Facebook launches Ray-Ban Stories smart sunglasses – TechCrunch



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Facebook announced Thursday morning its long-awaited foray into the field of smart glasses, launching the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses in partnership with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica.

The slender bezels are among the most discreet yet available to consumers and will allow users to take photos and videos with the two built-in 5 MP cameras, listen to music with the built-in speakers and take calls telephone. The glasses must be connected to an iOS or Android device for full functionality, although users can take and store hundreds of photos or dozens of videos on the glasses before transferring media to their phones through the new View app. Facebook. Twin cameras will allow users to add 3D effects to their photos and videos once they upload them to the app.

The lightweight glasses weigh less than 50 grams and come with a hard leather charging case. The battery lift is advertised as “all day,” which TechCrunch found accurate during our review of the frames.

Users will be able to control the glasses with a few physical buttons, including a “capture” button for recording media and an on-off switch. A touchpad on the right arm of the glasses will allow users to perform functions such as swiping to adjust volume or answer a phone call. A built-in white LED will light up to let people around the wearer know that a video is being recorded.

The glasses, in particular, are neither waterproof nor splash-proof.

Facebook’s Smart Ray-Ban Stories alongside my pair of classic Ray-Ban 2140 Wayfarers

Smart sport sunglasses come in three classic Ray-Ban styles, with a number of color and lens combinations. Ray-Ban Stories are fully compatible with corrective lenses. The glasses will start at $ 299, with polarized and transition lens options at a higher price.

In particular, the glasses do not have integrated screens that will allow users to view digital content in augmented reality like the latest prototype glasses from competitor Snap.

This is a major launch for Facebook, which announced the first details of the Ray-Ban partnership and product at its AR / VR-focused developer conference last September. The company said the device is a springboard for its AR ambitions and an effort to familiarize users with the idea of ​​high-tech eyewear.

“The Ray-Ban Stories are an important step towards a future where phones are no longer a central part of our lives and you will no longer have to choose between interacting with a device or interacting with the world around you,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a product launch video.

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