Latest news with #Oakleys
Tom's Guide
21-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Ray-Ban Meta vs Oakley Meta smart glasses: Differences and similarities
Meta now has a new option when it comes to its smart glasses in the form of the newly announced Oakley HSTN Meta smart glasses. The latest Meta glasses look pretty slick. But with Ray-Ban Meta variants existing for a couple of years now, it's fair to wonder how these smart glass options compare. For those in the market for a pair of smart glasses, you may be wondering if its worth sticking with the Ray-Bans or turning to Oakley's option. We're here to help. If you're unfamiliar with Meta AI smart glasses, the Ray-Ban smart glasses rank fairly high on our best smart glasses list. We're looking forward for our chance to formally test the Oakley glasses once they become available. Until then, we can make a Ray-Ban Meta vs Oakley Meta comparison based on what we know about the new model. There are other styles of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, including the Skyler and Headliner but the Wayfarer are the glasses you'll see most often and the ones that Meta typically highlights when discussing its wearables. As such, I've compiled this comparison of the Oakley HSTN Meta smart glasses and the Ray-Ban Wayfarer Meta smart glasses to help you decide which pair of AI glasses you should rock. Oakley HSTN Meta Ray-Ban Wayfarer Meta Frame Round Square Color Gray Matte Black, Shiny Black, Lens color Prizm 24K Polarized Green, Clear, Green to Graphite transition, Gradient Graphite, Blue, Brown, Watermelon red Treatment Polarized Transitions, Clear Dimensions Hinge to hinge: 133mmLens Height: 43mmLens Width: 49mmBridge width: 23mmTemple length: 145mm Hinge to hinge: 131mm (137 large size)Lens Height: 41mm (44 large)Lens Width: 50mm (53 large)Bridge width: 22mmTemple length: 150mm (155 large) Weight 49g 49g (51g large) Camera 12MP ultra-wide3024x4032 images1440x1920 @30fps video1280x720 pixels @120 fps 12MP ultra-wide3024x4032 images1440x1920 @30fps video Speakers 2 Discreet Open-ear speakers 2 open-ear Bluetooth speakers Microphone 5-mic array (2 in left arm, 2 in right arm, 1 near nose pad) 5-mic array (2 in left arm, 2 in right arm, 1 near nose pad) Battery 8 hours single charge 4 hours single charge Charging case 48 hours 36 hours Memory 32GB flash storage 32GB flash storage Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, iOS 15.2 and up, Android 10 and up Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, iOS 15.2 and up, Android 10 and up There is a pretty significant price difference between the Wayfarer and HSTN prices. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Right now you can pick up a pair of Ray-Bans for $299 while the Oakleys can be pre-ordered for $499, a $200 difference. The transition lens Wayfarers are closer to the Oakleys at $379, but still cost $120 less. The Oakleys design is listed as a limited edition and Meta says it will only be available for "a limited time," so we're not sure how long that will remain open. There are some upgraded differences including better cameras and improved cameras in the Oakleys that could hint at why the new glasses are so much more expensive. The improved specs are a boon to the Oakleys, but if you're just dipping your toes into AI smart glasses, than the less expensive Ray-Bans might be be a better fit for your budget. Overall, the Ray-Bans are more wallet friendly but the Oakleys do offer double the battery life and better video capture, at least on paper. Ray-Ban Metas come in two sizes — a standard and large version. In contrast, the Oakleys are only available in one size that slots in right between the two Ray-Bans. The Oakleys weigh the same as the standard Wayfarers at 49 grams, and slightly less than the larger version. The big noticeable difference is in the design aesthetic, where the Wayfarers have a more square lens shape, while the HSTN have a rounded lens. Plus, the nose pads zone notches in a bit on the Oakleys compared to the Wayfarer where the nose pad area is thinner. Ray-Ban Meta glasses have a number of lens options ranging from transitions to clear, green and brown and red compared to the Oakley pair, which only is available with a Prizm 24K polarized lens that are "designed for specific sports and environments." The Prizm lenses are an Oakley design and can be seen on its non-smart glasses. Overall, your choice will come down to aesthetics. These Oakleys aren't a Meta-fied pair of wraparound Sphaera shades. They're pretty slick looking threading the needle between sports and daily wear. The Ray-Bans have been around longer and have more colorways for the frames including an N64-style transparent set that gives you more options to play with when picking a pair. On the whole, the cameras on the Ray-Ban Wayfarers and the Oakley HSTN glasses are basically the same. Both have 12MP ultra-wide lenses (that you can see in the corners of the glasses) which capture 3024 x 4032 images and video capture of 1440 x 1920 pixels at 30 FPS. However, the HSTN specs also have a 100 degree field of view. Neither the Meta site nor Ray-Ban list field of view specs for the Wayfarer. Additionally, the Oakleys can capture 720p video at 120 FPS. As far as we can tell there doesn't appear to be a difference in performance and AI between the Ray-Bans and Oakleys. Both will have access to Meta AI for vocal queries, live translation, and more. They also have access to the Meta AI app which lets you customize settings and interact with the Meta AI assistant on both the glasses and the app. As expected, both can make and take phones calls, or send text messages from the glasses. Lastly, the glasses have speakers for listening to music. The Ray-Bans are listed as open-ear Bluetooth speakers, while the Oakleys are just listed as open-ear, though it does have Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, compared to 5.2 for the Wayfarers. As mentioned above, the Oakley's HSTN glasses claim a battery life of 8 hours on a single charge, which is double the claimed 4 hours on the Ray-Bans. In our Ray-Ban Meta glasses review we found the glasses lasted around 6 hours of active use. Once we are able to test the Oakley's ourselves, we'll know where the battery life comparison truly stands. The charging case with Oakley's model is also an improvement, with a claimed additional 48 hours of use; the Ray-Ban cases offer up to 36 hours. The Ray-Ban glasses do come with a nice leather case, while the Oakleys come in a more rugged-looking case that appears built for more sports and outdoor activities. Until we're able to physically test the Oakley Meta glasses, we won't know how the Ray-Ban Wayfarers and HSTN smart glasses truly compare. But from what we've seen so far, the Oakleys boast several upgrades from the Ray-Ban glasses with a slightly better camera and better battery life. Right now what it comes down to is price and aesthetics. The Oakleys, while a limited edition, are far more expensive than the Ray-Bans and perhaps don't offer enough of an upgrade to justify the price. If money isn't an issue, then it will come down to whether or not you prefer the look of the Oakleys. I happen to think they look pretty solid, even with the nose pad notch. You might prefer the more daily wear approach of the Ray-Bans that would look great in most social settings, especially with the availability of different lenses and colorways. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Why Qualcomm is betting on smart glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans as the next big thing in tech
Alex Katouzian, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Compute & XR at Qualcomm Inc, Monday expressed confidence that smart glasses will become the next big category in the consumer tech space. 'As of today, many people are carrying not one device but multiple devices like watches, phones, and earbuds. Glasses will be another smart device that people carry,' said Katouzian. Katouzian's confidence in the smart glasses segment comes after the surprise success of Meta's glasses developed in partnership with Ray-Ban. Although Meta has explored both virtual and augmented reality, it was the Ray-Ban smart glasses that caught consumers' attention globally, despite not being advanced AR glasses. Instead, the Ray-Bans combine the Meta AI voice assistant with basic hardware and a classic design, which helped the company sell millions of units. Ray-Bans are wirelessly linked with a smartphone. 'You have seen Meta Ray-Bans and Oakleys; they exist today at a scale much larger than last year or the year before. The volumes have increased six to seven times compared to what we shipped previously,' Katouzian told at the Snapdragon for India event in Delhi. The reason Qualcomm, the leading maker of smartphone processors, is making a bigger push into smart glasses is probably because it developed the processor that powered the Meta Ray-Ban glasses. Now, that experiment seems to have paid off, and the company is launching a new chip specifically designed for the next generation of smart glasses. The AR1 Plus Gen 1 chip is an upgrade from the processors used in smaller smart glasses, such as the Meta Ray-Bans. The new chip is not only smaller in size, allowing for a larger battery while keeping the glasses looking like regular eyewear, but also supports on-device AI, capable of running small language models. This enables the glasses to handle more offline tasks using voice commands. 'Not only are we moving toward making glasses smarter, but we are also working to combine these devices to deliver a much better user experience. Whether it's on-device or in the cloud, it doesn't matter to us. We are agnostic to that. We will help the cloud agent become smarter by giving it access to your personal information, and we will help the on-device agent become smarter by enabling it to process tasks locally, without accessing the cloud. That's the direction we are headed with these technologies,' he explains. Qualcomm is placing its bet on a product category that has never truly been a hit with consumers. Smart glasses that use augmented and virtual reality have often felt more like tech demos than practical, usable products. However, smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans have made the concept more accessible, even though they only perform basic functions and don't yet offer the kind of futuristic features, such as augmented reality, that tech companies ultimately hope to bring to glasses — features that could one day even replace smartphones. Smart glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans may be the first step in that direction, but it's one step at a time. Katouzian says the next generation of computing devices that people will carry are glasses. However, the chips needed for the glasses need to be reimagined, and the processors designed for smartphones won't be a fit. 'The glasses, especially in the case of AR, operate at below 1 watt, whereas a PC operates at tens of watts, and a phone operates in the single-digit watt range. We are going from tens of watts to single digits, and now to below 1 watt – each step an order of magnitude lower in power consumption,' he explains. 'So of course, the chips we design for AR glasses take into consideration how long the battery needs to last. They minimise power usage while still providing enough performance to make the glasses useful.' While the Meta Ray-Ban glasses may be the most popular smart glasses on the market today, the technology powering them has some limitations. 'Today, with the Meta glasses, you have to download an app on your phone that then interfaces with the device. We don't think that's the best way to do it because the app, by default, wakes up the phone's large processors to actually do its work. When these two things come near each other, they realise that there's another computing device there. We can offload the compute through either low-power Bluetooth or low-power Wi-Fi into the smartphone. What we would like to do is develop better contextual awareness between the glasses and the phone,' Katouzian said. But Katouzian imagines a future where smart glasses will have a relationship similar to the one we have with our smartphones or smartwatches. This means the glasses, smartphones, and smartwatches will work together seamlessly, with each device having its role and excelling at what it does best. 'Just imagine a watch combined with a pair of glasses. The watch will tell you everything about your internal health, while the glasses provide information about your external environment. When combined, your health and surroundings become one. Everyone carries a phone, which is a very powerful computing tool that holds your personal information: your calendar, emails, texts, location, and many other daily essentials are all stored there. Now, combine that with the glasses and the watch, so I can offload computing tasks to the phone to do things for me. I could store a large model on the phone itself. It can answer questions like, 'Hey, what should I do today in Delhi?' The glasses will detect that it's cloudy and about to rain, while the phone knows your location and understands your areas of interest.' While the Meta-powered Ray-Bans don't yet have augmented reality capabilities, they do feature video cameras, speakers, and a functioning AI, which many users have found more useful than the AI use cases currently available on a phone. 'You can actually do many things with an assistant, or ask questions that you would otherwise have to type or figure out where to get the information from. What that means is the AI agent has to be with you all the time to be useful. You should be able to just wear the glasses and have access to the agent. Today, this happens through the phone because it's the only connection to the cloud. Tomorrow, another device on your body that can have a cellular modem is the watch. So the watch and glasses will become an important pair,' he said. Katouzian said the AI agent will, by default, be part of whatever device you are using, whether it's a phone, watch, or glasses. He added that Qualcomm is working on a way to put a cellular modem directly into the glasses. 'We fully plan to figure out how to embed a cellular modem in the glasses themselves. It's already in the watch today – there's no reason it can't be in the glasses. 'The glasses cannot be very heavy; otherwise, their usability and comfort start to diminish. We pay a lot of attention to packaging and partitioning our chipsets and software in such a way that the glasses can be used comfortably for a full day.' From recording a concert with the built-in cameras without taking the phone out to make a call, much like any pair of wireless earbuds with a voice assistant, smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans offer features similar to other modern consumer tech products. While Ray-Bans don't offer advanced features, their form factor allows certain functions to work better on the glasses, making everyday technology more useful and helpful. The smash success of Ray-Bans has opened a new market for others to pursue seriously, and look beyond smartphones, which have started to peak but still generate billions of dollars in revenue. Meta's Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg, has admitted that the glasses have been a bigger hit than expected since their launch, and the demand for them outpaced Meta's ability to manufacture them. Katouzian is encouraging its OEMs to make smart glasses alongside smartphones and wearables. 'We have the ability to make devices contextually aware of each other so they don't need an app. If an OEM can build both the phone and the glasses, they can use our protocols to fully utilise what the phone offers or what the watch offers. I think that's how we want to proceed.' In India, Lenskart, which provides eye care solutions and retails computer glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses, is launching a pair of smart glasses featuring a Qualcomm chip. 'With Lenskart, we put together our solution with a glass maker, an actual ODM elsewhere, and combined it with what Lenskart wanted to do. This combination will allow Lenskart to provide smart glasses to its customer base,' he said. Katouzian says the launch of smart glasses from Lenskart will help broaden the market for smart glasses in a country like India. Meta recently launched its Ray-Ban smart glasses in India, though they cost as much as a mid-range smartphone. Qualcomm has also set its sights on augmented reality and mixed reality as key target areas, diversifying its business beyond smartphones. The San Diego-based chip maker is heavily involved in Samsung's Project Moohan mixed reality headset, which will be powered by Google's new mixed reality OS- Android XR, designed for headsets and smart glasses. Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin. Email: ... Read More
Tom's Guide
10-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I hate how expensive Oakleys are — which is why I'm snapping up this 43% Prime Day deal
Is it just me who gasps when they see the price tag on a pair of Oakleys? There's no denying they look seriously slick and are one of the most trusted names in sports eyewear, but paying full whack always feels like daylight robbery. That is, until Prime Day deals pull an absolute whopper out of the bag and drop the popular Oakley Radar EV Path Sunglasses to just $138 at Amazon — that's 43% off. These shades are built for everything from long bike rides to runs and hikes in bright sunshine. They've got a wide, wraparound lens for great coverage and top-notch clarity, plus they're lightweight enough to wear on your longest trails and races. Oakleys always cost a pretty penny, so Prime Day is the moment to invest when prices are slashed. These Radar EV Path sunglasses cut glare, block wind and keep bugs away from your eyes on runs or rides — and they're $106 cheaper now! If the Oakley deal still feels a bit steep for you, don't worry. Prime Day has plenty of discounts on more budget-friendly running and cycling sunglasses, and I've picked out a couple of the best ones to check out. If you hate sunglasses slipping or bouncing when you're out running or riding, these stay put and cut the glare too. Grabbing no-slip, polarized shades for just $20 is seriously good value. If you're still after Oakleys but want to stay under $100, the Oakley Oo9343 M2 Frame XL sunglasses are 43% off at $93. They offer 100% UV protection, a durable yet lightweight frame, as well as a secure, comfy fit to prevent mid run niggles. For more savings, check out the best Prime Day deals under $25.
Tom's Guide
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I was wrong — Oakley's Meta smart glasses actually look better than the Ray-Bans, and they bring massive upgrades
Oakley's Meta smart glasses are officially here, and I'm left officially eating my own words. You see, given the initial rumor mill, I was nervous we were getting a Meta-fied pair of Sphaera shades — those typical wraparound glasses that are meant for athletes, but a lot of non-athletes wear in a kinda cringe way. But I'll always put my hands up when I'm wrong, and not only are the Oakley Meta HSTN (pronounced HOW-stuhn) packed with some serious upgrades over the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, these Performance AI glasses look better too! Let's get into them. The aesthetics are bold — especially on the Limited-Edition pair that packs gold polarized lenses and a white finish with golden accents. It gives off the classy vibes of rounded-lens shades with some sporty angularity thrown in there too, for good measure. That makes them a great fit in not only sports, but in social settings too. You also get all the goodness of Oakley PRIZM Lens technology in select glasses, which is a set of dyes added to the lenses that can manipulate light at a molecular level for enhancing vision and boosting contrast for much better clarity. Given the placement of the tech in the front 60% of the arms of the glasses, it looks as if there's a comfortable, secure wrap around the ears to keep these locked on your face in more strenuous activities. I love the Ray-Ban Metas, but that doesn't mean they're perfect. I do have two small frustrations with them. First, the battery life — with very light use, you can get them to last 3-4 hours. But if you go hard, that stamina drains fast. And second, while that 12MP camera is stellar for photos, but the 1080p video can lack some of that razor-sharp clarity I look for in editing. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Well, the Oakleys fix these two with the ability to capture 3K video — grabbing those winning moments in a higher resolution — and a reported doubling of the typical use battery life. Meta is claiming up to eight hours with 19 hours on standby! With the charging case, you're getting up to 48 hours while out and about. Aside from that, you're getting all the other things you know and love, such as the beasty open-ear speakers for tunes while you train, alongside that IPX4 water resistance. At that level, you'll be fine with training in wet weather conditions! And that's when the Meta AI magic comes into focus. Currently in Ray-Ban Metas, you've got a pretty helpful all-around assistant with vision AI capabilities via the camera. But here, the assistant is able to help provide actionable advice to up your sporting performance. For example, if you're golfing, you can ask Meta AI how strong the wind is, in order to angle your shot correctly. We've seen sports-centric smart glasses in the past, but this is the first pair I've seen with really thoughtful implementations like this. Not the Dadcore specs I was expecting, and you best believe I really want a pair! You'll be able to snag a pair in six different finishes starting at $399. Those Limited-Edition Oakleys are $499, and available for pre-order starting July 11, whereas the rest will be dropping later this summer. All are RX-ready, which means the lenses are removable/replaceable, and you can pop in prescription lenses too! With how sick these look, I'll happily admit I was wrong. The HSTNs pack plenty of upgrades into a seriously sleek shell that is fashionable in all circumstances.
Chicago Tribune
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
The future's so bright for Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez. And Oswego's catcher keeps the sunglasses on. ‘A superstar.'
Senior catcher Kiyah Chavez definitely has her eyes on the prize for Oswego. She just doesn't want opponents — especially base runners — getting too good of a look. It's why the Iowa recruit keeps her sunglasses on come rain or shine, even if it's overcast from the haze of Canadian wildfires like it was Friday afternoon. Besides, those orange shades look good, matching perfectly with the orange lettering on her Panthers' jersey. 'Honestly, I do have a pair of Oakleys and I do like them,' Chavez said. 'But the glasses I'm wearing belong to (senior outfielder) Rhiana Martinez. I just like them. They look cooler. 'I'm pretty big about wearing my glasses because, as I'm sure you've seen, one of my favorite things to do is pick off runners. If they can see where I'm looking, it's kind of a problem.' Chavez, the area's reigning player of the year, looked and played the part Friday for Oswego in a 6-0 win over Neuqua Valley in the Class 4A Oswego East Regional championship game. Jaelynn Anthony ended up taking a no-hitter for Oswego (33-2) into the sixth inning against Neuqua (17-15), and Chavez provided a huge part of the backing with two singles and two RBIs. On top of that, Chavez threw out one runner trying to steal second base and came within an eyelash of picking off another at first. But her work in the batter's box continues to impress. 'That's what I've got in my head when I go up there to bat,' said Chavez, who raised her batting average to .555 (60-for-108) with 59 RBIs, both team highs. 'I'm thinking, 'Do your job.'' Anthony did her job with 11 strikeouts in pitching a two-hitter for the Panthers, who play at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday against the host Foxes (24-12) in a Yorkville Sectional semifinal. Oswego took third in the state last season. Yorkville beat Plainfield 1-0 Friday in a regional final. 'This year, Jaelynn knows what it's about now,' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi said. 'Every win last year was a surprise. This year, we've been there, we've done that. 'We know what to expect and our players do, too. We're led by 10 seniors and 12 returners from last year's state run. We know what to expect and what it's going to take.' As for that pick-off throw to senior first baseman Rikka Ludvigson? 'Rikka and I have kind of a really subtle sign for when we're gonna do something,' Chavez said. 'I use it with our third basemen, too. I'll take any advantage I can get.' As for the call? 'Oh, she was out,' Chavez said. ' She was so out, totally out.' Scaramuzzi said the coaching staff felt it would be a challenge facing Neuqua and standout senior pitcher Ava Drehs, a Creighton recruit. 'We knew we'd need our small ball and we'd need clutch hits,' Scaramuzzi said. 'One through 10, we did an excellent job of executing, making the defense work by putting the ball in play.' Junior shortstop Kennedy Gengler, batting eighth, led an eight-hit attack with three singles. The Panthers, who have 50 homers and a .411 team batting average, didn't produce an extra-base hit. Five Neuqua errors, though, helped the cause as Drehs allowed just one earned run. All of that started with Chavez. 'She's a difference-maker on both sides of the ball,' Scaramuzzi said. 'Jaelynn trusts her and they're a great pair, so together they are unstoppable in my opinion.' Anthony also had four assists fielding her position. She started a double play with a force to Gengler, who then threw to Ludvigson. 'Those are key plays on defense that really shift momentum for us,' Scaramuzzi said. 'Kiyah and Rikka work well together for those picks and Kiyah, obviously, is a superstar at the plate. 'She's gonna get the job done whenever the opportunity presents itself.'
