Ray-Ban Tales specs
Value: $379
Digicam: two 5-megapixel cameras
Picture decision: 2592 x 1944 (pics), 1184 x 1184 (30fps movies)
Reminiscence: 4GB
Audio system: 2 open-air audio system
Microphone: 3-mic array
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0
Compatibility: iOS 13/Android 8.1 or increased
Battery life (rated): 3 hours
The Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses have been inevitable, and it was solely a matter of time earlier than Meta (previously often known as Fb) created a product to work together immediately with our itchy eyeballs. The tip end result? An aesthetic, intelligent combo of futuristic style and form-fitting perform.
We’ve been anticipating Meta’s new partnership with Essilor Luxottica (Ray-Ban’s mother or father firm) for some time now, so I jumped on the probability to attend Ray-Ban’s launch occasion in Manhattan earlier this summer time. Their on-site tech staff had me related to a brand-new pair of Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses in a matter of mere minutes, and I used to be instantly impressed by how totally baked they felt — proper from the get-go.
To be clear, the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses are not AR glasses, nor do they attempt to be. And whereas these spectacular spectacles are admittedly cool as hell, the characteristic set is just helpful in case your way of life requires them, although the required software program is likely to be overly intrusive for some (extra on that under). That being mentioned, slipping these specs over your face is nearly as James Bondian as the common shopper can get proper now, which is neat.
Are these sensible glasses price the additional coin? Try our full Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses evaluation to seek out out.
Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses worth and availability
First issues first. With a worth vary of $299 to $379 (relying on which frames you select), the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses are available three acquainted kinds — Wayfarer, Spherical, Meteor — and 11 groovy colours (ex, black, blue, brown, olive).
Whereas the straightforward aesthetics conceal a powerful quantity of tech below the hood, the general look stays true to the basic Ray-Ban model, and my Wayfarers have been immediately comfy after I tried them on. However extra importantly, I felt actually, actually cool. Like if Zach Morris and Ryan Reynolds went on trip collectively. That sort of cool.
As of this writing, the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses are 20% off by way of the corporate’s web site, which is barely simpler to swallow than the unique MSRP. Low cost apart, that is clearly a premium piece of optics, and an extraneous one at that. The Ray-Ban model has all the time been for the well-heeled. However, that is proper in keeping with the $380 Snapchat Spectacles 3 glasses, which add their very own 3D results to the combo — to not point out a quicker taking pictures price of 60 frames per second.
For this evaluation, I examined out the olive-colored Wayfarer frames ($379), which included clear/inexperienced G-15 transition lenses by default. Had I bought the sensible glasses by means of Ray-Ban’s web site, I may have swapped these lenses out for my very own prescription (a $320 upsell) and splurged for the extra-thin lenses (one other $328), bumping the ultimate worth all the way in which as much as $947. Holy cannoli with ravioli! For roughly the identical worth, you could possibly decide up just a few Oculus headsets and recruit precise flesh-and-bone associates to affix you within the metaverse, for goodness sakes.
However hey, a standing image is a standing image, and I believe it’s protected to say Ray-Ban and Meta know precisely who their goal demographic isn’t. Heck, the unique Wayfarer sun shades (opens in new tab) begin at $163, which isn’t an impulse buy. Nonetheless, the perfect know-how all the time takes slightly time to trickle right down to the lots, and if these sensible glasses are any indication of future AR tech on the patron aspect of issues, I’d say we’re headed in the precise path, a minimum of when it comes to {hardware}.
Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses design, inside optics, and picture high quality
The Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses are bundled with a cleansing fabric, charging case, and USB-C cable; the entire package is sufficiently small to simply toss in a backpack or satchel. Weighing in at 1.7 ounces, the glasses themselves are actually twice as heavy as my 0.8-ounce Carreras; you’ll undoubtedly discover these items in your face, however you’re displaying off a standing image, bear in mind? Regardless of the additional heft, they felt completely comfy throughout my testing, and I didn’t discover the extra weight to a noticeable diploma. (The frames rested squarely on my nostril with out being too tight across the ears.)
You’ll discover the acquainted Ray-Ban emblem etched into the lenses (and adorned on the outer body), with the facility change located on the within (subsequent to the left eye). To the precise, there’s a tiny LED indicator that allows you to know what the glasses are doing while not having to take them off. For instance, the sunshine turns strong white if you’re taking movies, and blinks as soon as if you’re snapping an image. In brief, the controls are as intelligent as they’re discreet.
Talking of discretion, it’s possible you’ll run into some privateness considerations in the case of utilizing the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses, significantly at the side of Fb Assistant and the required Fb View app (extra on that later). For instance, anybody close by ought to hear a definite snapshot sound impact everytime you take an image — this quantity will be lowered for this motion, however by no means muted. And there’s one other front-facing LED that continues to be on whilst you’re recording video. However with all of the fashion-forward wearables accessible right now, such well-meaning options might get misplaced within the combine in the case of real-world utilization.
Case-in-point: all through my testing within the 5 boroughs of New York Metropolis, passing pedestrians by no means batted an eye fixed as I seamlessly recorded my pavement-pounding commutes, That LED isn’t very brilliant compared to our house star throughout the day, in any case, and that snapshot sound is immediately misplaced amid the noisy din of close by noise air pollution. Plus, in the case of these transition lenses, it is likely to be exhausting to inform I’m recording something in any respect till I’m lengthy gone. However to be honest, non-transition sun shades could be immediately conspicuous when worn indoors, particularly as soon as the LED gentle flicks on.
The Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses would possibly make you the lifetime of the social gathering…or get you kicked out of 1, relying on how you employ them.
TJ Fink
After I confirmed off these “sensible glasses” to varied associates within the consolation of their very own houses, nevertheless, they have been fascinated, however visibly uncomfortable at how simple it was for me to document them immediately — LED gentle be damned. Lengthy-story-long: the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses would possibly make you the lifetime of the social gathering…or get you kicked out of 1, relying on how you employ them.
Now, let’s discuss that inside tech. The frames are loaded with twin 5-megapixel cameras able to 2592 x 1944 footage and 1184 x 1184 movies at a powerful 30 frames per second. The left lens is used for stereo depth estimation. When mixed with photographs from the precise digital camera lens, this permits for inventive modifying on the backend. Just like the 3D video under, which makes use of the View app’s Flashback characteristic:
To check out the digital camera’s full capabilities in numerous lighting situations, I used the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely each indoors and out, and at numerous instances of day. Right here’s a video montage of my travels, conveniently cobbled collectively by the app’s aptly named Montage characteristic:
As you’ll be able to see within the take a look at footage above, the twin digital camera’s autofocus and picture stabilization labored fairly darn properly throughout slower actions, with close by topics rising predictably blurry every time I picked up pace or moved my head too quick. (The mic is fairly delicate to wind, too.) Photos taken in pure lighting and cloudy climate got here out finest, with well-saturated colours and surprisingly high quality particulars. It’s not almost the identical high quality as what my cellphone’s able to, to make certain, however the finish end result continues to be completely acceptable for sharing on socials.
On the finish of the day, this can be a useful gizmo for any content material creators who constantly shoot first-person movies — Go Professional-style — and a enjoyable accent for any jetsetters who get pleasure from sharing their adventures on the fly. Pageant lovers and partygoers would possibly love them, too. And fellow nerds, clearly.
Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses Fb Assistant (and different options)
The controls and accompanying indicators are extraordinarily intuitive to make use of, and I used to be genuinely stunned at how a lot stuff I may entry from my cellphone whereas utilizing plain ol’ sun shades as an interface. Right here’s a rundown of the principle controls:
- Energy change – Turns the gadget on and off.
- Seize button – Press as soon as to document a video (you’ll be able to go for 30 or 60 seconds within the View app), and as soon as extra to cease recording. A protracted press snaps an image.
- Touchpad – This invisible space (simply in entrance of your proper ear) is the place you’ll be able to management audio playback; alter quantity; handle calls; and entry Fb Assistant by way of finger swipes and faucets. The mixing is seamless right here.
- LED indicators – There’s one gentle on the outer body to let others know your tech is on, and one other gentle on the within (by your proper eye) to let you know. It’s simple sufficient to by chance press the seize button when adjusting and/or eradicating the glasses.
When you’ve transferred all the things from the glasses themselves to Fb View in your cellphone, you’ll be able to tag your favorites; make the most of the aforementioned Flashback/Montage options; make gentle edits; and share media immediately from the app.
My favourite options needed to do with these discrete open-ear audio system, that are positioned shut sufficient to your ear for surprisingly wealthy sound high quality — earbud-free — with out being loud sufficient to trouble anybody close by. The three built-in mics captured correct sound in all instructions every time I made or acquired a cellphone name, and the general soundscape was surprisingly strong. When paired with Fb Assistant and WhatsApp, this made the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses a wonderful house workplace instrument, whether or not I used to be at house or not.
It was an absolute pleasure utilizing the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses as each my eyeshade and leisure throughout just a few informal path runs within the park, although the nosepiece began to slide down as I began to sweat. I really like taking footage of nature after I’m on the path, and Ray-Ban’s tech genuinely let me cease and scent the roses — with out even breaking my stride.
Take notice: you’ll want an au courant smartphone — iOS 13 and Android 8.1 or increased — to make use of the necessary Fb View app, which helps you to manage and edit all of the media out of your sensible glasses multi function place. Nonetheless, if you need the app to routinely import footage from the glasses to your cellphone (even when the app is closed) or make the most of the Fb Assistant options, you have to set background location entry to “Permit on a regular basis.” And whereas I’m hardly a conspiracy theorist in the case of the Large Brothering of cellular tech, Fb’s repute doesn’t precisely give me the nice and cozy fuzzies.
Granted, if fixed digital camera connectivity creeps you out, it’s simple sufficient to unpair the glasses — or simply flip them off — ditch the sensible options, and use all of them by themselves, sans cameras. Plus, when you have extra privateness considerations, Ray-Ban and Meta appear to be pretty *ahem* clear about the place your knowledge goes, and the way you management the move of that knowledge. (Or a few of it, a minimum of.) For instance, there’s a Privateness Settings part within the View app that allows you to obtain a ZIP file of your Fb knowledge; select whether or not Fb assistant shops what you say; and think about exercise logs of previous voice exercise. So a minimum of you’re partially answerable for Fb’s intrusive platform, however by the point you end organising the View app and pairing it with Fb Assistant, it actually feels just like the tentacles are in deep.
With all that compulsory connectivity, you’d assume a “discover my glasses” characteristic could be a no brainer, particularly for the reason that glasses need to be paired to your cellphone anyway. Nope. In case you drop these $300 shades on the subsequent Coachella (or off a yacht), it’s possible you’ll as properly duck-face them goodbye.
Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses battery life
Akin to wi-fi earbuds, it takes roughly an hour to cost the sensible glasses from their case, however Ray-Ban says you’ll stand up to a few hours of steady use when you’re totally juiced. (And three full expenses from the case itself.) This lined up fairly properly with my testing; after two hours of intermittent snapshots, video captures, and listening to music on a night jog, battery life declined from 84 % to 32 %. I’ve bought no complaints on this division, and three hours looks like loads of time to seize media on the run.
Backside line
These is likely to be the neatest sun shades I’ve ever slapped on my face, however are they definitely worth the premium worth? That relies upon. Vloggers, TikTokers, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and different content material creators will discover one thing to love with the Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses. Heck, use them for the precise mission and so they would possibly simply pay for themselves in a matter of months.
For extra excessive out of doors actions, a pair of fancy shades simply received’t minimize the mustard. In case you’re an athlete on the hunt for elevated optics, the Sony RX0 II Motion Digicam would possibly simply encourage you to be extra energetic, as a few of the finest cameras are wont to do.
Jetsetting socialites will little doubt get pleasure from taking these sensible glasses on trip, after all, and for good motive. The Ray-Ban Tales Good Glasses are a premium-priced product that will mockingly make it easier to stay extra current in your down time.
