My Husband Couldn’t Resist These Smart Glasses

Finding the perfect blend of technology and everyday wearability can be a challenge, but Amazon’s Echo Frames are making a compelling case for smart glasses that don’t scream “tech gadget.” As someone immersed in smart home products, I never expected my husband to be the one pushing for another Alexa device. Our home already functions as a testing ground for countless gadgets, yet when the Echo Frames dropped to just $115 on Cyber Monday, a staggering discount from their usual $300, he was completely sold.

He selected the prescription-ready version, which conveniently came bundled with a free Echo Spot smart alarm clock. This popular device normally costs $80, so the combined savings amounted to $265. For me, this brought the total number of smart speakers in the house to an almost comical thirteen.

The Echo Frames themselves are designed to look like a standard pair of eyeglasses. Their discreet appearance hides their ability to play music, manage phone calls, and carry out a variety of Alexa-powered commands. Thanks to an open-ear audio system, they deliver sound directly to your ears without the need for earbuds, offering up to six hours of playback on a single charge.

My personal favorite, the Echo Spot, remains my top recommendation for a bedside Alexa speaker. It’s incredibly useful for setting alarms, streaming music through voice commands, and controlling other smart devices like lights from your nightstand.

However, the true star of this purchase was the smart glasses. My husband had been admiring my own pair ever since I bought them for the same low price during a prior Amazon Prime Day event. The appeal of making calls and listening to music completely hands-free, without anything in or over his ears, was too strong to ignore. Seeing that attractive price point return was all the convincing he needed.

As someone who wears glasses full-time, I had been researching smart eyewear for some time. I felt the technology had matured enough to consider making a smart pair my primary glasses. I was very close to choosing the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, especially after the second generation launched with improved battery performance. But then Amazon’s Echo Frames hit their historic low price. At $115, they are a remarkable $250 less expensive than the latest Meta model. While the Echo Frames are an older product, the significant cost difference made them a much more sensible entry point into the world of smart glasses.

Another major consideration for me was the absence of a camera. I am not comfortable with the idea of wearing a camera on my face throughout the day. My interest lies more in the voice assistant and the integrated speaker and microphone. I frequently listen to podcasts and music while walking the dog or doing chores in the yard, but I have a strong dislike for headphones. Since my smart home ecosystem is built around Alexa, it felt natural to have the same assistant I use on my kitchen counter also available on my glasses.

It’s worth noting that the Echo Frames now support Alexa Plus, Amazon’s more advanced, large-language-model-powered assistant. This upgrade makes them even more capable for answering quick questions and managing smart home devices. Their design is another strong point; they look and feel much more like conventional eyewear, which was a critical factor given my intention to wear them daily.

I collected my own prescription pair from the optician last week and have been genuinely pleased with them. The only hiccup was forgetting to charge them one night, a sharp reminder of the minor inconvenience that comes with adding another device to your daily charging routine. A helpful tip for anyone considering a pair at this excellent price: if you have a larger head, opt for the grey rectangle model. It is the only wide-fit frame currently available in the collection.

(Source: The Verge)