To try it out, I asked a French-speaking colleague to chat with me in French in the office. With the Meta app open on your phone, you simply face the speaker while wearing the glasses. The translated text appears in real time on your phone, and shortly afterwards the glasses relay the translation through their speakers.
The translation itself was very accurate – totally spot-on, according to my colleague – though the slight delay meant the glasses sometimes started speaking while she was still talking, which could get confusing. For short exchanges, such as asking for directions or recommendations, I can see that it could be genuinely useful. Full conversations, however, would only really work if both people were wearing a pair.
The speakers
I didn’t initially see the built-in speakers as a specific perk for travel, but after testing, I’ve changed my mind. The glasses connect to apps such as Spotify and Audible and play audio through small directional speakers pointed towards your ears. I was dubious this would work initially, and worried about subjecting everyone on the Tube to my tinny music, but the technology works surprisingly well – I tested this by taking the glasses off and placing them on the table next to me, and could barely hear anything at all. When using them in public, I received zero angry looks.
The audio quality can’t rival my Bose QuietComfort II headphones, but it’s better than expected. In fact, one day I walked for ten minutes wearing both the glasses and my headphones before realising Spotify was playing through the glasses instead of my headphones – something all the more impressive given the Bose pair costs around £300 alone.
Saying that, they’re not noise-cancelling, so won’t suit the roar of the aeroplane cabin – but they’re perfect for quieter settings. If you’re sitting by a hotel pool or on a lounger, they’re a great way to listen to a podcast or playlist without needing to wear headphones, which is particularly helpful if you’re also trying to balance sunglasses and a sunhat.
The verdict
I’d recommend these wholeheartedly. They provide a user-friendly way to capture fun shots your phone can’t match. They won’t replace your phone on holiday, but do make a worthy accompaniment to diversify your holiday videos with fun and novel shots. It’s worth it for this alone, and the other features make for a welcome additional sweetener. I’ll be taking mine with me on every trip going forward.
