Meta + Ray Ban

(a guest post from my daughter Paloma Shelton)

As I grab my everyday essentials when I’m leaving the house—phone, keys, wallet, and glasses—I can't help but notice how the Ray-Ban Meta glasses became indispensable after the first time I put them on. Despite not needing a prescription, these glasses have proven their worth as an innovative wearable tech accessory that seamlessly integrates into my daily life.

When I received my Ray-Ban Meta glasses two months ago, I was skeptical. But my perspective quickly changed when I first wore them out. What truly stands out is not the AI capabilities, while useful this is not what makes them a part of my everyday essentials, but instead how effectively these glasses function as headphones. Here's why they've left a lasting impression on me:

1. Increasing my Situational Awareness: Living in a city, it's crucial to stay aware of my surroundings. These glasses allow me to enjoy my music, audio books, or phone calls while still being able to hear ambient sounds, ensuring safety and allowing me to balance everything I am doing.
2. Superior Audio Quality: The sound quality is top-notch, for me as the listener but also the built-in microphone, making my audio quality on calls so much better, to the point that people ask me why my audio gets worse when I am not using them. (Even though I do get funny looks as I walk around seemingly talking to myself.)
3. Comfort level: As someone who experiences discomfort with traditional headphones during extended use, the glasses have been a game-changer. The way that the sound comes through the glasses makes me feel like it is bluetooth to my brain.

Having followed the progression of wearable technology, from the initial promise of Google Glass to the advancements we see today, it's clear that the Ray-Ban Meta glasses represent a significant step forward. By focusing on practical use cases like headphones, they've managed to strike the perfect balance between style and functionality, creating a product that not only meets but exceeds expectations.

While these glasses have proven to be an invaluable addition to my daily life, there are still a few areas that could be improved upon:

1. Battery Life: Enhancing battery life would benefit heavy users or those who rely on the glasses for extended periods, reducing the need for frequent recharging. In meeting others with the meta glasses one of the people I know bought two pairs because he relies so heavily on them and they are not yet built for all day wear if you are using them all day for audio. They have about 4-5 hours of continuous sound depending on what you are doing.
2. Integrated Navigation: Maps integration would enable users to receive turn-by-turn directions directly through their glasses, encouraging a more focused and immersive exploration of their environment. While right now one can connect to Google or Apple Maps on the phone and have the audible directions come through the glasses – having a hands free navigation request would take these glasses up a level.
3. Seamless Alarms and Reminders: Incorporating the ability to set alarms or reminders on the glasses themselves would offer hands-free prompting, streamlining daily tasks.

Oh and, what the heck Meta, what about AI? It certainly has AI “built in” but for a product so heavily marketed around AI I think there is a lot of room to grow in functionality.

The Ray-Ban Meta glasses have exceeded my initial skepticism and changed my daily life with their headphone functionality and overall uses. While there is still room to grow, they are an everyday essential that I do not leave the house without, and have made me start talking to my other sunglasses.

I look forward to seeing what Meta comes out with next, my Brilliant Labs glasses are hopefully coming soon, and I’ll be tracking all of the developments in the wearable tech space as they happen!