What Are Smart Glasses and Should I Have a Pair?
A few years back, Google planned to revolutionize the glasses industry with their Google Glass. The world wasn’t quite ready for smart glasses technology yet, but it seems like now they may be. These days, Microsoft, ODG, and a host of other companies are taking the market by storm with their brands of Augmented Reality (AR) glasses, and people are seeming to take notice.
But all of this simply begs the question(s), What are these “smart glasses” and how do I get them?
Like other smart technology, smart glasses take the concept of normal glasses and add information. They essentially provide you with a Heads-Up Display (HUD) or AR overlay that allows you to see images through them. You can use them to run certain apps, as an integrated Bluetooth device allowing you to make and receive phone calls and more. Useful smart glasses apps may include fitness trackers, GPS navigation, and certain games.
How Do You Get Smart Glasses?
You don’t need any special prescription or access to get smart glasses; you just need cash. But as of now, you technically need a lot of it. Most of the best current smart glasses on the market run in the neighborhood of thousands of dollars. The average glasses wearer may want to wait until smart glasses become more common, and the price drops a bit.
What Are Some of the Best Smart Glasses on the Market?
One of the most popular smart glasses products currently available is the Vuzix Blade. They look great – which means, they look just like real glasses, and not like pieces of tech. They have some great features like games, an 8MP camera, and even feature Alexa. Even better, these glasses are straddling the four-figure mark, so they are actually somewhat affordable, in terms of how smart glasses currently go.
Another affordable and exciting smart glasses product comes in the form of Focals by North. Focals are custom-fitted at their stores in Brooklyn or Toronto, so you have a personalized AR experience as part of the process. They also include Alexa, texting, maps, music, and more. These are even a bit cheaper than the Vuzix, so it may actually be worth the plane ticket to your nearest store to get a pair.
Smart Glasses May Require an Understanding of Your Preferences
There are actually quite a few other smart glasses options already on the market, and each person will have to choose their favorite based on their priorities.
Is crisp video a priority or is your goal to have as many features as possible? Would you be happy just to have music and phone calls comfortably and hands-free, at a reasonable price?
You might want to take the time to shop around and see all the smart glasses options available to you. Even if a pair is not the right choice for you right now, it can be fun to see what’s possible.
Glasses, However, Should Always Help You to See Better
Of course, the most important thing about any glasses is that they help you see as well as possible, and for that, you first need a great eye exam and the right prescription. If you’re in or around the Portland Metro area, you can get that right here at Beaumont Vision.
Just give us a call or contact us online to set up an appointment with one of our friendly and professional eye doctors. We’ll find the perfect prescription so you can see clearly no matter what frames you choose. Get in touch with us now!