As interest in wearable computers grows, they are watches, rings or glasses, the aesthetic aspect, that is the attention to fit and look, becomes increasingly important.
Mark understood that very well Zuckerberg, who signed an agreement with Luxottica for Facebook’s future smart glasses that promise wonders (but are still far to come), while they hadn’t figured it out Larry Page and Sergey Brin with their Google Glass, who perhaps had anticipated the times too much, but above all they had neglected aesthetics and (also) for this reason they missed the target.
To understand where we are we wanted to try a pair of smart glasses for teleworking. No special effects, though: they are simple glasses connected with integrated speakerphone and with a blue light filter that they connect via Bluetooth with low consumption. Made by Razer, a medium-high-end American brand specialized in the sector of video game accessories (keyboards and mice, but also armchairs, microphones and earphones), they are not designed as a complement to the PlayStation, but for another market still to be explored: smart objects to use during the pandemic and for work from home.
Smart glasses
Razer’s Anzu glasses are manufactured in two models, each in two sizes: round or square glasses, of medium-small or large size. We tested the large square ones, which turn out to be very flexible (the temples that widen well inwards and outwards) and with a fit that adapts to medium-large and large faces. The glasses are dark in color, the frame is classic and light, with a bridge that feels very comfortable even without an adjustable nose rest, while the temples are thicker than usual (there’s a reason), but they don’t weigh down the design.
In the very compact box there is one faux leather case with the inevitable microfiber cloth to keep them clean, generously sized. Inside, in a separate pocket, there is the cable for charging the glasses, while a power supply is missing: it is an ipsilon cable with a normal USB socket on one side (a USB-C would have been preferable) and two terminals that they magnetically attach themselves to the temples on the other. The terminals have one direction and the magnet, which exposes both polarities, resists if you try to hook them in the wrong one.
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How the Anzu really are
Razer defines the Anzu as “smart glasses”, but you have to understand what they mean. Don’t think you are wearing something that comes from Matrix O Mission: Impossible. The glasses have 3 functions, none of which are from science fiction movies: they connect with your device, be it your phone, tablet or computer, and work as a microphone and speakerphone very compact for phone or video calls. In addition, on the sides of the temples there are two touch-sensitive areas that allow you to use a series of programmable touch commands from the Razer app (for Android and iOS). The touch controls can also be used to activate the digital assistant on your device, no more and no less than you would with a pair of headphones like Apple’s AirPods Pro. Finally, they also have a very interesting passive function, because they are equipped with lenses that filter blue light up to 30% without being colored (ideal for protecting the eyes of those who have to spend many hours in front of the computer or smartphone) which can be replaced with graduated lenses, or with the polarized outdoor lenses supplied.
Practice test: how they work
The full recharge of the glasses takes about 30 minutes: both temples have their own reserve of energy, and last well over the 5 hours declared. We were able to verify this during a series of long video calls and videoconferences, unfortunately typical of this period of pandemic and working from home, and we have never been able to download them fully.
To turn on the glasses, just open them and put them on: from the speakers with 16 mm drivers located in the arms, one centimeter from the ears, comes out the voice announcing “Bluetooth On” and “Pairing”. There is no voice in Italian but it is not an impediment, because the glasses only signal that they are turning on and off. The connection with the phone or the tablet or the Mac (we have tried them with all three) occurs instantly once the first connection is made, which is managed by the computer or smartphone. In the app you can change the equalization of the audio (but the stock one is fine) and its latency (but the low latency mode increases the battery consumption without a particular benefit in normal use).
Microphones and speakers
Thanks to two microphones, the glasses receive our voice in a strong and clear way: we asked at the end of many video and business or leisure calls an opinion on the quality of our voice and no interlocutor highlighted any problems that could be related to the quality of the microphone. They are not however two microphones suitable for high quality recordings, such as a podcast or the audio track of a video for YouTube, because the voice is too thin and similar to what you get from a mobile phone compared to a professional microphone.
Instead, the audio that comes out from the two small speakers recessed in the arms (which are not seen except by inspecting the glasses closely) has a halfway between the AirPods and the speakerphone of a phone, but with better bass and an overall more than satisfactory audio presence. They are not made for listening to a classical or modern music concert, but they are perfect for speech and good enough for video games. There is no form of sound cancellation because there is no way to physically close the ear, and you still have to be careful why the audio is clearly audible even from a distance: in the end it is a very well made small speakerphone, but which diffuses a little sound into the room, like a pair of open circumaural headphones.
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Eye protection
Non-tinted lenses that filter out 30% of blue light should have a positive effect on eye protection. This is a not just added value, which goes well with the comfort of the frame. You can wear glasses all day, in front of the computer, without feeling excessive fatigue. They have a weight comparable to that of a pair of sunglasses (with polarized lenses they are very reminiscent of Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer model) and do not tire.
The touch controls are in our opinion the least effective part: even the simple tap requires a slightly prolonged touch, as if the sensitivity of the two areas on the temple wasn’t particularly good. An excessive number of combinations (4 commands that can be set separately for each temple) in the end made us abandon these commands, also because there is no haptic or sound feedback and, mainly using glasses in front of the computer, they are not particularly useful. The glasses do not have their own virtual assistant (apart from the voice on and off), but they are compatible to control that of the phone or computer.
A curiosity
The writer does not wear eyeglasses, so there is a novelty effect in using a pair of glasses in front of the computer all day. The surprising aspect is the response of colleagues and people with which videoconferences are made during the working day and with family members: the frame is liked and is judged positively, and suitable for a work call, making in some way more authoritative the shot that otherwise would be that of the living room at home.
In short, Razer has made a commitment to design and tried to hide all smart features to allow the wearer not to look strange, but rather give it a certain authority.
Price and competitors
The Anzu cost € 209.99 on the company’s website and also include the second pair of polarized lenses, which easily snap-fit. They are high-end connected glasses with the hands-free microphone function: there are various alternatives even cheaper, but they are poorly distributed in our country. Xiaomi and B&H have made similar products, while online there are many variants of lesser-known brands, the quality of which we cannot verify. It’s interesting, but we haven’t tried it, VocalSkull technology, which used a bone conduction system with an open ear design that should have comparable audio quality, but be quiet for those around.
What we liked
Razer’s glasses are beautiful and comfortable to wear, which is perhaps their most important feature, because they are not just a technological device, but also a personal accessory. From a technical point of view, the microphone and audio quality reproduced are those of a good headset, but without the effort of keeping the earphones stuck in the ears all day. The battery lasts a very long time and the blue light protection is one more thing that makes us very happy, even if we cannot verify its clinical effectiveness in any way.
What we didn’t like
The touch controls are a bit tricky and complicated (too many variations) and in front of the computer do not need much; moreover, perhaps it would have been better to have a voice recorded also in Italian, also because it should only say “on” and “off” and “connected” and “disconnected”, as well as “low battery”. Finally, there is the question of the price, which is significantly higher than other similar products.
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