Ray-Ban and Facebook to launch Smart Glasses

Ray-Ban-Facebook-Ray-Ban-Stories-Smart-Glasses

Ray-Ban and Facebook collaborate to launch Ray-Ban Stories, the first-generation smart glasses.

Ray-Ban Stories, Facebook’s first “smart spectacles” created in collaboration with Ray-Ban, are now available for purchase. While these aren’t high-end AR spectacles like Facebook’s Oculus, they seem to be influenced by Snap’s (Snapchat’s parent company) Spectacles.

So, what exactly do Ray-Ban Stories offer, and how are they different from other sunglasses? Let’s look at it more closely.

What are Ray-Ban Stories on Facebook? What are the functions of these?

The iconic Wayfarer style has long been associated with the renowned eyewear company. Facebook’s first “smart” glasses capitalize on that. They are also available in two different types: round and meteor.

These sunglasses appear conventional at first sight, except they have two 5MP cameras in the corners and an LED light near them. The white LED light turns on to alert others that you are recording them.

Snap’s Spectacles enable consumers to accomplish the same thing. Users can capture and photograph their surroundings using Facebook’s smart eye wear. Foeyewearme being, users can use the capture button to record 30-second films, take images, or utilize Facebook Assistant voice commands to go hands-free.

Facebook’s glasses also have built-in “open-ear speakers” and a three-microphone audio array, allowing users to make and receive calls. Facebook claims to be employing “beamforming technology” and “a background noise suppression algorithm” to provide an “improved calling experience” similar to what users get while wearing headphones.

Ray-Ban Stories, Facebook’s first “smart spectacles” created in collaboration with Ray-Ban, are now available for purchase. While these aren’t high-end AR spectacles like Facebook’s Oculus, they seem to be influenced by Snap’s (Snapchat’s parent company) Spectacles.

So, what exactly do Ray-Ban Stories offer, and how are they different from other sunglasses? Let’s look at it more closely.

How much will smart glasses cost? What locations will they be available?

Ray-Ban Stories will be available for $299. They’ll be available online and at select stores in 20 various style combinations. For the time being, smart glasses are only available in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

So, what’s the deal with Ray-Ban Stories?

These smart glasses must be used in combination with the Facebook View app. These will also work with Facebook Assistant, allowing users to issue commands such as “Hey, Facebook record a video” and complete the action.

The glasses are compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Currently, the helper is only available in English.

The Facebook View app will allow users to import, edit, and share photos and videos captured with smart glasses. Users will share their content on social media networks, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and even rival platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Users will also save the recorded footage to their phone’s camera roll and edit it.

A button on the smart glasses can also be used to turn them off. They come with their charging case and can be charged via USB.

According to Facebook, a full charge of these glasses may capture and sync up to 50 films or 200 images. With continuous audio streaming and Facebook Assistant turned on, fully charged glasses can last up to 6 hours for moderate use and up to 3 hours for heavy use.

But what about using Augmented Reality to tell these Ray-Ban stories?

Ray-Ban Stories do not enable Augmented Reality (AR), despite Google Glasses attempting to do so in the past (unsuccessfully, though). AR, which would allow these glasses to display digital content onto the optics, is more difficult to implement.

Based on a sneak peek, Snapchat’s AR glasses will allow users to experience the company’s AR filters in their real-life environments and even play AR games. Indeed, Snapchat debuted its AR glasses earlier this year. Still, they are only available to developers and will not be offered to the general public.

While Facebook has previously stated that it intends to produce its augmented reality glasses, it has also acknowledged its limitations. AR hardware has a lot of restrictions, according to Dr. Nikhil Balram, CEO of Israeli-based business Eyeway and former head of Google display, who told indianexpress.com. He said people want a “natural” experience with AR glasses, where digital material and the natural world are visible simultaneously. However, he cautioned that actual AR glasses of the future are still a long way off.

What about Facebook’s smart glasses’ privacy?

Most users will be concerned about this. First, some users don’t realize the Ray-Ban Stories are recording despite the LED light turning on, as some reviews have demonstrated. Furthermore, because the smart glasses resemble any other pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, onlookers may not realize the user is using Facebook’s edition.

The glasses’ simplicity of use raises fears that some users would use them to record private meetings or perhaps merely film others without their permission and then use the footage for harassment. The possibility of abuse is unmistakable.

And Facebook is well aware that privacy will be a hot topic. Ray-Ban has created a webpage to answer any of your questions about privacy and Ray-Ban Stories.

According to Facebook, the View app would allow users to customize their experience and choose where they want to save the photographs and videos they take. It claims that Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses capture data such as battery status, Facebook login information, and WiFi connectivity to make the glasses work and function.

Users can submit additional information, such as the number of images they snap or the length of time they spend recording movies. According to the company, this setting can be modified at any moment.

According to the corporation, using “Facebook Assistant” for voice command-powered capture is “completely optional.” These voice transcripts can be seen and deleted by users as well.

It will be ad-free when you use these. There will be no advertisements on the View app as well. Facebook also states that it would not “use the content of your images and videos for tailored adverts.” However, those apps’ terms and conditions will apply if you share this information with other applications.

According to Facebook, all photos and movies on the smart glasses are secure. However, the Facebook View app lacks a feature that allows users to track down their misplaced glasses. The glasses can only be associated with one account at any given time. Furthermore, if you lose these sunglasses, which happens to many people, and someone tries to link them to a new phone, and Facebook account, any data and media left on the glasses will be promptly deleted.”

Facebook does handle voice recordings and transcripts from your smart glasses interactions, even those created inadvertently. Facebook will also “keep and process information about your voice interactions to assist in developing Facebook Assistant” based on user preferences.

According to the company, it uses “machine learning and trained reviewers to enhance, troubleshoot, and educate Facebook Assistant, and may share such information with some third parties for product improvement,” according to the company.

It says that “such information may also be disclosed for law enforcement reasons or as otherwise required by law.”

According to Facebook, any attempt to “obscure or modify any of the characteristics of the Glasses that convey to others that the Glasses are recording (including the external-facing LED light)” will be considered a violation of the company’s terms and conditions.