Amazon Echo Tries Smart Glasses

A number of companies have tried the wearable assistant idea, announced originally in December, now Amazon will try the idea in earnest.  Will the idea work this time.  What key aspects are important?  In some tests we did with Google version, there was concern about how people using the glasses were perceived.  Were they continually taking pictures?    Is the idea for continuous use, which Amazon appears to imagine, or just for specialized assistant tasks?  We tried in plant maintenance tasks.   What would the key skills for glasses look like? 

Amazon Echo Frames arrive in blue light and sunglasses forms for summertime  in DigitalTrends  By Patrick Hearn  May 18, 2021 

The Amazon Echo Frames originally launched in December but came with a somewhat limited series of options. Today, Amazon announced two new models of the Echo Frames: A set of polarized sunglasses and a set of blue-light filtering glasses. The new options come after a lot of customer feedback asking for different options and styles.

The sunglasses themselves are available in two different versions, too. One is a classic set of sunglasses, while the other is a set of blue mirror sunglasses. Both versions are IPX4-rated, which means they are perfect for wearing while working out or walking outside. While they shouldn’t be worn while swimming, they can withstand a few splashes of sweat or rain.

On the other hand, the Echo Frames with a blue-light filter are perfect for people that spend a lot of time at their computers. Blue light can interfere with your circadian rhythm and interrupt your sleep cycle, so the blue light filter makes it possible to play video games or browse the web in the evenings without worrying about disturbing your rest.

The polarized blue mirror sunglasses will start shipping on May 18, while the Echo Frames with blue-light filtering lenses and the polarized classic sunglasses begin shipping on June 9. Both options are available in the classic black frames for $270.

The Echo Frames are more than just glasses. They provide access to Alexa with a touch of a button, as well as give you easy access to music, podcasts, and more without the use of headphones. You can control your music and playlists by saying “Alexa, pause,” or “Alexa, next.”  ...  "

Amazon Smart Glasses are for Sale

Recall I have been following the idea of 'smart glasses' for a long time.   Since we experimented very early on with prototype glasses to display maintenance diagrams and data in real time on the plant floor.  That were never adopted,  they were slow to update and not easy to use.  But that was in the 80s.  I don't think these would work for that project either as they exist.

Amazon's Alexa-powered smart glasses are now more widely available

The $250 Echo Frames are Amazon's take on smart glasses.

By Nathan Ingraham in Engadget

Last year, Amazon announced Echo Frames, which are almost exactly what they sound like — a prescription-ready eyeglasses frame that looks pretty standard but has built-in microphones for you to summon Alexa. They were announced as a “Day One” product, made in limited quantities and only available via a special invitation. But now, a little over a year later, Echo Frames are available to anyone who wants them.

As the first Day 1 item graduating to a full-fledged product, Amazon has made a bunch of improvements to these new Echo Frames. The first model had open-ear speakers where you would hear replies, and the new model can automatically adjust volume based on how loud your surroundings are. Amazon also says battery life is up to 40 percent longer (during continuous playback at 60 percent volume). Another battery improvement comes from an “auto-off” features — if you put the frames upside-down for three seconds, they’ll automatically power down. ... ' 

Preview Alexa Smart Glasses

Smart glasses, available by invitation only.   Seems still an uncertain effort.  Like most of these efforts to date like this seem quite narrowly targeted  Would need skills for visual analysis and interaction.   For now does not have a camera.   Perhaps such systems can be considered proposal  'platforms' for the delivery of assemblages of skills in given contexts. 

Amazon Echo Frames preview: trying on the Alexa smart glasses
Wear Alexa on your head everywhere you go
By Chris Welch@chriswelch   

We’ve just gotten some brief time with Amazon’s first smart eyeglasses, the Echo Frames, at the company’s Seattle headquarters. Amazon is positioning the glasses as the ultimate take-Alexa-everywhere product, but it’s also trying to balance that pitch with privacy: there’s a button on the glasses to disable its microphones, and the Echo Frames lack any kind of camera. As the company considers these a “day one” product for tech enthusiasts, they’ll eventually be available on an invitational basis for $179.99.  ......  "