Spectacles
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Snap buys a brain-computer interface startup to power future AR glasses
Snap has bought the brain-computer interface startup NextMind to power future Spectacles AR glasses.
Snap sues US Patent Office to claim a trademark for ‘Spectacles’
Snapchat creator Snap has sued the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for rejecting an application the company had filed to trademark the word “spectacles” in relation to its wearable of the same name.
Snapchat is hoping lens creators can make augmented reality useful
Snap is hoping its lens creators, some fo whom are also experimenting with its AR Spectacles, will make augmented reality more useful.
Ray-Ban Stories vs. Snapchat Spectacles: Who wants Facebook on their face?
What the Facebook-powered Ray-Ban Stories and Snapchat's Spectacles can tell us about the future of augmented reality.
I wish Ray-Ban's Stories smart glasses were made by anyone but Facebook
I’ve spent much of the last week trying out Ray-ban Stories, the new smart glasses made by Facebook and Ray-Ban owner Luxottica, and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about them.
Snap is buying the company that made AR displays for its new Spectacles
Snap is buying WaveOptics, the company behind the displays in its Spectacles glasses with built-in AR.
Snap unveils all-new Spectacles with built-in augmented reality
Snapchat just showed off its long rumored augmented reality-enabled Spectacles.
Snap is reportedly working on AR Spectacles and a selfie drone
The company could show off smart glasses with built-in displays in May.
Snap makes Spectacles easier to use with new edit tool
Better late than never: Snap Spectacles transition from Vine to TikTok.
VR time machine helps an inventor relive his past
An inventor has created a VR time machine that lets him relive a given day from his perspective -- so long as he recorded it, at least.
Snap teams up with Gucci on limited-edition 3D Spectacles
Snap is going all out to promote its latest Spectacles 3 AR glasses with a Gucci fashion collaboration and strange arty film by Spring Breakers director Harmony Korine. The limited edition "Spectacles x Gucci" design was also done by Korine. "Hand-painted in highly saturated tones, the color palette can be seen in Harmony's paintings and photography work," Snap wrote in a press release.
Snap's Spectacles 3 are made for augmented reality
Snap's Spectacles 2 were functionally better, but not a revolution -- and they were still a bit dowdy. Its latest attempt at smart eyewear might fare better, though. The social service has unveiled Spectacles 3 glasses that include dual HD cameras to capture scenes in 3D and introduce augmented reality Snapchat effects to moments where they weren't previously an option. You can add 3D filters to your walk, take pseudo-3D still shots of your friends and add 3D Lens effects to a bike ride. While you can only record video for up to a minute of continuous video at a time, that's still a tangible improvement over the 10 seconds from before.
Snap will reportedly release AR-enabled Spectacles with dual cameras
Snap is reportedly set to release a new version of Spectacles with an aluminum design that packs in two cameras. Through the Snapchat app, you may be able to add augmented reality overlay effects in videos you capture with the updated Spectacles. The $350 frames will cost more than double the first version, which arrived in 2016, and will be on sale by the end of the year, according to Cheddar.
Influencer Luka Sabbat sued for not shilling Spectacles on Instagram
Luka Sabbat, a social media influencer with 1.4 million Instagram followers, is being sued for failure to, well, influence. According to a lawsuit filed by PR Consulting Inc., Sabbat breached a $60,000 contract he signed to promote Snap Spectacles on -- wait for it -- Instagram. The public relations agency said that, as part of the deal, he was supposed to post three Instagram Stories and one picture on his account. But, as it turns out, Sabbat didn't fulfill his end of the deal: PR Consulting Inc. claims he only made one Instagram story and that the post he put up on his feed wasn't submitted to it for approval.
Snap's new Spectacles 2 frames are now available
Snap's second-gen Spectacles are way better than the first and all, but some fashion-conscious users might have passed on buying it because the frame didn't suit their faces. Thankfully, the company seems to understand that a pair of glasses is still a fashion accessory, because it has launched two new designs for Spectacles 2. Starting today, Snap will sell the new styles named Nico and Veronica on the device's dedicated website in the US, Canada and select European countries, including the UK, France, Germany and Italy for US$199.
Snap has lost its Spectacles division chief
The head of Snap Lab, the hardware team behind Snap's camera-equipped Spectacles, has recently left the company following a restructuring that affects his division. Cheddar got its hands on the internal email Mark Randall sent, wherein he revealed that the company decided to "realign the team as a distinct group under Snap's SVP of Engineering, Jerry Hunter." Snap Lab was created to be a separate entity from the rest of the company's engineering organization, and this shakeup could mean Snap's hardware plans aren't headed in the same direction as it originally envisioned.
Snapchat Spectacles' exported clips now come in different formats
Snapchat's Spectacles have always been able to export photos and video clips you can post online, but they only used to come in one variant: round with a white frame. Now, the camera-equipped eyewear finally has a handful of export format options to choose from. In addition to being able to export circular images against a white background, Spectacles can now also generate square-shaped and widescreen photos and videos. But if you're really, really fond of round-shaped media, you can also choose to export images in the same circular format, but with a black frame.
Snap now sells its second-gen Spectacles on Amazon
Snap went the odd-but-fun route when it released the first version of Spectacles, selling pairs through vending machines strategically placed in big US and European cities. While that's certainly an interesting tactic, the company chose to make its second-generation, water-resistant successor a lot more accessible by selling it through Spectacles' official website from the very start. Now, Snap has also started selling the 2018 refresh of its camera-equipped eyewear through Amazon in the US, UK and Canada. Probably so you can easily grab one with Prime shipping when you buy an Echo, your beauty products or your groceries.
Snap Spectacles 2 review: Boring, but better
I'll admit it. I was one of those assholes who went out and bought a pair of Snap's Spectacles when they came out. I wore them most places, even at night or when they didn't go with my outfit, on the off chance that I might witness something Snap-worthy. I'd see fellow Specs-wearers at tech events or on the street, and we'd exchange subtle nods acknowledging our mutual super hip-ness. It was good times, but alas they didn't last. After months of being frustrated by the buggy connection between the glasses and my iPhone, I put my Spectacles aside and never wore them again.
Snap's new Spectacles offer better quality for more money
As rumored, Snap has unveiled a new set of Spectacles with new colors and better specs that address user complaints with the first model. To better aid in their spring break beach appeal, the new models are finally water resistant, for one thing. With new electronics, they're also lighter and more sleek while offering better resolution for both photos and video. You can also get them in three colors (Ruby, Onyx and Sapphire) that are a bit more exciting than the Teal, Coral and Black of the last model.
