It’s becoming somewhat of a running gag that any device or object will be made ‘smart’ these days, whether it’s a phone, TV, refrigerator, home thermostat, headphones or gla…
I understand the gripes about Meta, but I don’t understand how everyone clowns on this like the core concept is stupid or unwanted.
Easy $1000 sell: cycling / escooter accessory. People already regularly buy expensive sport glasses just for sun and wind protection. With a smart version of them like this, you add open ear headphone, and you add the potential for navigation directions, or even a Bluetooth rear view camera on the back of your helmet to get a virtual mirror.
The core technology is impressive, and has legitimate use cases.
But that doesn’t outweigh the enormous privacy concerns these devices raise. They aren’t being angled as an accessory for specific activities, but as everyday wearables. If smart glasses like these became common they would be unavoidable, creating leave of intrusion that’s concerning even without Meta being involved.
As a cyclist, this is a terrible sell. I already have tech which does all this, and probably does it better, for less.
I don’t need a HUD constantly in my face obscuring the beautiful views. I have sun glasses which fit well with a helmet and wrap around my face to keep the wind out.
I have a cycling computer, which offers GPS turn by turn, and pairs to power meters, heart rate and radar light. It is mounted on the handlebars in an easy to view place.
I have bone conducting headphones for music.
All of this is significantly less than $1000, and if something breaks, I can replace it all individually. I also don’t have to wear ridiculous looking sunglasses to listen to my bone conducting headphones.
As a cyclist, this is a terrible sell. I already have tech which does all this, and probably does it better, for less.
Oh yeah, totally valid point you raise, I’m sure every single cyclist for all eternity going forward already owns every bit of cycling technology and no one will ever have to buy new ones.
I mean why didn’t they ask whether or not /u/orgundonor already bought a cycling computer before they developed a new one? What were they possibly thinking???
I don’t need a HUD constantly in my face obscuring the beautiful views.
Yeah, good thing it’s a small transparent display that can just pop up a small arrow when you need it. This is totally a death knell for the technology as a whole, and not a minor quibble about software design.
I have sun glasses which fit well with a helmet and wrap around my face to keep the wind out.
Yes, just like the display-free cycling smart glasses that Meta released alongside these. It’s not hard to imagine the next version of them including a display.
I have a cycling computer, which offers GPS turn by turn, and pairs to power meters, heart rate and radar light. It is mounted on the handlebars in an easy to view place.
You know where’s easier to view? You know what you can view even if you’re running, skate/snow boarding, etc?
I have bone conducting headphones for music.
Hey, everyone, check out this guy’s bone conduction headphones!
I also don’t have to wear ridiculous looking sunglasses to listen to my bone conducting headphones.
LMFAO you bought cycling specific sunglasses. Yes, you already do look ridiculous. Everyone is already making Tour de France wannabe jokes, but you don’t care because they’re practical. The same will be the case here.
Literally everything you said is just dumb hater bullshit. If I want to see someone be as pessimistic as possible to the point of being blindly inaccurate, I would just go rewatch black mirror.
I agree that head mounted displays can be useful, I’m contemplating getting something like it, but just no cameras, please. not in the frame, not backwards, not anywhere.
If you don’t have cameras you instantly lose a tonne of potential amazing functionality.
If you’re in public you have no expectation of privacy, so someone being able to photograph you or record you with glasses is no different to being able to do it with a camera or phone.
People should still have an expectation of privacy in public spaces to some extent, otherwise the only way is to move to the foresf. One should not have to be concerned about being recorded, especially children (a pdfile can take photos to pick “targets”, so to speak).
People should still have an expectation of privacy in public spaces to some extent
Why? You’re in a public space. You don’t have privacy when you’re out in public. There are already laws around taking photos of minors etc, but it being able to be done via glasses is no different to it being able to be done with a phone or a camera.
The pdfile will do it anyways. What concerns me is all those data will be streamed to Meta. They will relay it to Palantir. The best mass surveillance you can think of.
Sell your bike to afford them. Easy.
It’s another pointless gimmick, like 3D TV or the Metaverse and virtual shopping.
Zuckerberg had one idea and got lucky, it’s been wasting money since.
I understand the gripes about Meta, but I don’t understand how everyone clowns on this like the core concept is stupid or unwanted.
Easy $1000 sell: cycling / escooter accessory. People already regularly buy expensive sport glasses just for sun and wind protection. With a smart version of them like this, you add open ear headphone, and you add the potential for navigation directions, or even a Bluetooth rear view camera on the back of your helmet to get a virtual mirror.
The core technology is impressive, and has legitimate use cases.
But that doesn’t outweigh the enormous privacy concerns these devices raise. They aren’t being angled as an accessory for specific activities, but as everyday wearables. If smart glasses like these became common they would be unavoidable, creating leave of intrusion that’s concerning even without Meta being involved.
“Hi, just wearing my glasses in the changing room…”
As a cyclist, this is a terrible sell. I already have tech which does all this, and probably does it better, for less.
I don’t need a HUD constantly in my face obscuring the beautiful views. I have sun glasses which fit well with a helmet and wrap around my face to keep the wind out.
I have a cycling computer, which offers GPS turn by turn, and pairs to power meters, heart rate and radar light. It is mounted on the handlebars in an easy to view place.
I have bone conducting headphones for music.
All of this is significantly less than $1000, and if something breaks, I can replace it all individually. I also don’t have to wear ridiculous looking sunglasses to listen to my bone conducting headphones.
I don’t necessarily disagree, but this reads a bit like some of the comments on those old Slashdot threads clowning on the first smartphones.
‘these things will fail, I already have a camera, a cellphone, and an mp3 player, why would anyone want them all in one device?’
Heh…these days I kinda long for devices for for specific purposes again 😅 and I’m a software engineer.
Exactly my first thought.
Hope it doesn’t turn out the same way this time around
You’d rather have a camera cell phone and mp3 player than a smartphone?
No.
Doesn’t make me any less apprehensive about meta putting cameras and microphones on everybody’s face.
We’re at the point now that we “need” 6 gadgets that do the same thing.
Oh yeah, totally valid point you raise, I’m sure every single cyclist for all eternity going forward already owns every bit of cycling technology and no one will ever have to buy new ones.
I mean why didn’t they ask whether or not /u/orgundonor already bought a cycling computer before they developed a new one? What were they possibly thinking???
Yeah, good thing it’s a small transparent display that can just pop up a small arrow when you need it. This is totally a death knell for the technology as a whole, and not a minor quibble about software design.
Yes, just like the display-free cycling smart glasses that Meta released alongside these. It’s not hard to imagine the next version of them including a display.
You know where’s easier to view? You know what you can view even if you’re running, skate/snow boarding, etc?
Hey, everyone, check out this guy’s bone conduction headphones!
LMFAO you bought cycling specific sunglasses. Yes, you already do look ridiculous. Everyone is already making Tour de France wannabe jokes, but you don’t care because they’re practical. The same will be the case here.
Literally everything you said is just dumb hater bullshit. If I want to see someone be as pessimistic as possible to the point of being blindly inaccurate, I would just go rewatch black mirror.
Literally everything you said is just dumb hater bullshit. You added nothing to the discussion.
Literally everything you said is just dumb hater bullshit. You added nothing to the discussion.
I agree that head mounted displays can be useful, I’m contemplating getting something like it, but just no cameras, please. not in the frame, not backwards, not anywhere.
If you don’t have cameras you instantly lose a tonne of potential amazing functionality.
If you’re in public you have no expectation of privacy, so someone being able to photograph you or record you with glasses is no different to being able to do it with a camera or phone.
People should still have an expectation of privacy in public spaces to some extent, otherwise the only way is to move to the foresf. One should not have to be concerned about being recorded, especially children (a pdfile can take photos to pick “targets”, so to speak).
Why? You’re in a public space. You don’t have privacy when you’re out in public. There are already laws around taking photos of minors etc, but it being able to be done via glasses is no different to it being able to be done with a phone or a camera.
Unless society gets revolutionized so that people can remain in their homes as much as they want (and even then), that is not an option.
What is not an option?
Being surveilled in your daily life, becoming a sitting duck.
The pdfile will do it anyways. What concerns me is all those data will be streamed to Meta. They will relay it to Palantir. The best mass surveillance you can think of.
The glasses don’t record and stream all the time btw. They don’t have their own built in wireless connection to meta.
For now, just give it some more time. ;)
Sell your bike to afford them. Easy. It’s another pointless gimmick, like 3D TV or the Metaverse and virtual shopping. Zuckerberg had one idea and got lucky, it’s been wasting money since.