Snapchat's New Glasses Lets You Record Videos with a Tap

After the failure of Google Glass, it seemed like video-recording eyewear was never going to become an actual thing. The whole shebang was just way too creepy for most people. Getting filmed secretly? No thank you.
However, Snapchat’s thinking differently. The instant messaging app, now branded as Snap Inc., is looking to kickstart a digital revolution with its new camera-equipped glasses, simply known as “Spectacles”. It’ll be the company’s first foray into the hardware market.

So what can consumers expect from this glitzy new gadget? First of all, it’ll be capable of shooting first-person video with a 115° circular field of view, a far cry from the standard squared format of mobile videoing.
Tiny cameras are mounted onto the upper left and right sides of the spectacle’s frames, and operating them is really easy. Just tap a button near the left camera, and a video will record for 10 seconds. Want a longer recording time? Hit the button again and it’ll give you additional video length of up to 30 seconds.
The videos you record remain in your specs, till you decide to transfer them over to your smartphone. Default settings for transferring files are Wi-Fi for Android and Bluetooth for iOS. However, you can always change these in your phone settings at anytime. A full battery charge should last a day, according to Snap estimates.

Design-wise, the specs are quirky. They’re also pretty much sunglasses, rather than traditional specs. They’ll be available in three colours – namely, black, teal and coral – but you can probably expect more designs should the specs become successful.
We’re guessing the big question on everyone’s mind is how will Snap’s Spectacles avoid freaking people out. Glasses that can record video seem a bit voyeuristic after all. Well, to prevent that scenario, there’s an outward facing light to let people know they’re being filmed, and it’s reportedly a lot brighter than the one attached on the Glass.
Whatever the case may be; it’s a brave new world for Snap. The company has had a lot to deal with lately – Instagram copying the “my story” feature comes to mind – and we suppose this is their way of broadening their horizons.
Snap’s Spectacles will retail at USD$130. For more information, please visit spectacles.com.