Google has teamed up with Gentle Monster, Warby Parker, and Samsung for its Gemini-powered smart glasses, and these actually look like something you would want to put on your face.
The glasses work with iPhones as well as Pixel and Samsung phones, and they are up for pre-order right now. Here’s everything you need to know about Google’s smart glasses before you hit the pre-order button.
Which frames can you pick from?
If you want your glasses to stand out, Gentle Monster has six eye-catching designs, with colors ranging from dark red and pink to gray and yellow. Lens choices include tinted, clear, blue, and brown, and most of them support prescription lenses. Prices start at $449 in the US and South Korea.
Warby Parker keeps things more classic with three styles named Alden, Reid, and Wren. Starting at $395, they come in Pine, Saddle, or Jet Black, and you get lots of options for lenses, prescriptions, and frame widths.
Every pair weighs about 41 grams and can run for up to nine hours on a single charge. The included charging case can refill them seven times. The battery life is one of the best things about these glasses, in my opinion. With the extra juice in the charging case, you won’t need to plug them in for weeks.
What can Gemini actually do on your face?
Google smart glasses let you perform most of the Gemini actions you generally pull out your phone for. You can wake Gemini with your voice or a quick tap on the frame. You can use its camera to find details about something you see in real life, get a book suggestion from a store shelf, or see if you are free for an event just by looking at its poster.
You can also use Google Maps to get directions as you walk, and Google Translate to translate real-time conversations into your language in over 70 languages. The 12MP ultra-wide camera lets you capture photos and videos without reaching for your phone.
For people who are blind or have low vision, Guided Vision can describe their surroundings out loud, and Aira Explorer can connect them with a trained human interpreter.
What about privacy?
Google says what the camera shows stays out of your Gemini History and is never used for AI training. The glasses also hide the faces of people nearby before Gemini looks at the image.
A light turns on while you record, and recording stops if someone covers it. There is even an off switch if you just want regular glasses. Pre-orders are live now, and the glasses go on sale on December 10.