I’ve worn glasses all my life. There are pictures of me as a nerdy-looking two-year-old with them strapped to my head. I have a very high prescription and an aversion to things poking me in the eyeball, so I've never got on well with contact lenses. My face looks weird without glasses.
I’ve had everything from thin-framed round glasses that made me look like Harry Potter to thick spectacles that gave Austin Power vibes. My latest facial fashion foray comes in the form of a pair of Ray-Bans — with an AI brain.
The Ray-Bay Meta are the best glasses I've ever worn, not just for the smart features such as access to Meta's voice assistant or being able to take photos, but because they are comfortable, stylish and well-made. And right now you can get the Ray-Ban Meta glasses for just $239 at Best Buy, which is $60 off and the lowest price we've seen yet.
Meta has been dabbling in the wearable waters since 2021 but things started to become interesting last year when generative AI was added to the now iconic Ray-Ban frames.
Lots of companies have attempted to create an AI device, including the Rabbit r1 and Humane’s easily forgotten Pin. However, thanks to a pair of cameras, microphones, speakers in the arm and Meta’s Llama AI model — the Ray-Bans are the only ‘AI device’ that makes real-world sense.
I got my first pair about six weeks ago and finally got prescription lenses for them a month ago. Since then they’ve been my constant companion.
I’ve asked Meta AI to make phone calls through my phone, check ingredients for potential allergens and identify a spider species. I've used the camera to film fireworks and photograph my food. The camera needs some work, but for convenience alone, it is worth the money.
The battery lasts all day if you’re careful and don’t overdo it, but if it dies and you have a second pair of spectacles, you can't just put it in the charging case.
However, the smart glasses are also Ray-Bans. This means they also work fine without the AI or smart features. This is what sets them apart from other AI wearables.
The focus was as much on creating something stylish as it was on making a device. It is very “Apple” in that regard. In fact, these are the type of smart glasses I'd have expected to come from Apple rather than Meta.
Meta appears to have cracked the AI wearable space. There are still things it needs to improve such as linking to more services including podcasting, radio and non-Meta messaging apps — but as a phone companion, it is worth every cent. With $50 off, those cents go a lot further.
