Tag Archives: Meta

Should you upgrade to the new Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Limited-Edition Transparent Model?

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Ray-Ban’s Meta Wayfarer glasses have quickly become the intersection of fashion and technology, combining classic style with advanced smart features. Recently, Ray-Ban and Meta unveiled the new Shiny Transparent Wayfarer, featuring exposed internal components and Clear to Sapphire Transitions lenses. While this new model pushes the boundaries of what smart glasses can look like, the big question is: should you upgrade, especially if you already own a pair? Let’s break it down.

Designer: Ray-Ban + Meta

If Money Is No Object, Then Yes—Go for It

If price isn’t a barrier, the decision to upgrade is straightforward. At $429 USD, the Shiny Transparent Wayfarer offers a visually striking design that showcases the internal technology, creating a futuristic look that stands apart from the Matte Black version. The Clear to Sapphire Transitions lenses add another layer of sophistication, adapting to light conditions and giving the glasses a sleek sapphire tint when outdoors. This is an easy yes for those who enjoy staying at the forefront of wearable tech.

If You Want the New Lens Transition, It’s Worth Considering

If your current Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer comes with standard clear lenses or basic non-adaptive sunglasses, upgrading to the new Transitions lenses could make a big difference in how you use the glasses day-to-day. The Clear to Sapphire Transitions lenses offer a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor settings, making it easier to adapt to different lighting conditions without needing to switch eyewear. When you’re indoors, the lenses remain clear, providing a natural and unobstructed view. However, once you step outside, they automatically darken to a sleek sapphire tint, adding a touch of style and protecting your eyes from harsh sunlight. For anyone who finds themselves frequently moving between environments, this flexibility could be a major convenience.

On the other hand, if you already own a pair with Clear to Green Transitions lenses, the upgrade may not offer enough of a difference to justify the change. Both lenses provide the same adaptive functionality, adjusting to light to enhance your vision while adding a color tint. The real difference lies in the aesthetic—whether you prefer the cooler sapphire tint or the more classic green hue. If you’re satisfied with the current performance and look of your lenses, there may be little reason to make the leap unless the sapphire color truly appeals to you.

If You Want a New Design with Exposed Tech, Then Yes

The most noticeable difference in the new model is the Shiny Transparent frame. This design exposes the inner workings of the glasses, giving them a high-tech look that contrasts with the more traditional Matte Black frame. The transparent frame brings an aesthetic shift, showcasing the cutting-edge technology that powers the glasses in a more visually pronounced way. It’s an intriguing design choice for those who appreciate a bold, futuristic look.

If you’re drawn to a more tech-forward, modern aesthetic, this new design is worth considering. The transparent frame is eye-catching and adds a fresh dimension to the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer collection. For those who want their eyewear to make a visual statement, the exposed components are a step forward in wearable tech design. However, if you prefer a more classic and understated look of the Matte Black Wayfarer, you might find that the new frame doesn’t offer enough reason to make the switch.

For Me, It’s a Hard No

For anyone who already owns the Matte Black Wayfarer with Clear to Green Transitions lenses, upgrading to the new Shiny Transparent model may not be necessary. Your current pair offers the same core features—AI-powered assistance, a 12MP camera, open-ear speakers, and a touchpad for easy control. The Clear to Green Transitions lenses provide excellent functionality, and if you’re happy with the design and tech you already have, there’s no pressing need to make the switch.

The Introduction of AI-Powered Features

With the recent updates, Ray-Ban and Meta have significantly improved the AI capabilities of the glasses. Now, you can use voice commands by simply saying “Hey Meta” and follow up with additional commands without repeating the wake word. The glasses can also remember important details like where you parked your car or set reminders for when you land after a flight. The ability to send voice messages via WhatsApp or Messenger while your hands are occupied adds an extra layer of convenience for staying connected on the go.

One of the more impressive AI features is real-time video assistance. Whether you’re exploring a new city or browsing the aisles of a grocery store, Meta AI can offer real-time help by identifying landmarks or suggesting meals based on the ingredients you’re looking at. Additionally, real-time language translation for Spanish, French, and Italian can remove language barriers, and future updates will likely support more languages.

Expanding Partnerships with Major Platforms

The glasses also support deeper integrations with platforms like Spotify and Amazon Music, but Ray-Ban has expanded these offerings to include Audible and iHeart as well. Now, you can use voice commands to search and play music or audiobooks without touching your phone. This makes the listening experience even more seamless, allowing you to ask questions like “What album is this from?” while on the move. These expanded partnerships deepen the glasses’ role in day-to-day media consumption.

The collaboration with Be My Eyes is another significant step in making the glasses more accessible. This app, designed for individuals who are blind or have low vision, pairs users with sighted volunteers who provide real-time assistance. The glasses’ camera allows the volunteer to see what the wearer sees, enabling them to help with tasks like reading mail or navigating new environments.

Are You Going for It?

Ultimately, the decision to upgrade comes down to personal preference and how much you value the new design and lens options. If money isn’t an issue or you’re drawn to the transparent frame and sapphire lenses, the upgrade makes sense. However, if you’re content with your current Matte Black Wayfarer with Clear to Green Transitions lenses, there’s no pressing reason to switch. The new features and design are exciting, but your existing pair still holds up as a stylish, highly functional piece of wearable tech.

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Meta’s futuristic Orion AR Glasses have Holographic Displays and Neural Control. Apple should take notes

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At the Meta Connect 2024 keynote, not only did Mark Zuckerberg debut actual Augmented Reality with holographic displays and neural control, it did so in a device that’s smaller, lighter, and one could argue, more socially acceptable (aka stylish) than Apple’s Vision Pro. Dubbed the Orion, it’s simply a developer prototype for now, but Meta hopes to refine the design, improve the displays, and actually sell it at an affordable price to consumers.

Designer: Meta

Orion is not a bulky headset—it’s a sleek, spectacle-like device that weighs under 100 grams, making it comfortable for extended use. This is an impressive feat considering the amount of technology packed into such a small form factor. While Meta Quest Pro and Apple’s Vision Pro are capable of mixed reality, Orion’s fully transparent, holographic display takes things to a different level. Instead of the passthrough experiences that blend digital elements on top of a live camera feed, Orion projects 3D objects directly into the real world using innovative waveguide technology. The frames are made from magnesium, a super-light metal known for its strength and ability to dissipate heat (something even NASA’s relied on for its space hardware).

The core of this magic is a set of tiny projectors embedded within the arms of the glasses. These projectors beam light into lenses that have nanoscale 3D structures, creating stunningly sharp holographic displays. Zuckerberg emphasized that you could go about your day—whether you’re working in a coffee shop or flying on a plane—while interacting with immersive AR elements like a cinema-sized virtual screen or multiple work monitors.

But it’s not just about visuals. The glasses also facilitate natural social interaction: you can maintain eye contact with others through the transparent lenses, and digital elements seamlessly overlay onto the real world. Need to send a message? Instead of fumbling for your phone, a hologram will appear before your eyes, letting you reply with a quick, subtle gesture. This fluid integration of the digital and physical worlds could set Orion apart from its competitors.

When it comes to control, the Orion glasses offer several interaction modes—voice, hand, and eye tracking—but the star of the show is the neural wristband. In contrast to the Vision Pro, which relies on hand gestures, eye-tracking, and voice commands, Orion takes the next step by reading neural signals from your wrist to control the device. This neural interface allows for discreet control. Imagine being in a meeting or walking down the street—gesturing in mid-air or speaking aloud commands isn’t always convenient. The wristband can pick up subtle electrical signals from your brain and translate them into actions, like tapping your fingers to summon a holographic card game or message a friend. This introduces a new level of human-computer interaction, far more intimate and nuanced than what’s currently available on the market.

While Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s previous Quest Pro have been praised for their intuitive interaction systems, Orion’s neural control represents a massive leap forward. It reduces the friction of interacting with digital elements by cutting down on the physical and vocal gestures required, creating a more seamless experience.

One of the key differentiators for Orion is its display technology. Unlike the Vision Pro or Meta Quest Pro, which rely on cameras to pass a live feed of the outside world onto a screen, Orion offers true augmented reality. The glasses project digital holograms directly into your field of view, blending with your surroundings. This isn’t just a camera feed of your environment with digital elements superimposed—it’s real-world AR with transparent lenses that you can see through as you would normal glasses. The holograms are bright enough to stand out even in varied lighting conditions and sharp enough to allow users to perceive fine details in their digital overlays.

Zuckerberg illustrated this with examples: receiving a message as a floating hologram or “teleporting” a distant friend’s avatar into your living room. The display architecture is entirely new, made possible by custom silicon chips and sensors integrated into the glasses, offering a level of immersion that’s more subtle yet more profound than the pass-through systems we’ve seen so far. In a private demo, he even played a metaverse version of Pong with key industry experts like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and investors like Gary Vaynerchuck and Daymond John of Shark Tank.

For all its innovation, Orion is still in the development phase. Zuckerberg was candid that Orion is not yet ready for consumers. Instead, it will serve as a development kit for Meta’s internal teams and a select group of external partners. This will help refine both the hardware and software, as well as grow the ecosystem of apps and experiences that will make Orion valuable when it eventually hits the consumer market. There’s also the matter of affordability—Zuckerberg mentioned the team is working to improve manufacturing processes to bring the cost down. As it stands, this isn’t a device you’ll see in stores next week, but it’s a crucial step in realizing Meta’s vision for the future of AR.

The potential for Orion is vast. Zuckerberg envisions it as the next major computing platform, capable of reshaping how we work, play, and interact with others. By leveraging the power of true augmented reality with a groundbreaking neural interface, Orion positions itself as more than just a wearable gadget—it’s an entirely new way of interfacing with the digital and physical worlds. For now, it’s an exciting glimpse into what the future might hold. The Orion glasses may not be in your hands today, but their arrival could redefine the entire AR landscape in the years to come.

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Meta’s new ‘Affordable’ Quest 3s Headset leaks online, hinting at strong Spatial rivalry with Apple

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With multiple rumors floating around that Apple is dead set on building an affordable version of its Vision Pro headsets (probably named the Vision Air), it seems like Meta is doubling down on the affordable headset space too, with the upcoming Meta Quest 3s – a budget alternative to the Quest 3 from just last year.

Images of the Quest 3s leaked around March this year, but new details are finally emerging as Meta is getting ready to launch the affordable headset, both to pre-empt Apple as well ByteDance (the TikTok company) that’s also rumored to be debuting a headset as soon as August 20th.

Designer: Meta

The Quest 3S will reportedly house the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor found in its predecessor, ensuring it maintains robust performance capabilities. This processor is specifically designed for XR devices, providing the necessary computational power to handle complex VR and AR applications seamlessly. The inclusion of this processor suggests that Meta isn’t compromising on core performance, which is crucial for maintaining the immersive experience users expect from their devices.

The Quest 3S will feature 1832 x 1920 fast-switching LCD panels. While this might not be as high-end as some OLED displays, it still offers a refresh rate of 90/120 Hz, which should be more than adequate for most users. This choice helps keep costs down while still providing clear, fluid visuals. For users who might be new to VR, the slightly reduced specs in the display won’t be a dealbreaker, especially when considering the price.

The headset will come equipped with Fresnel lenses, which are known for being lightweight while offering a wide field of view. This design helps make the Quest 3S comfortable to wear, even during extended sessions. Additionally, the headset will feature a three-position inter-pupillary distance (IPD) adjustment, so users can adjust the lens spacing to get the sharpest possible view based on their eye spacing. These kinds of thoughtful features show that Meta is keeping the user experience front and center, even with a more budget-friendly model.

The design of the Quest 3S has also been a topic of conversation, particularly due to its unique triangular camera clusters that have surfaced in leaked images. These clusters are expected to house two 4 MP RGB passthrough cameras, four infrared (IR) tracking cameras, and two IR illuminators for depth sensing. This array of sensors is designed to ensure that the headset can accurately track movements and provide a realistic sense of depth, essential for an immersive experience. There’s also an action button, which is rumored to be customizable, allowing users to tweak the functionality to suit their preferences.

Meta’s decision to maintain the Quest Touch Plus controllers in the 3S suggests a commitment to a consistent user experience across its XR ecosystem. These controllers have been praised for their ergonomic design and precision, making them a valuable asset for both VR newcomers and veterans. The use of these familiar controllers will also likely reduce production costs, allowing Meta to pass savings on to consumers.

As for pricing, although nothing has been officially confirmed, it’s expected that the Quest 3S will come in at under $300. This makes it a highly competitive option in the XR market, especially as other companies like ByteDance prepare to launch their own budget-friendly headsets. With the XR space getting more crowded, Meta’s move to introduce a more affordable yet capable device could be a game-changer, opening up mixed reality to a much wider audience. The Quest 3S seems poised to offer a well-rounded experience without breaking the bank, making it a promising choice for those looking to dip their toes into the world of VR and AR.

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Logitech MX Ink stylus for Meta Quest gives creators a new tool for mixed reality

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Mixed reality platforms, or spatial computing as Apple calls it, try to seamlessly blend digital objects into the real world, but that illusion quickly breaks down when it comes to manipulating those virtual pieces directly. Yes, tapping on buttons in thin air or pinching the corner of floating windows might feel a little natural, but creating content, especially 2D and 3D objects, is less believable when all you have are two “wands” in each hand. For decades, the stylus has been the tool of choice of digital artists and designers because of its precision and familiarity, almost like holding a pencil or paintbrush. It was really only a matter of time before the same device came to mixed reality, which is exactly what the Logitech MX Ink tries to bring to the virtual table.

Designer: Logitech

The Logitech MX Ink is practically a stylus designed to work in virtual 3D space, but while that description is simplistic, its implications are rather world-changing. It means that creators no longer need to feel awkward about waving around a thick wand, making them feel like they’re playing games more than painting or modeling. Artists, designers, and sculptors can now use a more convenient and intuitive tool when moving around in mixed reality, bolstering not only their productivity but also the quality of their work. Admittedly, the MX Ink is bulkier and heavier than most styluses, closer to a 3D printing pen than an Apple Pencil, and drawing on air is still going to feel unnatural at first, but it’s significantly better than even drawing with your finger.

What makes Logitech’s implementation a bit more special is that it works in both 3D and 2D spaces. The latter means that you can still draw on a flat surface and feel the same haptics and pressure sensitivity as a Wacom stylus, for example. This means you can easily trace over a sketch or blueprint on paper and bring that up to a 3D space for fleshing out. Or you can paint artistic masterpieces on a physical canvas without actually leaving any mark on the paper.

The MX Ink is a standalone product, but Logitech is also offering optional accessories to further reduce the friction of working in mixed reality. The MX Mat offers a low-friction surface for drawing with the stylus in 2D, though the MX Ink can actually work on most flat surfaces anyway. The MX Inkwell is a stand and wireless charging station for the device, letting you simply lift it from the dock to start drawing and then put it back without having to worry it won’t be charged and ready for your next work session. Without the MX Inkwell, the stylus will have to charge via a USB-C connection, and Logitech doesn’t even ship a cable with it.

As promising as this new creativity tool might sound, its use is limited to the Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets, ironically leaving the Quest Pro out of the party. This is boasted to be the first time the Quest headsets support more than two paired controllers at the same time, which means you can connect the MX Ink and simply switch between it and the regular Quest controllers without having to reconfigure anything every time. The Logitech MX Ink goes on sale in September with a starting price of $129.99.

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Meta Quest 3S images leak online, hinting at an even more affordable VR headset

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Upscaled using AI

The Meta Quest 3 was supposed to be the cheaper alternative to the Meta Quest Pro… but now leaked photos from an internal presentation show a new device called the Meta Quest 3S, a ‘lite’ version of the already wildly popular VR headset. Sparked by user u/LuffySanKira on Reddit, screenshots supposedly from a Meta user research session offer a glimpse of the potential Quest 3s. The images showcase the rumored headset alongside the standard Quest 3, revealing some key specifications.

Designer: Meta

The Quest 3s is expected to be a more affordable version of its pricier counterpart. According to the leaks, it will feature a display resolution of 1920 x 1832 with 20 pixels per degree (PPD). This falls short of the Quest 3’s rumored 2208 x 2064 resolution and 25.5 PPD. Storage capacity is also speculated to be lower at 256GB compared to the Quest 3’s 512GB.

The leaked images provide a visual comparison as well. The Quest 3s appears slightly smaller overall, with the most noticeable difference being the front sensors. The Quest 3 has three oval cutouts, while the Quest 3s sports a configuration of six stacked cutouts, three on either side. These leaks are yet to be confirmed by Meta. However, they offer an exciting possibility for VR fans seeking a more accessible entry point into the world of virtual reality.

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Microsoft Mesh lets you hold virtual meetings around virtual bonfires

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The hype around the so-called Metaverse seems to have died down a bit. Even Facebook, which changed its name to Meta to emphasize its new mission, has been rather silent on that front, especially in light of AI being the hottest thing in tech these days. With the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, however, interest in mixed reality, as well as AR and VR, is once again on the rise. As such, now seems to be the best time for Microsoft to also make widely available its own virtual meeting platform, Microsoft Mesh, encouraging a new approach to hybrid work arrangements that will have attendees “sitting” around digital bonfires or posh virtual rooms, all for the sake of trying to make people feel more connected even when they’re all just sitting in their own homes.

Designer: Microsoft

In order to shake off the image of something only for games and entertainment, platform developers like Meta and Microsoft try to make mixed reality technologies something that’s actually useful for serious business as well. These usually involve providing virtual spaces for meetings, creating avatars that represent employees, and holding more interactive and livelier gatherings that would otherwise be a boring experience of watching people’s faces in a grid of boxes. In other words, they try to recreate the feelings and emotions of meeting in person when they physically can’t.

Microsoft Mesh is Redmond’s solution to this problem. Think of it like a VR Microsoft Teams and is, in fact, integrated into Microsoft’s collaboration platform. With just a few clicks, you can turn a flat, literally and figuratively, meeting into a 3D virtual experience, complete with bars, chairs, fires, and, of course, a screen inside a screen for showing presentations to your team. You’ll have to create your own personalized avatar, preferably something close to your real-world appearance, and you can decorate your spaces the way you want, including company logos, of course.

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Microsoft is leaning heavily on its no-code tools to make Mesh more enticing, in addition to having it tied to Microsoft Teams in the first place. Designing the area is a simple process of dragging and dropping assets as you would in a 3D game editor, thanks to a collaboration with Unity 3D. But if that is already too complex, Microsoft Co-Pilot offers an easier method that utilizes AI to translate your prompts into captivating virtual interiors, or at least the semblance of one. Whether it’s just a simple stand-up meeting that needs everyone to be on their toes, a brainstorming session that requires a bit more creativity, or a presentation that needs to keep people attentive, a virtual meeting space is probably going to help spice things up a bit.

Mesh comes at an interesting time when businesses are actually pushing for their workers to return to the office completely. For many companies, however, hybrid has become an unavoidable and permanent reality, with both the benefits and drawbacks it carries, particularly when it comes to the indirect interaction between humans. Microsoft Mesh is being positioned as the next best thing to support those social connections even when actual physical cues are absent. It’s now being made available for Windows PCs, but those who want a more immersive and convincing experience can enjoy it using their Meta Quest headset. That said, you’ll need a Microsoft subscription as well, so it’s not exactly something that everyone can experience.

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