9 votes

Hands-on with Facebook and Ray-Ban’s first pair of smart glasses

14 comments

  1. [3]
    nothis
    Link
    What baffles me about facebook investing so much into this: Who wants to wear facebook? Like, what potential early adopters are passionate about facebook, the brand? Apple? Sure. Microsoft? Maybe...

    What baffles me about facebook investing so much into this: Who wants to wear facebook? Like, what potential early adopters are passionate about facebook, the brand? Apple? Sure. Microsoft? Maybe in business circles. But fucking facebook? I genuinely don't see this happening, solely because their brand is toxic.

    Even playing devil's advocate, I'd spin that shit off into a new company, let's call it "Xe" or maybe "Academi" and hope people forget who the parent company is. From the comments on the article's website: You will never hear me utter the words "Hey Facebook, take a photo/video."

    8 votes
    1. [2]
      PetitPrince
      Link Parent
      Perhaps it's a first step toward an AR glass? Get your cameraglass out first, see if you've got the manufacturing chain right, then add features and add ons, and then release your killer product.

      Perhaps it's a first step toward an AR glass? Get your cameraglass out first, see if you've got the manufacturing chain right, then add features and add ons, and then release your killer product.

      1. nothis
        Link Parent
        Well, my point isn't about technology, though, it's about brand!

        Well, my point isn't about technology, though, it's about brand!

        1 vote
  2. [2]
    Seven
    Link
    Another step towards being surveilled at all times by Facebook. :/

    Another step towards being surveilled at all times by Facebook. :/

    7 votes
    1. ali
      Link Parent
      I wonder how regulations on this will look. I’m from Germany, and we have pretty strong regulations regarding data privacy. I wouldn’t be surprised if these glasses weren’t sold here.

      I wonder how regulations on this will look. I’m from Germany, and we have pretty strong regulations regarding data privacy. I wouldn’t be surprised if these glasses weren’t sold here.

      4 votes
  3. [4]
    hamstergeddon
    Link
    If there's one company I would never buy hardware from, it's Facebook (but also Google).

    If there's one company I would never buy hardware from, it's Facebook (but also Google).

    6 votes
    1. vord
      Link Parent
      Google, at least on their phones, gives you an out with being able to flash your own OS. Otherwise, 100%.

      Google, at least on their phones, gives you an out with being able to flash your own OS.

      Otherwise, 100%.

      5 votes
    2. Akir
      Link Parent
      Yup. Got burned once with Oculus, and I'm not going to get burned again!

      Yup. Got burned once with Oculus, and I'm not going to get burned again!

      4 votes
    3. PetitPrince
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      If this was coming out of GoPro, I would have a much more positive reaction. Coming out of Facebook I can't help but think it's feeding a digital monster.

      If this was coming out of GoPro, I would have a much more positive reaction. Coming out of Facebook I can't help but think it's feeding a digital monster.

      4 votes
  4. [2]
    ali
    Link
    Facebook releases their first smart glasses. tl;dr: They have microphones, speakers and cameras. No AR functionality. I‘m curious where this will go, especially once facebook releases real AR glasses.

    Facebook releases their first smart glasses.

    tl;dr: They have microphones, speakers and cameras. No AR functionality.

    I‘m curious where this will go, especially once facebook releases real AR glasses.

    3 votes
    1. mat
      Link Parent
      "Smart" is pretty strong way to describe these. They're pretty dumb. No HUD, no AR, no GPS, only 5Mpx cameras. There's some impressive industrial design to fit them into such a small frame but...

      "Smart" is pretty strong way to describe these. They're pretty dumb. No HUD, no AR, no GPS, only 5Mpx cameras. There's some impressive industrial design to fit them into such a small frame but that's about as smart as it gets. They're moderately brighter than a set of headphones but nobody calls headphones smart.

      I'm amazed how low Facebook seem to be shooting with these. They're basically an expensive toy. Snapchat's Spectacles are more capable and half the price.

      Also when will tech firms learn that people, mostly, don't want cameras on their faces? Google Glass kept going because with their AR capabilities there are legitimate enterprise applications but it seems like someone or other comes out with this kind of product every few years and it just doesn't sell. Snapchat had to junk $40m worth of unsold Spectacles inventory, they haven't even sold a quarter of a million units over four years. Sure, Facebook has two billion users but still. An awful lot of those users don't have £300 to splash on a shitty camera in the shape of some glasses, and those that do, likely don't want to.

      7 votes
  5. [2]
    rosco
    Link
    Just going to echo the other comments here. Feels like another weird dystopian turn in this bizarre new decade. Let's hope they go the way of google glass.

    Just going to echo the other comments here. Feels like another weird dystopian turn in this bizarre new decade. Let's hope they go the way of google glass.

    3 votes
    1. mat
      Link Parent
      You know Glass is still on sale and is currently in it's fourth hardware iteration now, right? They're pretty useful in a range of applications. As I said elsewhere I don't think there's ever been...

      You know Glass is still on sale and is currently in it's fourth hardware iteration now, right? They're pretty useful in a range of applications.

      As I said elsewhere I don't think there's ever been a huge market for personal face-mounted imaging devices. AR displays - even one as relatively crude as Glass - are a different matter.

      3 votes
  6. stu2b50
    Link
    Seems interesting. From the verge article, apparently the fit and finish, as well as the weight seem quite good. I would consider using one on trips - there's lots of moments that I'd want to take...

    Seems interesting. From the verge article, apparently the fit and finish, as well as the weight seem quite good.

    I would consider using one on trips - there's lots of moments that I'd want to take a quick video of, but I don't want to out my phone (whether that be because my hands are occupied, afraid of theft, or the thing that I want to take a picture of/record ends before I would have time to take my phone out).

    Seems to be priced pretty competitively as well - whether or not it deserves the price is another conversation, but ray bans are pretty expensive to begin with, so tacking on another ~$100 for the tech doesn't seem like a lot.

    I would need to have them with prescription lenses, which is way too much work, so think I'll pass on them, although otherwise I'd probably buy a pair to play around with. Seems to be solid advancement in the tech since Google Glasses, etc. , though, that it's so much better in form factor.

    3 votes