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Meta is not just a social media company. The company, known as Facebook until a few months ago, also works on the development of devices, and not all of them are directly aimed at conquering this new virtual world known as the metaverse. the giant of Mark Zuckerberg has recently announced the arrival in Spain of its Ray-Ban Storiesthe first Facebook smart glasses, which still allow you to take photos, which record videos, answer calls or listen to music. Come on, a bit of everything. Of all the same that you can do with a ‘smartphone’ without having to spend the 329 euros from which they start. But let’s go by parts.
The glasses, on the surface, are the old fashioned Ray-Bans.
With slightly wider temples, but the design does not change at all. They are available in various colors and with different types of glass. At ABC we have tested the model Meteor, with transparent glass and olive green frame. In case you had doubts, it is also possible to graduate them in optics.
What makes these lenses different are the two photographic sensors that are perforated on the front and that are the ones that allow the user to can take photos and record videos up to 60 seconds. Each camera boasts a 5 MP resolution, and the quality of the content they capture is quite remarkable. Especially when the lighting is good. For the night, or situations in which there is very little light, they are not highly recommended.
The device can indeed be used as a hands-free call or even as an audio player. Two functions in which it comfortably fulfills, as we have been able to verify during the tests. Meta has made it possible, for example, to listen to music through the device without the sound being barely perceptible to the rest. In addition, the noise of the environment is not isolated, which is good in case, for example, they are used to ride a bicycle or go for a run.
In addition, you can control the volume or pick up the phone simply by sliding your finger over one of the pins on the glasses. The Ray-Ban Stories they are also compatible with the virtual assistant of Facebook, so the user can directly ask the device to take a photo or record a video by saying ‘Hey, Facebook…’. If you prefer to do it manually, you will have to press the button located on the right side of the glasses.
In order to access the photos and videos that are taken with the glasses, you have to download the application on your phone -yes, another application- Facebook View, available for iOS and Android. This must be paired with the glasses via Bluetooth. When capturing content, all you have to do is enter the ‘app’ with your glasses on and proceed with the download, which is completed in a matter of seconds.
The application has other functions, among them, it allows you to make montages with the videos and photos taken. It is also possible to share content, or publish it directly on social networks, without having to save it in the memory of the ‘smartphone‘.
Doubts in privacy
The Ray-Ban Stories are accompanied by a charging case. With full battery the glasses have an autonomy of about 6 hours with moderate use; The device also has a fast charge, so it is only necessary to have it plugged in for 30 minutes to be able to use it for about 3 hours. The ideal, in any case, is not to wear them on at all times, only when they are going to be used. The rest of the time, it is best to wear them off, as if they were ordinary glasses. Although they are not.
Since its launch in the United States in the middle of 2021, the Ray-Ban Stories have raised controversy due to the possibility that the user uses them to record and take images of third parties without them noticing. Facebook is already trying to convince the user to put the device to good use at the moment when the lens configuration is being carried out in the application. “Respect the privacy of others,” explains Meta. “Show how they work,” she ends with a message on the screen.
the lenses they have a led light in the right corner on the front that lights up every time the user is capturing content as a warning to other users. This, in addition, is impossible to deactivate. Although you could always put a little tape on top to hide it without problems. Meta has also shared several guides in which it invites Internet users to use glasses in moderation.
In the end, it is also true that the user with bad intentions can record or take photos of third parties without notifying them without having to resort to these glasses. With the phone, although it is more obvious, it can also be achieved. And, perhaps, that is the main problem that we have found during the tests of the device: that it hardly offers anything new beyond the original idea of putting a pair of photographic sensors in lenses. Something that Snapchat already did a few years ago.
Are they worth it?
Depends. During the tests we have spent a lot of time thinking about what type of user could really take advantage of the glasses, since, as we say, the functionalities it offers are the same that we can find in any smart device. What is clear to us, therefore, is that This is not a ‘gadget’ that is necessary or even interesting for most. More considering the price, which can go up to 400 euros depending on the type of glass chosen.
At ABC we believe that the device will undoubtedlyIt will be to the liking of seasoned ‘techies’, of those who enjoy using technology and practically understand it as a way of life. Obviously, it can also be an interesting tool for anyone who is dedicated to creating content professionally or almost.
In the case of the average user, the Ray-Ban Stories seem like a device suitable for outdoor sports or even in the gym, if the version with transparent crystals is purchased. The sound offered by the ‘gadget’ is good and, also, less immersive than that of headphones.
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