For higher or worse, I focus higher when taking part in music, white noise, a podcast, and even senseless TV within the background. Often, my favourite in-ear buds or over-ear headphones treatment my audio repair, or — one of many privileges of distant work– even blasting from my favorite speaker. Nevertheless, spending 9 hours a day behind a display takes a toll on my eyes, usually leading to a determined Renpho Eye massager session. Whereas my prescription Warby Parker glasses have a blue light filter built-in, the added stress from the glasses arms together with in-ears or the scarf from over-ear headphones, I find yourself with a headache all the identical or just feeling claustrophobic. For all these causes, I used to be desperate to attempt Amazon’s blue gentle Third-Gen Echo Frames.
Utilizing open-ear expertise, Amazon’s Echo Frames have audio system built-in and join by way of Bluetooth, performing virtually like open-ear buds whereas concurrently defending my eyes, so I haven’t got to compromise extra blue gentle publicity for lack of audio or vice versa.
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Utilizing open-ear expertise, Amazon’s Echo Frames have audio system built-in and join by way of Bluetooth, performing virtually like open-ear buds whereas concurrently defending my eyes, so I haven’t got to compromise extra blue gentle publicity for lack of audio or vice versa. And because of Bluetooth multipoint, as soon as paired to each my laptop computer and telephone, it makes for a seamless change when I’ve to shortly leap in a Slack huddle or assembly with out fumbling to pause my music — or once I’m utilizing my speaker — embarrassingly play music out loud.
Useful, practical, and in addition fairly fashionable, these glasses have grow to be my WFH important for the previous two weeks and have shocked me in additional methods than one.
Amazon Echo Frames (Third Gen, 2023)
Really useful
- Light-weight, stylish design
- High quality sound, audio system, and microphone
- Simple fashion-forward various for bone conduction or open-ear buds
- Blue gentle is efficient
- Bluetooth multipoint affords seamless connection and efficient communication
- Battery life may very well be higher
- Charging is finicky
- Bass is not probably the most highly effective
Design
Sensible model to match perform
It could be useless, however model — or lack of it — is a cause I have been hesitant to undertake tech wearables in my each day accent rotation. The Third-Gen Echo Frames look kind of like a pair of Warby Parker glasses I would select alone — particularly the Brown Cat Eye mannequin I obtained for testing. Whereas barely massive for my face, they did take me again to that circa-2008 “hipster” over-sized glasses aesthetic that I did not thoughts. The audio system embedded within the arms lead to a thicker than common earpiece, however nonetheless, until instructed, you’d by no means know they have been “good” glasses.
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Refined, fashionable, and smooth, until instructed, you would not ever know the Third-Gen Echo Frames have been “good” glasses.
The Third-Gen Echo frames are surprisingly gentle to put on and lead to little stress build-up, which I am unable to all the time say for my prescription glasses. And that slight oversize match really made for a less-snug really feel, however in no way much less safe.
Audio high quality
Spectacular, however not fairly an in- ear bud alternative
Not like the Meta-Rayban smart glasses, the Echo Frames’ smarts solely concentrate on audio, which is each a great and unhealthy factor. I may hear each word of Reneé Rapp’s Snow Angel clearly, with out the music sounding overly compressed. Moreover, Rapp’s excessive notes and wealthy riffs have been punchy as ever, particularly when inside. Outdoors, I did need to considerably enhance the quantity to attain the identical dynamics, however the quantity enhance did not compromise the audio high quality or squish notes collectively.
And whereas in no way noise-cancelling, I did need to take away the glasses to essentially hear somebody speaking to me, particularly if the quantity was 50% or increased. For probably the most half, nonetheless, I used to be conscious of my environment, which I appreciated — particularly as a younger girl in New York Metropolis.
Whereas the Third-Gen Echo Frames are nice for informal commuting or working from dwelling, I am unsure in the event that they’re ideally suited in a crowded workplace area or airplane journey.
A extra trendy various to bone conduction headphones
With a speaker that does not really match into the ear, the glasses are extra similar to open-ear buds than my in-ear AirPods Professional, however they do not produce as a lot bass because the Bose Open Ultra buds I recently reviewed. Just like open-ear or bone-conduction headphones, I did discover sound leakage to be a difficulty. Once I elevated the quantity to 60%, my mates reported they might clearly hear that I used to be jamming out to Taylor Swift’s Welcome To New York. So, whereas nice for informal commuting or working from dwelling, I am unsure in the event that they’re ideally suited in a crowded workplace area or airplane journey.
Mic high quality
Sound and seamless
The brand new mannequin’s microphone was certainly one of its most spectacular options, as I had many individuals on group calls that I sounded further clear, completely unprompted.
After using wired headphones for 2 months, I get why old tech is new again
Going again to wired headphones provided extra comfort and high quality listening than I assumed, however wi-fi buds nonetheless do one factor higher.
When outdoors, I did have to show up the quantity to listen to higher, however the caller may nonetheless hear me comparatively properly, however requested for clarification just a few occasions. As a caveat, the microphones needed to compete with New York Metropolis sirens, visitors, and commuter dialog.
Alexa connectivity
Hey Alexa, play I Can See You (and I am going to hear you)
In fact, the Echo Frames would not be an Amazon product with out Alexa integration. Whereas useful, particularly with features like a neat location-detecting function enabled by asking Alexa on one other gadget to “discover my smartglasses,” making a ‘VIP checklist’ for hands-free calling, or asking to play music, I did not see Alexa as a make-or-break Frames function. Plus, Alexa is barely obtainable as an on-face concierge in case you’re linked to the web and the Alexa app by way of smartphone or pill.
Battery life and charging
Room for enchancment
Wi-fi charging is a plus in principle, however extra of a ache in follow relating to powering the Gen-3 Echo Frames. To get the glasses into charging mode, you need to fold the arms completely on high of each other and place the bridge of the glasses on high of the charging base bridge with the lenses going through up. It does not sound too advanced, however the base is not going to cost the glasses until within the precise appropriate place, which even after having the glasses for weeks, nonetheless takes me a number of tries to get proper.
Battery life may additionally see enchancment. On common, I get about two hours of lively listening at 70% earlier than getting the 20% battery notification announcement from Alexa, after which, I do know I solely have about 10–quarter-hour left of listening. The Frames’ battery can, nonetheless, be preserved in stand-by mode, which is triggered by folding the glasses into the carrying case.
A easy answer I would like to see with Amazon’s subsequent iteration is a charging-capable carrying case, however please, with a much less fickle charging stand.
Verdict
Sensible glasses which are dumb sufficient for people not fairly prepared for a digital future
With AR/ VR headsets just like the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional making massive waves and firms like Brilliant Labs harnessing the facility of AI to create an much more compact AR expertise, the Echo Frames do not push any boundaries. Nevertheless, I discovered that refreshing. The glasses offered a easy answer to my easy recurring downside, and did it properly. And although I did not choose so as to add my prescription, you do have that choice, they usually can triple as your principal eye put on, blue gentle safety, and open-ear headphones.
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Total, the glasses ship high quality audio, a design worthy of any stylish eyewear outlet, and a two-in-one answer to my on a regular basis WFH battle. Whereas speaking to Alexa is not what I consider a standout function, I’ll acknowledge its novelty whereas nonetheless embracing the Frames for what they’re: Sensible glasses which are dumb sufficient for somebody not fairly prepared for a very digital future.
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