The Face Race

23 Apr The Face Race

Companies are clamoring to design and get their latest wearable tech products to market. Recently, at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas some exciting new options for wearable tech including eyewear have been launched.

Wearable tech, technology that is designed to be used while worn offers a wide array of products. Fitbits can be worn on a person’s wrist to track a person’s medical information such as heartbeat, steps taken in a day and now much more. Apps for smart phones are also tracking, listening (and reporting information). Smart jewelry is another segment of the wearable tech category. Some wearable tech works in partnership in tandem with other pieces of wearable tech.

But perhaps more ubiquitous than all of that is wearable tech eyewear. Maybe what started all this began when Google glasses introduced eyewear several years ago that featured a small screen from which the viewer could see their internet searches right in front of their eye. But,
everything evolves and now today, wearable tech is becoming even more mainstream. Ray–Ban has partnered with Meta (formerly Facebook) to produce new Meta eyewear. These glasses aren’t exactly augmented reality (AR) glasses, but have created quite a stir in the marketplace and are being offered in many brick and mortar  nationwide practices now. They feature the ability to take photos, stream music, talk to Siri and livestream video directly to Meta in real time. For perspective—- this is far more exotic and high-tech than most any device than Q ever designed for 007, James Bond.

Meta is the second generation of wearable tech released by Ray-Ban. The first version, Ray-Ban Stories was clunky looking, had poor sound and was not as comfortable to wear or as user friendly. But, that was just a couple years ago. The partnership with Meta has significantly changed Ray-Ban’s offering in the wearable tech category and it’s a completely different product today. What’s more exciting is that they can be made into prescription glasses including everyday clear lenses, full-time tinted sunwear or even photosensitive Transitions with
Ray-Ban’s patented lens technology.

While the Meta is an affordable and reachable option for consumers, there are many others that are more expensive and offer a more complete AR experience. One particular frame comes with a control ring to be worn on a finger that communicates with the glasses to adjust
volume and other settings.