The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Have Multimodel AI Now (theverge.com) 26
The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses now feature support for multimodal AI -- without the need for a projector or $24 monthly fee. (We're looking at you, Humane AI.) With the new update, the Meta AI assistant will be able to analyze what you're seeing, and it'll give you smart, helpful answers or suggestions. The Verge reports: First off, there are some expectations that need managing here. The Meta glasses don't promise everything under the sun. The primary command is to say "Hey Meta, look and..." You can fill out the rest with phrases like "Tell me what this plant is." Or read a sign in a different language. Write Instagram captions. Identify and learn more about a monument or landmark. The glasses take a picture, the AI communes with the cloud, and an answer arrives in your ears. The possibilities are not limitless, and half the fun is figuring out where its limits are. [...]
To me, it's the mix of a familiar form factor and decent execution that makes the AI workable on these glasses. Because it's paired to your phone, there's very little wait time for answers. It's headphones, so you feel less silly talking to them because you're already used to talking through earbuds. In general, I've found the AI to be the most helpful at identifying things when we're out and about. It's a natural extension of what I'd do anyway with my phone. I find something I'm curious about, snap a pic, and then look it up. Provided you don't need to zoom really far in, this is a case where it's nice to not pull out your phone. [...]
But AI is a feature of the Meta glasses. It's not the only feature. They're a workable pair of livestreaming glasses and a good POV camera. They're an excellent pair of open-ear headphones. I love wearing mine on outdoor runs and walks. I could never use the AI and still have a product that works well. The fact that it's here, generally works, and is an alright voice assistant -- well, it just gets you more used to the idea of a face computer, which is the whole point anyway.
To me, it's the mix of a familiar form factor and decent execution that makes the AI workable on these glasses. Because it's paired to your phone, there's very little wait time for answers. It's headphones, so you feel less silly talking to them because you're already used to talking through earbuds. In general, I've found the AI to be the most helpful at identifying things when we're out and about. It's a natural extension of what I'd do anyway with my phone. I find something I'm curious about, snap a pic, and then look it up. Provided you don't need to zoom really far in, this is a case where it's nice to not pull out your phone. [...]
But AI is a feature of the Meta glasses. It's not the only feature. They're a workable pair of livestreaming glasses and a good POV camera. They're an excellent pair of open-ear headphones. I love wearing mine on outdoor runs and walks. I could never use the AI and still have a product that works well. The fact that it's here, generally works, and is an alright voice assistant -- well, it just gets you more used to the idea of a face computer, which is the whole point anyway.
privacy rape mode (Score:1)
The thing is, meta smart glasses have privacy rape mode hard coded, you cannot disable the privacy rape.
Stupid wake word (Score:2)
Why do I want to talk to a company? Give the damn thing its own name.
Re: (Score:2)
I assume someone high up *cough*Zuckerberg*cough* believes that, somehow, having to repeat that asinine phrase somehow increases brand awareness in a positive way.
If I were stupid enough to purchase such a thing, I'd probably try to get it to use a different term there during the initial training - "Hey Melitta", "Hey Mentat" etc.
Better than Apple... (Score:2)
Strictly from a design standpoint (taking out meta, privacy, selling soul to facebook), it is simply a better design that Apple's Vision Pro.
Had Apple released something like this with their typical hardware/software focus, it would have rocked and probably provided automatic identification of people, places, signage, etc., without having to say "Hey Siri" to turn it on.
Unfortunately they were tricked into the "Everyone will just love VR with large, bulky, block out all other surroundings goggles" thing and
Re: (Score:3)
Not really defending Apple here, but from a design standpoint you should remember that glassholes are part of ancient tech history now. Go figure no one was in a hurry to copy that failure.
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Let apple revel in their current iVision failure, and in many years apple will make a pair just like Google Glass
The reason that Google Glass turned consumers into Glassholes and ultimately became a failure, isn’t lost on me. Maybe you should remember the success of a similar product now, isn’t something to brag about. It’s actually quite fucked up. Like going to a book signing for Orwells 1984 and finding Government cheerleaders working the audience handing out flyers touting the benefits of a Ministry of Truth.
Society doesn’t care about privacy at all anymore. They’ll trade their di
So meta version of google lens? (Score:2)
Feature set sounds a lot like google lens. Just built in glasses. Why not just hook your phone to the glasses to do the same thing for way less?
Other than the fact that meta doesn't have a phone obviously. Seems like a bit of a waste of purpose built device instead of just outsourcing a lot of work to the device pretty much everyone has on his/her person today.
Probably security (Score:2)
You would either have to have a wire going from your phone to your glasses or send the information wirelessly through something like Bluetooth.
Having a self contained device means you don't have to worry about someone eavesdropping while you're looking at your phone typing in pin numbers and passwords.
The glasses using WIFI to send images and audio to a hardcoded IP address with SSL makes it easier to secure.
Re: (Score:2)
You can just use Wi-Fi and a VPN tunnel on your phone. No need for separate device. Logging in can be done via biometrics, another long solved problem.
I have no desire to defend Humane AI (Score:2)
But, with any Facebook product, I have a pretty good idea what they're selling to offset the ongoing costs - we're back back to the old saw "if you're not paying, you're not the customer".
Can the be used without Facebook? (Score:1)
Because that is the deal-killer for me.
I don't use facebook since it is a crap website, crap company and the services they provide of no actual value.
Yes, this will end well (Score:2, Troll)
Meta glasses: "Illegal activity detected, you are currently behaving in a deviant manner, the authorities has been alerted to your position".
Re: (Score:2)
Well, quite obviously that will happen sooner or later. The surveillance fascists do not know any restraint.
a whiff of the future (Score:2)
These glasses look pretty chunky in the photos I'm seeing, but at this rate we will have something a lot less obtrusive on our heads pretty soon that will be a shockingly good personal assistant. It will do all cellphone capabilities plus it will make you smarter by doing part of your thinking for you.
This is what you want. This is what you get. -PIL (Score:2)
"Siri, highlight everything in the store on my shopping list with translucent pretty colored vapor trails showing me the most efficient route to get all of them."
"Hey MetaGlasses, can you do facial recognition of all the chicks in the bar and tell me who is most likely to be single? Points if they have daddy issues."
"W00t HackerShades, analyze the thermal pattern on the keypad and compute the most likely 3 last PIN codes entered."
"SmartSniper highlight all ground hogs at 300 meters and s
Re: (Score:2)
"RoddyVision, please make all the cars look like hot rods and all the people walking look like babes on roller skates."
Sorry, but all RoddyVision allows you to do is pierce the alien signal and allow you to see things as they really are. Side affects include chronic migraines and an unfortunate tendency to run out of bubblegum.
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Two Companies I Couldn't Dislike More (Score:2)
Okay, so on one side we have Meta, on the other Luxottica.
This is quite possibly the most horrid team-up ever. It's like if you got a shit-demon and the living personification of colon cancer to start a two-piece band.
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Effective contraceptive (Score:2)
Still illegal to wear (or own) in Europe (Score:2)
Well, illegal to war anyways, the GDPR makes sure of that. Whether illegal to own depends on the Country. In Germany, for example, this is a "covert surveillance device" and it is illegal to sell or to own.
Headgear is dooomed (Score:2)
Nobody wants to wear glasses.
It is a long ask to compete with a phone.
This, like all the other attempts, will fail for those reasons.