They could, however, be smarter.
Wearable technology rides a fine line between utility and aesthetic pleasure.
From the front these look almost like regular (maybe slightly oversized) glasses.
Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen) from the back
That, by the way, is what it’s like to wear Amazon Echo Frames.
Wearing them is a little like having a secret superpower.
“Resemble” might be a generous word, though.
Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen) side view
They’re noticeably larger, and my wife couldn’t decide if she loved or hated them on me.
I tried to not feel too self-conscious when people spotted me speaking to my Echo Frames.
Either way, decent eyeglass frames can run you well over $200.
No one in the city seemed to notice I was wearing smart glasses.
Setup is easy enough, and pretty much matches what you’d do with any other Echo unit.
The only part of the setup I didn’t like was charging up the glasses.
I worry that others will make the same mistake.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
One caveat about this review.
Amazon has yet to say when the ‘introductory period’ ends.
They will eventually retail for a more eye-watering $389.99 (ah, the price of fashion).
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The Carrera models do not support subscription lenses.
The case would be even cooler, though, if it could hold a little battery charge.
All of these frames are set to ship on December 7.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
As mentioned, for now they’re only available in the US.
She quickly gleaned they were smart glasses because what else would I be wearing?
and walked away shaking her head.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
I consider this progress.
There’s an indicator light on the stand that tells you when the frames are fully charged.
The frames charged pretty quickly once I properly seated them on the charging base.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Beyond a constant connection to your Frames, the Alexa App provides several other features and customizations.
White StripesSeven Nation Armysounded particularly hollow.
Obviously, if you care about true audio fidelity, these frames are not for you.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Despite being smart frames, there isn’t much that’s smart about the audio.
There are no noise cancellation abilities, which I really would not expect here.
At least they instantly pause if you fold them closed.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
At full volume, I got a solid 4 hours of battery life.
They’re rated for 6 hours at 80% volume, which tracks with my testing.
Sometimes, I’d have Alexa read my latest notifications.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
That was annoying and defeats to the purpose of a hands-free wearable assistant.
Should I buy the Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen)?
Plus, there’s basically no bass here.
You want to capture contentConsider these the market’s low-key smart frames.
They have speakers, microphones, Alexa, and nothing else.
There are no cameras here to capture photos and video.
You wont get AI controls or a wearable camera, but these headphones are more affordable.
Due to time constraints, I did not get prescription lenses put in.
I’ve been testing and writing about technology for over 30 years.
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