The Sunglasses That Turn Me Into James Bond on My Travels

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Several friends and readers have commented on my new sunglasses. They’re actually not that new; I received them last summer as a gift (thanks, Nicole!). But I only just started wearing them regularly, which I realize now was a mistake because of all that they can do.

They’re Ray-Bans but they’re not just any Ray-Ban sunglasses. Sure, they shield your eyes from the sun and make you look cool but these sunglasses, the result of a partnership between Ray-Ban and Meta, basically turn you into James Bond. They allow users to listen to music, make hands-free calls, ask questions, take photos, record videos and much more. The glasses act like an Alexa smart speaker (with a five-mic system) since you can ask any question and no one can hear the answer as the speakers are in the armbands. All you say is, “Hey Meta,” to activate them and then give your command or ask your question.

My favorite thing about these glasses is that there’s a tiny camera in the upper left corner. In the opposite corner is a white light, which flashes when you’re taking a photo or illuminates when you’re recording a video. You can activate it multiple ways for instance, “Hey Meta, take a photo” or “Hey Meta, take a video.” Or you can click the tiny button on the upper right corner of the frames (once to take a picture or hold it down for a second to start recording). To stop recording, either press the button again or say, “Hey Meta, stop recording.”

Why do I love them? They take excellent photos and videos with an ultra-wide 12 MP camera, which is great when you’re traveling. But it also can be helpful if your hands are full … like you’re carrying bags in each hand and you want to record your five-year-old daughter maneuvering a suitcase through an international airport. See photo below:

The only thing that gets in the way is the brim of my baseball cap, so I have to crop the photos or turn my hat around. I also loved using these sunglasses this past week as I was negotiating with a taxi driver in Sicily. I started recording just to make sure he honored the rate that he had stated (he did, so I deleted it). But if he hadn’t, he would have been in for a big surprise when I showed the video to the cops.

These sunglasses don’t need batteries; they charge in their case, and you can charge the case (I’ve only had to do it a couple of times) with the USB-C cord that’s provided.

What made me think of writing about this is that twice yesterday in Greece, I showed a couple of locals how they work, and they thought I was lying until I showed them the photos. You just import them to your phone from the Meta app. Their jaws dropped and they both said, “I have to get them!”

The good news is they’re not as expensive as you might think. A regular pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers costs about $200 to $250 (Amazon currently has them on sale for $105). The Meta Ray-Bans cost $299 and they come in multiple colors and lenses like clear, transitions and of course, sunglasses.

To be honest, I haven’t even used them to their fullest potential yet but every day, I’m discovering new and helpful ways to use them. Right now, the ability to take photos, record videos and ask questions (all hands-free) has been amazing, especially right now since I’m traveling and have lots of questions and want to take lots of photos. Being able to do this without fumbling with my phone has really been a game-changer.

You can also have Meta AI analyze your surroundings and provide context-rich suggestions. They will also do live translation so you can hear translations in real time between French, Italian, Spanish and English (no Wi-Fi needed). You can flip between your phone’s camera and the hands-free POV camera on your glasses and livestream it on Facebook and Instagram if you like. Talk about giving the person you’re calling a whole new view of your travels.

Now that I’m finally using my Meta Ray-Bans, I can see the potential and all the ways they can serve me as a traveler. Plus – they’re just a super cool gadget and will make you feel like James Bond.

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