The Ray Ban Meta AI glasses are my latest muse. Technology has always fascinated me and it always manages to surprise me. I known the Ray Ban Metas have been around for a while. Surprisingly, I missed reading about it when it was launched and also when it came to India. One day as I was scrolling my Facebook account, an advertisement popped up and it was about the Ray Ban Meta.
It looked absolutely stunning, like every pair of Ray Bans. But the technology that it had amazed me no end. It was after almost one and half decades that I had seen a piece of such technology. The Nokia phones were amazing, the Blackberry was awesome. Then came along the iPhone 3G, which was a phone, an iPod and it had the ability to browse.
That was the best piece of technology I had seen in a long time after may be the walkman. The future updates to the iPhone were just about alright. They focused more on the cameras and a bit of changes in the designs here and there. Yes there was the iPhone 5s was a decent upgrade and then it was the iPhone X. Since then it was back to square one with upgrades to the chips and cameras. Basically it retained the iPhone 3G design and the phone got bigger and bigger.
In the meantime, the Apple Watch was released. However the one with the e-sim was a stunner. That was really a game changer and must I say, it was impressive. Since then the Apple Watch too followed the same iPhone pattern.
Welcome Ray Ban Meta:
Now, this is a real game changer and it is so convenient. Great to record videos while driving and riding without actually having to hold something in your hand. The quality is great, but the flip side is that it records only vertical and not horizontal. Probably keeping in line with Meta’s vision of making the glasses more reel friendly both for Facebook and Instagram.
The speakers on the stem of the glasses near your ears is of top notch quality. If you are using the glasses a lot outside and want to listen to music make sure that the adaptive audio is turned on as the quality is better. The microphones (five in all) are a beast and the audio quality is very good.
It is great to take and make calls. It even sends messages to your contacts both on the messenger and WhatsApp. Just say Hey Meta send a message to wifey or something like that.
A video or image can be shot in two ways. You can either click the button on the right hand side of the stem or just say Hey Meta click a picture or shoot a video. Once done, you could say, Hey Meta send video to Instagram or send photo to Instagram. It will appear on your Instagram story.
The Hey Meta look feature is pretty awesome although it has a long way to go before it is perfect in India. Just say Hey Meta Look and it will click a picture and tell you what you are looking at. You can ask it further questions and you will have an answer. In India, this technology is not yet perfect and there is a lot of work to do.
If you are on a WhatsApp call and you want the other person to see what you are seeing, then click the button the top of the stems on the right hand side. This will convert the call into a video call and the person on the other side can see what you are seeing. A great feature, especially when you want your wife to see what vegetables you are buying.
The music can be activated by voice or you can play your music with a single touch of the right stem. You can scroll your finger up and down on the stem to increase or decrease the volume.
The live translation is great. For now, it has translation only to Spanish, English, French and Italian. I would have loved it, if supported many Indian languages. Probably over a next couple of updates.
One amazing and truly touching feature is Be My Eyes. You can learn about it in the video link below.
The downside:
Not all features are available in India.
The battery life is bad and would need at least three charges a day depending on usage.
The Ray Ban case is where you put the glasses in for charging.
The case battery life is decent and can give your glasses a full charge seven times.
The Meta glasses are IPX4 water resistant. This is however not too great.
It can sustain splashes of water, but it cannot be immersed in water.
It is useless to wear during heavy rains and it is best avoided.
More languages for live translations need to be added.
The Meta AI features need to be available fully in India.
Some Images shot on Ray Ban Meta:
Privacy:
Ray Ban Meta has taken efforts to make sure that privacy is not compromised. When you shoot a video or click a picture there is a light on the left hand corner which blinks so that the person in front of you knows they are being recorded.
I have seen tonnes of videos that tell you how to bypass this feature because Ray Ban by default doesn’t let you turn off the light. Go ahead watch those videos and block the light, if you like being a jerk.
Specifications:
Camera: 12MP ultra-wide lens with 1080p video recording (up to 60 seconds).
Audio: Custom-built speakers (50% louder and double the bass) with a 5-microphone array.
Connectivity: WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
Storage: 32GB (allowing for 100+ 30-second videos or 500+ photos).
Battery: Up to 36 hours of use with the fully charged case; 50% charge in 20 minutes.
Weight: Approximately 133 grams (with standard Wayfarer frames).
Water Resistance: IPX4 rated.
Meta AI: Integrated with voice commands for various functionalities like taking photos, videos, calls, messaging, and controlling media.
Other Features: Touch controls, livestreaming (up to 30 minutes), and a redesigned charging case.
Frame Options: Available in Wayfarer and Headliner styles, with various sizes and colours.
Price range: Rs 29,900 to Rs 35,700 (Features remain the same only the glasses vary in this price range
You can buy the Ray Ban Meta glasses here:
Verdict:
I love it and as I mentioned this is the technology that has fascinated since the walkman, iPhone 3G and Apple Watch with an e-SIM.
It is a handy gadget for those who are a lot into reels. For me, it is a perfect gadget to click pictures, shoot videos, call, message, use the AI and listen to music.
If you live in a small town and you take a picture or shoot a video of someone, then you will feel like a king. Some of the things people have told me. “ You are a damn dangerous fellow, we must be careful of you.’ Tu antaryami main, how did you do it.”
And to where it all began. Apart from all the tech, how are the glasses. Just to answer your question. “It is a Ray Ban.”
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