The latest in smart glasses called Ray-Ban Stories from Ray-Ban and Facebook
Smart eyeglasses are hardly a new concept. I remember when Google first came out with theirs. I was at a fashion show and the designer Diane von Furstenberg took her runway finale bow sporting futuristic frames with a clunky camera on the side. These Google glasses never really took off in part because they were not chic nor can you seamlessly integrate them into your wardrobe. Imagine wearing a Chanel ensemble or a Savile Row suit with robotic looking glasses. They simply stood out. The same can be said for Snap Spectacles. The shape of the frames are too forward to suit a wider audience.
Classic Wayfarer in the new Ray-Ban Stories packaging
Ray-Ban is hoping to fix all of these design issues with their new smart glasses called Ray-Ban Stories launched in partnership with Facebook. The classic Wayfarer’s get a technological upgrade with a discreet camera that can take photographs and videos through voice command or with a touch button on the temples. When paired with a smartphone via bluetooth and with the use of an app called Facebook View, photographs and videos are almost instantly transferred to your phone making them easier to share via email, text or social media. Ray-Ban Stories glasses also have speakers that let you listen to music in lieu of earbuds. A built-in microphone allows you to make calls. All of these features are neatly packaged in Ray-Ban’s best-selling shapes like the Wayfarer, Round and Meteor and in various colors and lens combinations. They start at $299.
I like to take photographs and videos while I engage in the sports that I love. So I asked Ray-Ban if I can take the Ray-Ban Stories black Wayfarer sunglasses for a test.
First, I wore them when I rode my horse. They didn’t interfere with my helmet which was a plus. On trail rides, I would normally use my iPhone to take videos and photographs of the scenery. At the faster speeds of trot and canter, I am not able to whip out my phone to take a video and I never got around to attaching a GoPro to my helmet. With the Ray-Ban Stories, as soon as my horse and I started cantering, I gave the command “Facebook take a video” and the camera started recording. I know this because there is a sound that tells you that recording has started and ended. There is also a small light indicator on the inside part of the frame.
The video from the horseback ride was clear and watching it sort transports you to the moment. You see the movement and the action. You see my horse’s neck and ears and feel the effort he puts into each stride. I love that I was able to capture it hands-free. I wish however that the video could be longer than 30 seconds especially when I am going over jumps on a course that takes two minutes or so to complete. But that is something that might be in the works should these smart glasses take off.
Next I took the Ray-Ban Stories with me on the tennis court. On sunny days I do wear sunglasses when I play tennis so it was an added bonus that I could take videos while hitting groundstrokes and volleys. 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 (Lahcen Boujadi) racket and how it travels from when I hit it back. Because the video is directly from one’s perspective, it puts the viewer of the video right into the thick of the action.
Do I recommend these sunglasses? If the price tag is not an issue, then for sure an absolute yes. And if you’re a content creator, they would make for a great addition to your visual arsenal.
