At its annual Meta Connect developers conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced a new $299 Quest 3S virtual reality headset, updates to Meta AI and a new version of its open-source Llama AI model. He also unveiled enhancements to the company’s smart glasses and showed off a prototype of augmented reality glasses that Zuckerberg called “The most advanced glasses the world has ever seen.”

Based on the demo, these Orion glasses seem amazing. They have holographic lenses that superimpose digital images over see-through lenses on what looks nearly like a normal pair of glasses. But there’s a big difference between an impressive prototype and an actual product. As exciting as this is, I’d prefer to focus on products that you can buy.

Not a fan of VR headsets

As a member of Meta’s Reality Labs Safety Advisory Council, I’ve had the chance to use nearly all of its hardware products, including three generations of Quest virtual reality headsets, the discontinued Portal and the second (and current) generation Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

Reality Labs, which was once called Oculus, is best-known for its virtual reality headsets, which have some enthusiastic users, including gamers and people who love immersing themselves into virtual worlds such as Meta’s Horizon social VR platform. I understand the use-cases for these headsets, but I rarely use mine. I find them uncomfortable. After I experienced the wow of being inside a 3D 360-degree world, I soon came to the conclusion that, for me, the discomfort outweighed the value. That’s particularly true when engaging in social interactions such as Horizon Worlds. I’d much rather communicate with my friends and colleagues on a PC or phone-based social media platform, via Zoom or better yet, in person.

The VR headsets are getting increasingly more comfortable and more powerful, so I’ll reserve judgment about the upcoming Quest 3S until I try it; however, I’m not convinced that a headset that looks and feels more like a pair of goggles than a pair of glasses will ever become a mass-market product.

I love my Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

Despite rarely using the VR headsets, I do wear Ray-Ban Meta Smart glasses nearly every day.  If it weren’t for the fact that the battery lasts only a few hours, I would wear them all the time, because the ones that Meta provided me have my prescription lenses. These glasses, which start at $299 without a prescription, aren’t just functional, they’re also attractive and comfortable. It’s what you’d hope for from Meta’s partner, the world’s largest manufacturer of eyewear.

Because I need glasses anyway, these smart glasses are an easy choice over traditional glasses, and because of their functionality, Meta and Ray-Ban are seeing an uptick in non-prescription sales as well.

Unlike the upcoming Orion glasses that have smart lenses, the current generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses have ordinary lenses. They have speakers next to each ear, a microphone and a camera that can take still or video pictures. They can see and talk, but they can’t change what you see.

The main use of the camera is to capture images and video, but the camera can also be used to capture and recognize what’s in front of it. You can say “Hey Meta, look and tell me what you see,” and it will take a picture and try to describe what it sees. It can also identify some landmarks, and it sometimes provides an amazingly detailed description of what it sees. It can also be used for other purposes, such as translating. I’ve used it when traveling outside the country to translate and read aloud signs and menus in English.

The glasses also play any music or audio you play on your phone. They can make and take calls and exchange text messages via voice. I love that I can call and text hands-free while walking or riding my bike. And because the speakers don’t cover or go inside the ear, I can hear cars approaching and other sounds.

Getting smarter

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At Wednesday’s Connect event, Zuckerberg announced software updates to the glasses, including a “Reminders” feature; the glasses take a picture of something to remind you to follow up on it later via a notification on your phone.  An example might be taking a picture of a cereal box to remind you to buy more. Or you could provide a list of ingredients and ask what you can prepare with them.  Zuckerberg also announced that the glasses will be able to translate languages in real-time as you converse with another person. You’ll hear them through your glasses, and they’ll hear you through your phone speaker.

The current generation of these glasses takes advantage of the incredible advances in AI. With AI, the glasses can answer nearly any type of question. They can also translate and interpret real-world objects and scenes. If the Orion prototype that Zuckerberg showed off comes to market, those lenses will be smarter and far more communicative.

Smart glasses with holographic lenses

The Orion prototype has three components. The glasses themselves, a neural wrist band for controlling them with finger movements and a wireless puck you keep in your pocket to offload some of the glasses’ more intense computing tasks.  You can control the device with eye tracking, voice and finger movements.

I haven’t tested these glasses, but if they deliver what’s promised, they could have an enormous impact on socialization, with their ability to create virtual presence without sacrificing your view of the real world along with things like directions, visual instructions and more. They can also be used to play interactive games and have enormous educational applications.  All of this was also promised for virtual reality headsets, but there is a big difference between putting on a bulky headset that takes over your field of vision (even with passthrough) and glasses that you can wear all day.

I got my first pair of glasses when I turned 40. They were a necessary evil that I had to wear. But smart glasses are a luxury item that I love to wear. Based on what I saw at the Connect conference, they will soon get smarter and more useful.

Disclosure: Meta, including its Reality Labs division, provides financial support to ConnectSafely.org, the non-profit internet safety organization where I serve as CEO. ConnectSafely is also supported by other companies, including some that compete with Meta.