[Axe77]

Ray-Ban Meta 2.0 | Quick Review

As many of you might be aware, Meta has partnered with Essilor Luxottica to create their version of wearable tech (Wiki Info page link). They are currently retailing the 2.0 generation of the Ray-Ban Meta (for brevity RBM).

I haven’t closely tracked wearable tech products but only per chance stumbled on these glasses when a friend posted a video clip of riding with these. I had a relative coming from the US so used the opportunity to purchase a pair from their US store (link)

This is a very quick description of what they are (but please lean on relevant links for more information). I have summed up the use case for which I bought them personally (which is narrower than their broader abilities) and my quick take of the glasses based on my personal use case and usage so far. I bought my pair sometime in end October or early November and received them around late November.

My review will not be as comprehensive as a tech geek reviewer but limited to my own experimental usage so far. So please temper your expectations from this review accordingly.

FAQ and general infobits

What is it?
Meta powered AI enabled glasses / sunglasses. It comes in 3 different styles (Wayfarer, Headliner and Skyliner) with each style offering 3 to 7 different permutations of colors and lens shades and two different sizes (two sizes fits all approach if you please) - medium and large. My head circumference is 56 cms and I bought the smaller size for myself.

Where can I buy one
It is retailed in select countries at the moment and India is NOT one of them. It is available as a grey market purchase here for a tidy premium.

What does it cost
The range starts at $299 and goes up to about ~ $379 (taxes are extra) depending on the frame and more pertinently, the choice of lens. Transition lenses are predictably the most expensive.

Which one did I buy
Based on my use case, I bought the Wayfarer with a basic clear lens which cost about $299 plus taxes. With US taxes and conversion these cost me ~INR 27k. In India, grey market sellers are retailing a similar piece for something like INR 40-42k.

The reason I chose these are they can pass off just as easily as regular reading glasses as they can as stylish sunglasses. I also picked the cheapest lens option since the idea was to immediately take them to my optician and replace the lens with my progressive reading number with a transition lens. This means I can wear them indoors as regular specs and they double up as sunglasses when I’m outdoors. They have my 1.5 reading glass prescription baked in so they’re fully functional for me in any setting.

What can it do and key specifications and features
A bunch of things. On an indicative basis, it can take calls like a Bluetooth device on which you can listen to music, take calls etc; it can take photos and videos including pushing these out real time to linked social media accounts like facebook, instagram etc. It can even livestream videos to these social media accounts. While on a WhatsApp video call, you can share your POV live feed from the RBM with the person you’re speaking with.

The specs work with a Meta AI conversationalist assistant where you can operate various functions using preset voice commands. It can be used as a live chatGPT support where Meta AI could respond and react to questions like “Hey Meta, What am I looking at” although I think this feature is still limited to some countries and there too on a beta basis.

The specs are managed via a Meta app, where you can choose a whole host of typical settings including what apps the RBM Meta can be linked to. A Meta account is required to use the glasses (although this can be done via pre-existing Facebook or Instagram accounts)

This 2.0 iteration has ramped up its hardware specs too and it now sports an integrated 12MP camera generating a photo resolution of 3024 x 4032 and video resolution of 1376 x 1824 at 30 fps. Five hidden mics and directional speakers that sit just above the ears power its BT voice call and listening functionality.

What did I buy it for
Aside from basically the chance to experiment with a new tech with zero expectations hung on it, my intended use case for these is listed below.

# Another pair of reading glasses that can also double up as an AirPod replacement, thereby not having to deal with the intrusiveness of an ‘in-ear’ device to take calls or listen to music.
# The ability to take on the fly pics or videos while I’m driving. Often while touring I’d find a lovely view or a camouflaged test mule car or really anything that I’d like to share. One no longer has to fumble around to take out a phone camera and multitask. It’s a button click away on your frame or better still a “Hey Meta” led voice command away from a click to make the process completely handsfree.
# I don’t use GoPros etc and in particular I like the idea of being able to take POV photos and videos while on the bike too, particularly for scenic locations, sunrise, a specific route etc. Really handy for this.

These really sum up my principal use case. I know there’s a lot more these glasses can do but my primary use case is around the above three and I have indeed used it for all of the above with more than satisfactory outcome.

Over time, I will figure out if any other features end up getting used by me as I experiment with the glasses.

Key observations and takeaways

I have summed up what’s great, what’s not so great and some general neutral observations and tagged them as [+], [-] and [=] respectively. Please bear in mind some of the observations in any of these buckets may simply be logical or acceptable given the nature of this specific device so should be viewed accordingly.

What’s great
[+] The Wayfarer design is as stylish as it is versatile. Fits in just as well as a formal reading glass as it does as a sunglass when outdoors. My choice of a transition lens ensures it can work as both.
[+] I love that they pass off just as regular glasses and I don't look like I'm using wearable tech from a mile away or wearing 'in your face' tech.
[+] For the amount of tech and ability it sports, at 48 gms, it is a mere 5 grams heavier than traditional Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. While it is meaningfully heavier than my lighter design and primary / preferred reading glasses, it's still very comparable to some of the other weightier reading glasses I have. Can be used all day if needed for pure reading or sunglass purpose.
[+] Battery life is pretty decent. On my recent road trip, it held up for several hours with reasonably regular on and off camera usage. I'm sure that figure would be lower if in continuous use but that's not the idea with a device like this.
[+] These are clearly designed with a strong social media focus with a range of compatibility solutions for uploading direct to these accounts, live streaming etc. Live streaming YouTubers who want to share POV videos hands free will particularly appreciate this device. Take for instance, someone who wants to share a live POV video doing pottery or a similar artistic venture, alternately someone working with some tools on a machine who wants to share a POV video while working with his hands, without necessarily wearing a GoPro on their head or chest.
[+] Audio quality is really very good, as is the quality of photos and videos. However, please don’t expect to match the quality from a top of line smartphone on this aspect or even a top end BT headset when it comes to calls etc.
[+] I think for what it offers, the price is pretty good. A pair of AirPods are similarly priced. Typical decent sunglasses of Rayban range too can cost US$ 150 - 200. Reading glasses too can range from anything from Rs. 6000 to Rs. 25,000 (I have some reading glass frames at both ends of that price spectrum. Keeping in mind these price benchmarks, I find a US$ 300 price point for these smart glasses fairly acceptable.
[+] 32 GB of storage, which can store over 500 photos and more than 100 30-second videos.

What’s not so great
[-] When it comes to taking photos and videos, it can only be taken in portrait mode and not landscape.
[-] You can’t “frame” or “compose” your shot. You’re kind of taking it blind. Nor can you immediately review the photo taken, since there is a bit of a process to download / import the pictures into the phone.
[-] This is a big negative. I found that it’s extremely cumbersome to pre-pair the glasses to two devices (like for instance an ipad and an iphone both). It gets very glitchy with its connectivity if you do this. This is a pretty basic expectation from any BT audio device.
[-] This is not going to be the best BT audio device nor is it going to be the best photography or videography device. It does a range of diverse things, offering some very specific conveniences in the process. Please set expectations accordingly.
[-] More specifically on the above, while overall Audio quality is excellent indoors, I’ve noticed that Audio quality (listening) while on calls can be a bit inadequate when you’re in noisy surroundings.
[-] They're a bit cumbersome to wear inside a helmet and I definitely would not wear it throughout a long ride. I'd only wear it on specific sections when I anticipate I would want to take pictures or videos, for instance around sunrise or sunset or when I'm at a particularly scenic section of the ride.
[-] A low IPX4 water resistance rating means while it’ll handle the odd inadvertent sprinkle, it’s definitely not a device I’d risk with getting too wet. Definitely not cut out for any adventure activities in water bodies or for use in heavy rain.

Some neutral observations
[=] The glasses can be configured to upload straight to social media as well as livestream to social media.
[=] Battery life is reasonably decent under normal use. It charges pretty quickly too.
[=] Videos by default can now be 1 min long as a maximum limit. This can now be set to an increased 3 min time limit although that drains the battery faster.
[=] While Meta has taken care to allay privacy concerns via the LED that lights up, it seems like some folks have hacked into this and defeated this protection. Regardless of the light, it can still creep people out if they know you're wearing glasses that can take pics and videos on the fly. Please use common sensical social etiquette if using these glasses in private settings.
[=] Be mindful while wearing a cap while shooting. The tip of the cap / hat can show up in the media.
[=] Mic quality is absolutely fantastic. But I find that also means that videos taken on a motorbike can have a LOT of ambient wind noise creeping in.
[=] Decent video stabilisation although if you're moving your head a lot it may still not feel seamless.
[=] Operates via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
[=] The strong mic means that Hey Meta commands can be said out in a fairly low voice and it will still pick it up, provided there is not too much ambient noise. When I was riding the bike with the visor open at highway speeds, it sometimes did not pick up the voice command. But with a closed visor / slower speeds and open visor, it picked it up comfortably. In closed other environments (closed car, home etc), even a very low volume of command does the job.
[=] It’s testament to how great a job they’ve done with this 2.0 that this is not just a gimmicky weekend / holiday toy but something I wear and use almost every single day. Either for random photos, or as a BT device connected to my phone or just as my reading glasses / sunglasses when outdoors.
[=] Black will give you the most discreet version of these glasses as the two LEDs / lens blend in best with this colorway.

TRIVIA:

Notwithstanding that this is likely against the terms of use imposed by Meta, is this and similar tech the next privacy nightmare. Food for thought.

https://youtu.be/zKVXNVnPCrQ?si=YFEUA4GfzLLFuoqU

[Axe77]

Unboxing pics and close ups with the glasses

Unboxing day! Mostly self explanatory.




The case looks like a quintessential RayBan case, with the only external visual giveaways being a small type C charging port at the bottom and the button that lights up yellow or green when the glasses are placed inside.


Everything about the glasses look as “normal” as possible, again with the only key (essential for privacy) giveaway being the white LED that lights up when taking a photo or video.

A screenshot of the Meta App from iPhone


Some initial pics from the RBM.

The white light going on when you take a photo. Its constantly blinking when you're taking a video.


The specs case with the charging light and the charging port being the only giveaways.


The "power" button is discreetly placed on the inside of the left arm. I can just keep it off when using it as my regular daily wear reading glasses.


The discreetly designed button on top of the RayBan lettering is the "click photo" button. Short press to click a photo and long press to start / stop a video. Its just one way to do it. The same can be done via voice command by saying "Hey Meta", wait for a beep to acknowledge that its 'listening' and follow that command with "take photo" (OR) "take video" (OR) "stop video", as relevant.


That's the LED on the left side that lights up.


That's the camera on the right side. Helpfully, they both look nearly identical so the frame overall looks symmetrical. When not in use, they also neatly blend into the frame and are not overtly visible (at least in the black frames they're not - might be more apparent in different colored frames).


Under the bridge of the nose is this little charging dock.


The corresponding space in the specs case where the glasses dock.


With the glasses placed inside. Note the discreet Ray-Ban Meta branding on the inside of the case too.

Some pictures taken from the Ray-Ban Meta in different scenarios

Riding my Brompton bicycle around Murud.


Note the cap tip that can creep into photos.

Spot a monument, click a pic without stopping or waiting. No more fumbling around for a phone and taking a break for the picture.



Catching a sunrise.


Taken while riding fast. Picture quality and clarity is pretty impressive. Note the clarity of the bike up closer while the road surface below is blurred.

From my hotel in Phuket, taken sometime last month.


Somewhere before or around Dapoli.


Early AM around Kamshet.


The all annoying hat tip creeps back in.


Some more on the fly pics taken during my recent coastal drive.

Low light test. Photos and Videos

Left image is a pitch dark room with only the TV playing.
Right image is a very dimly lit room with only the TV playing.

The video below is taken in the same light settings as above. The first half of the video is the pitch dark setting while the second half of the video is the dimly lit setting.

https://youtu.be/V199mVKcBRM?si=67c91Eecho_AFV3O

My personal opinion is that the low light output is reasonably impressive and I don’t believe one can expect much more from the pitch dark setting we had created. Let’s keep in mind there are no external assists like flash etc in this camera lens.

Meta View App | customising settings and downloading media files

You interface with the glasses via the Meta View app.


The app controls your settings via various communication and social media devices …


…as well as connecting to various Music apps.


When images and videos have been taken, the app will indicate how many media are pending download.


Upon clicking “Import” it will then prompt the user to connect the glasses via WiFi.
Note: The app is able to download photos and videos even when the phone is working off the SIM card and away from any WiFi environs. It does not a require the phone or glasses to be on a pre-set WiFi connection.




Download in progress. I have downloaded 60-80 media files (mix of photos and videos) at a time while traveling and it’s usually taken not more than a few minutes.


Once the download is completed it will be indicated so by the prompt below (Successfully Imported).


*Last but not the least, Meta includes some indicative guidelines for responsible use of the glasses. It’s important to keep these in mind and any other aspects that make for sensible use of such devices.

* Adding this last image to the overall review. Some very useful discussion on fair use of the glasses in the follow on posts by members. These are useful guidelines to keep in mind.

[Axe77]

Some sample video uploads

1. RBM on the GS 1300 (Kamshet):

https://youtube.com/watch?v=IlGOgNQw...CWuVapLXMi37pK

2. RBM on a motorbike (city speeds):

https://youtu.be/8Q14ksA8MOk?si=nFWY-wLvZnCKu5Tx

3. RBM on a motorbike (highway speeds):

https://youtu.be/gSJcQhw-QhM?si=0jO_xNMVQhrvwbae

4. RBM on a cycle (@ Kelshi on the Brompton):

https://youtube.com/watch?v=thekdTeo...b7UU9YvcDmNJse

5. RBM in the GLC (Dapoli / Murud trip):

https://youtube.com/watch?v=O_37y27P...IdsFnE9J1tKg46

6. Cruising around Dapoli (GLC):

https://youtu.be/FdWFrybGSxI?si=D3ebySzPRpeV6sfM

[SmartCat]

Moving thread from Assembly Line to Gadgets sub-forum. Thanks for sharing!

[xotiq]

My wife uses the RB Meta as a headphone, just that this thing leaks sound quite a bit which is quite audible. Having said that, we got a great deal during thanksgiving from one of the airports abroad, and for the price paid, the RB Meta is good enough for basic photos, calls and streaming. Hopefully the next gen will have HUD.

[sedanlover2021]

Thanks for sharing this. This seems such a wonderful alternative to gopro! Does this automatically store stuff in the cloud or is it limited by on-device storage?

[SmartCat]

My brother-in-law in USA indeed uses Ray Ban Meta for its tight integration with Meta AI. For example, look at food menu at a Chinese restaurant and ask "Hey Meta, do you recommend this dish?". Apparently, you can just point your finger and it figures out what you are referring to. Similar use case might be -> when your kid comes to you for solving an algebra problem, you can just look at the book and ask "Hey Meta, how do I solve this"

Whenever user speaks to Meta AI on Ray Ban Meta, it talks back. But the conversation + photo is stored and you can check it later:





Sure, chatgpt or gemini app on your smartphone can probably do this too, but you have to fumble around with your smartphone. This seems far more convenient. Meanwhile, he are some videos he has taken with his Ray Ban Meta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKCq2KCB9g4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW3rvt2a0sQ

Ray Ban Meta has a pair of stereo directional microphones (typically not seen on smartphones). If you listen to the above video on external speakers, you will hear bullets whizzing from the left and the right.

[agambhandari]

Comprehensive review, I bought one just to record scenic drives that are just never easy or safe to drive with a phone while driving. Got some really nice shots while driving through US and Canada, will share those in a separate thread in a few days.

If someone is wondering how bulky the meta wayfarer is (vs a regular one), I was able to compare them . Take a look

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

My brother-in-law in USA indeed uses Ray Ban Meta for its tight integration with Meta AI. For example, look at food menu at a Chinese restaurant and ask "Hey Meta, do you recommend this dish?".

This really is quite an interesting application indeed and one I’m looking forward to when it hopefully has wider availability. Imagine going sightseeing and being simply able to look at a monument or a painting and have Meta tell you all about it. When in Murud, I passed by the Khokari tombs on my bicycle in the morning. I was only able to note its 500 year old significance when I got back to my room. Being able to learn about what you’re saying will be quite a nice touch to when you’re touring and sightseeing. The possible use cases are endless of course, like your very different examples go to show.

Whenever user speaks to Meta AI on Ray Ban Meta, it talks back. But the conversation + photo is stored and you can check it later:

I didn’t know this. Handy feature but I hope it doesn’t clutter storage. I’m sure there will be a way to keep this feature on / off though.

Ray Ban Meta has a pair of stereo directional microphones (typically not seen on smartphones). If you listen to the above video on external speakers, you will hear bullets whizzing from the left and the right.

Incredible. They really have a very strong mic like even I noted. The flip side is that it is catching even the smallest sound, like my bag sliding on the floor mat next to me when I’m driving or even my hands sliding across the steering. But of course, I’d rather have the convenience of a strong mic rather than the disadvantage of a weak one. Even voice commands can be whispered ever so softly and it will still pick it up. I gave it the softest voice command while inside a temple to click a photo and it picked it up. Very useful for such quiet settings.

[warp_10]

The delta between this and the go-pro or a VR head-set is the fact that those are physically evident and you are letting others know that you could be recording something. On the contrary, this tries to conceal the camera.

As an analogy, think of more like a pinhole camera strapped to your chest and walking around - we clearly term that as breach of privacy. This is a similar device and would need to come under similar terms.

I really hope they make the camera explicit in the glasses (possibly without making it look bad).

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Axe77

The white light going on when you take a photo. It’s constantly blinking when you're taking a video.

Originally Posted by warp_10

The delta between this and the go-pro or a VR head-set is the fact that those are physically evident and you are letting others know that you could be recording something. On the contrary, this tries to conceal the camera.

As an analogy, think of more like a pinhole camera strapped to your chest and walking around - we clearly term that as breach of privacy. This is a similar device and would need to come under similar terms.

I really hope they make the camera explicit in the glasses (possibly without making it look bad).

Not sure if you picked up on the above quoted bit linked here, but that’s the reason there is a prominent white light that comes on when it’s taking a photo or a video.

TBH, for someone who wants to, it’s equally easy (if not easier) to be discreetly taking a photograph / video of someone from your regular camera phone which has the added advantage of very powerful zoom function now. There are no lights that need to go on that indicate a person is using the camera in their phone. You could simply have a phone in your shirt pocket and be recording without anyone being the wiser.

Similarly, how many people know you are recording from a car dash cam when you’re on the road. Or from a bike dash cam for that matter.

[mrkireeti]

Thank you for the post and detailed review. Lot of use cases I can connect to.

[warp_10]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Not sure if you picked up on the above quoted bit linked here, but that’s the reason there is a prominent white light that comes on when it’s taking a photo or a video.

TBH, for someone who wants to, it’s equally easy (if not easier) to be discreetly taking a photograph / video of someone from your regular camera phone which has the added advantage of very powerful zoom function now. There are no lights that need to go on that indicate a person is using the camera in their phone. You could simply have a phone in your shirt pocket and be recording without anyone being the wiser.

Similarly, how many people know you are recording from a car dash cam when you’re on the road. Or from a bike dash cam for that matter.

Thanks. Yea, the light glowing does makes an explicit statement, that sounds good and the right way fwd. Does this glow only on taking pics or even when the people face is getting profiled through their recognition s/w ? I hope it does keep glowing continuously when that s/w runs.

On your point of dash cam and phone, like I had mentioned, the devices are explicit to know that they are cam enabled devices - the user or the person on the other side is potentially aware, while here they are trying to conceal a smart device as a day to day apparel, which was my only concern. (unless the user conceals the device, which is not the case that the manufacturers need to design for - any device could be abused, but then should at least be designed for the regular use of 80% population on the Pareto principle).

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by warp_10

Thanks. Yea, the light glowing does makes an explicit statement, that sounds good and the right way fwd.

The concerns you are raising are all legit. There is a discussion on this exact aspect in the video below (watch the time stamp at 16:18).

https://youtu.be/eBGWiN5t7Hg?si=ql9umWltePzG0Cjx

As currently designed, if you cover the warning LED lens, the RBM will simply not click a pic / video (I don’t know about the Meta AI bit since that’s not active here I think. Fair use terms in the purchase pack will also most likely dictate that you cannot use the device otherwise than as intended or designed. But I’m guessing that doesn’t mean a well informed techie can’t hack into the glasses and modify these features.

But at a more simplistic level, as the video clarifies, if glasses taking a picture are a concern, there are already cheaper rip off products designed to do only and exactly that, and specifically without bothering with guardrails such as a blinking LED etc. The Meta 2.0 are literally just the tip of the surface of what wearable tech and what other I reckon other similar such products will explode into when combined with AI’s rapidly expanding capabilities.

Already, you can see what the next edition of the glasses are capable of.

3.0 edition

More importantly, I think we need to come to terms with the fact that privacy has already long been dead. If one is in a public place, one should be prepared that one is potentially being or can be photographed.

The real gamechanger here bear in mind is not the glasses but AI and its capabilities in general. If facial recognition can throw up information about a person (thanks to AI powered tools) - imagine this … someone can click a discreet photo of a person using their phone from a fair distance away (of much better quality from a much further distance than what the RBM enables). That photo in turn can be used on an app to give you a real time detailed profile about that person. The dots are already connected on the ability to leverage AI based tools / software / apps to deliver the same result.

[warp_10]

Thanks. The glasses are covering up definitely the biggest gap that Google glass had back then - the style factor (Google chose the nerdy path, I had a few friends who had tried it back then, and privacy was something that was a big concern back then too).

Originally Posted by Axe77

More importantly, I think we need to come to terms with the fact that privacy has already long been dead. If one is in a public place, one should be prepared that one is potentially being or can be photographed.

True to a great extent. Hence, the more I tend to make noise on these, hoping that the bigger businesses and governments at least adhere to some degree. Though privacy is a losing game, I would not claim privacy is dead yet (GDPR, PDPA etc. are though not wholesome, they are shoots that at least provide some legal pathway).