facebook, which announced early details about the Ray-Ban partnership and product at its AR/VR-focused developer conference last September. The company has indicated that the device is a stepping stone for its AR ambitions and an effort to get users acquainted with the idea of high-tech glasses. The glasses notably do not have in-lens displays that will allow users to see digital augmented reality content like competitor Snap’s latest Spectacles prototype.
The glasses were light enough that they didn’t interfere with my game, so much so that I forgot I was wearing them. However when I started to get sweaty, they started slipping which happens with most glasses anyway. In looking at the captured video, it was brilliant to see how the ball spins when it reaches me from my coach’s racket and how it travels from when I hit it back.