Snapchat has become a popular multimedia chat tool with the millennials and the onset of the holiday season brings its highly awaited wearable device- Snapchat Spectacles. Launched in November, the Spectacles are the not the easiest of devices to get your hands on, primarily due to the limited supply. Fans have reported waiting in line for hours before they are able to buy one, but the payoff is totally worth it.
What Are Snapchat Spectacles?
There must be several moments in your life, which if recorded would provide you cherished memories for the future. For instance, capturing some amusing antics of your pet, recording the first baby steps taken by your newborn, or maybe some unique experience during a vacation.
We all know what a huge hassle using a DSLR can be or the extreme precaution we have to take while creating a video with our super expensive iPhones and Pixels. Enter Spectacles, the new camera-equipped sunglasses by camera company Snap, Inc. (yeah, that’s what they are calling themselves now), formerly known as Snapchat. The in-built camera lens allows you to record videos for up to 10 seconds and share easily on social media.
Best thing about Spectacles is that video recording can be done hands free, so you can participate in different activities and record the moments. Who really likes to hold the camera when the entire world is playing ball on the beach or doing skateboarding?
The Spectacles craze has spread quickly and is now even being used to record and livestream a surgery to create a tutorial for medical students. Just imagine the number of applications and the potential that this relatively cheap device (costs only USD 129) has. Of course, it is terribly hard to find one.
They are sold only through vending machines known as Snapbots, which just pop up around the city. How to find these Snapbots? The location gets mentioned at the ‘Find a Bot’ section on the Spectacles website, where a random location pops up after the countdown timer hits zero. Talk about crazy marketing!
How Do These Spectacles Work?
First, let’s briefly cover how these Spectacles work and the related technology that comes with it-
You will receive the Spectacles in a yellow case that also acts as a charger for the device. It has connector pins on the corner, so when you run out of battery, you simply have to put it back in the case.
You then need to pair the glasses with the Snapchat app in your phone. This can be done via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi on both iOS and Android devices. Once the pairing is done, you can start clicking 10 second vids with the button on the top left side. Keep in mind that only one size is available for the Spectacles right now, so you may feel slightly uncomfortable if it does not fit right.
The snaps are saved in the Memories section (for the Android app), which can be shared on My Story. The video, however, has a circular crop when shared with other users.
Review- Do You Really Need The Spectacles?
At only $129, the Spectacles are a steal. However, hold your horses before prancing off to buy one. Consider the following points first-
- If you are a regular user of Snapchat and like wearing shades, then definitely go for it. Battery life is great and lasts for a long time.
- If you wear spectacles, then forget about it. Regular glasses and Spectacles don’t go along well.
- They look great on just about everyone.
- Video quality is pretty good and the results are impressive in good lighting
- You don’t need to connect them with a phone all the time. This is required only when you want to view and post the videos.
- No face filters are allowed, and the audio is above average, but not great.
- Static images cannot be clicked.
- If you want to show off your culinary skills, your dancing steps et al from a point of view perspective, these are a must-buy.
Overall, is it really worth it? Yes. Anyone and everyone whom I have known using the Spectacles has been totally hooked. The fact that you can simply start recording with a single click and not missing out by wasting your time fiddling with the smartphone camera makes the Spectacles a great buy. Strongly recommended!