Facebook has released its first smart glasses in collaboration with Ray-Ban. These are regular sunglasses with a camera that is available in about twenty versions.
Facebook confirmed its partnership with Ray-Ban this summer, and now it comes with the formal launch of Ray-Ban Stories. The glasses come in different Ray-Ban frames and lenses, optionally also with prescription lenses (for an additional cost). It is available in all Ray-Ban stores and in other stores in some countries (US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia and Italy).
For that money, you get sunglasses with two 5 megapixel cameras in the front. In addition, Ray Ban Stories is equipped with microphones and speakers so that you can listen to music or take photos and videos via voice control. On the side, there is a touch panel to adjust the volume, for example. However, in contrast to predecessors such as Google Glass, it is not about AR glasses, and there is no head-up display; it is mainly sunglasses with a built-in camera, voice control and a small speaker.
Glasses with a camera, however, also raise some privacy questions. The fact that Facebook, notorious for an endless series of privacy violations, comes with such a device does not improve the situation.
The good news is that Ray-Ban Stories has a small white light when the camera is in use. That should ensure that you are not secretly filming someone. But The Verge, among others that could already test the glasses, notes that it is a fairly dim light that is not always noticeable.
At the same time, it seems a breeze to tape off that light. Facebook says that’s against the terms of use, but that doesn’t stop someone who wants to film in inappropriate places. Since the glasses are based on existing Ray-Ban frames, it isn’t easy to distinguish the difference from regular sunglasses. It’s theoretically possible to turn off the camera automatically if that light is taped off, but as far as we know, it doesn’t.
