Why I RETURNED the Ray Ban Meta Smart Glasses with a Camera

Summary

After a month of using the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, the user shares their experience with both the positive and negative aspects. While the glasses offer impressive features like a built-in camera, AI assistant, and Bluetooth speakers, they come with significant drawbacks. Issues like fit problems, limited video recording time, and the awkward aspect ratio make them less than ideal for certain uses. Despite the stylish design and decent performance, the user ultimately feels the glasses don’t meet their needs, especially in terms of comfort and camera functionality, leading them to consider returning the product.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses feature an integrated camera, Bluetooth speakers, and an AI assistant.
• 🎥 The glasses allow for capturing 12MP photos or 1440p videos at 30fps, but video clips are limited to 60 seconds.
• 🎧 The Bluetooth speakers provide high-quality sound, making the glasses a potential replacement for headphones or AirPods.
• 👓 The glasses are available in various frame styles, with options for prescription lenses, sunglasses, or transitions lenses that adjust to light conditions.
• 🔋 The glasses offer 4 hours of battery life, and the case extends that to 36 hours, providing enough power for a full day of use.
• 📱 The Meta AI assistant responds to voice commands, enabling tasks like taking photos, recording videos, or checking the weather.
• 📱 The glasses can connect to the Meta View app for easy media management and sharing to social platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
• 🤖 The Meta AI assistant is functional but not highly advanced, with potential for improvement through future software updates.
• 🤔 The aspect ratio of videos shot with the glasses is 3:4, which is ideal for vertical social media content but not suitable for wider formats like YouTube long-form videos.
• 🤨 The fit of the glasses may be an issue for some users, especially those with wider faces, and there is currently no extra-large size available.
• 🔒 Privacy concerns arise because the glasses' camera is subtle, with a small blinking light that may not be noticeable to others when recording or snapping photos.
• ⏳ The glasses have a slow startup time, which can be frustrating when trying to capture spontaneous moments.
• 💡 While the image quality is good in well-lit conditions, it struggles in low-light environments, which limits its usefulness for nighttime or indoor shoots.
• 👀 The glasses require you to look slightly to the right to properly capture shots, which can make shooting video and photos difficult without practice.

Q & A

What are the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses?

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, released in late 2023, are stylish smart glasses that come with a built-in camera, Bluetooth speakers, and an AI assistant. They allow users to capture photos and videos, listen to music, and interact with an AI assistant, all while looking like regular Ray-Ban sunglasses or eyeglasses.

What is the camera specification on the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The Ray-Ban Meta glasses feature a single 12 MP camera that can capture 1440p video at 30 frames per second. However, video clips are limited to 60 seconds each.

How does the AI assistant work on the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The AI assistant, called Meta AI, can perform tasks like taking photos, recording videos, making phone calls, and answering questions. It responds to voice commands such as 'Hey Meta, take a photo' or 'Hey Meta, what's the weather in Seattle today?'

What are the audio features of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The glasses come with built-in Bluetooth speakers that allow you to listen to music privately. The volume is best set at 70% for good sound quality, and most people around you won't hear it unless they are standing very close.

How long does the battery last on the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The glasses have about 4 hours of battery life on a single charge. When used with the charging case, which holds enough power for 36 hours, the total usage time can extend to a full day and beyond without needing to plug into a wall.

What are the drawbacks related to the fit of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The glasses may not fit comfortably for individuals with a low nose bridge or wider face. They are designed for people with a high nose bridge, and users may experience discomfort unless they add nose pads or opt for a custom fit.

Why did the reviewer initially return the first pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The reviewer returned the first pair because they mistakenly ordered the standard size, which did not fit their wide face, leading to discomfort and headaches. After visiting a retail store, they realized a larger size would suit them better.

What are the limitations of the video recording on the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The glasses only record vertical video (3:4 aspect ratio) and are limited to 60-second video clips. Although users can live stream for up to 30 minutes, the video quality is capped at 720p, and there are no options to shoot horizontal content.

How does the image and video quality perform in low light conditions?

The image and video quality of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses is good in well-lit conditions but suffers in low lighting. There are no manual controls for exposure or settings, so everything is set to auto.

What privacy concerns are associated with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The main privacy concern is that the glasses look like regular eyewear, making it difficult for people to tell when they're being filmed. The indicator light that blinks when recording is subtle and not always noticeable, which could lead to privacy issues in public spaces.

Why is the reviewer considering returning the second pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses?

The reviewer is considering returning the second pair primarily due to fit issues. Although the larger size feels better, the glasses still cause headaches during extended wear. The reviewer also dislikes the vertical video format and difficulty with shooting accuracy.