Let’s be honest — there are so many travel gadgets and accessories out there. Slowly but surely, the cords and trinkets take over your suitcase, and your packing list suddenly has twice as many items on it. The Solos Smart Glasses are designed with the minimalist traveler in mind, streamlining your electronic needs into one essential item.
These smart glasses, available in prescription and non-prescription lenses, connect Bluetooth technology with ChatGPT for hands-free access to messages, music, and much more. There are dozens of applications for home and office use, but as a full-time traveler, I wanted to see how beneficial they could be on the road.
Here’s my take on the Solos Smart Glasses — what works, what doesn’t, and what travelers need to know to make the most of the burgeoning technology.
A traveler’s take on design, fit, and all-day wear
I’ve used the Solos Smart Glasses AirGo 3 for a month, and I don’t find them much different than a pair of regular glasses or sunglasses in their feel and fit. This is a good sign- I expected them to be much heavier and uncomfortable. Their sleek design helps to minimize bulk and keeps things ergonomic.
Here’s a rundown of what to expect in terms of all-day wear:
- Comfort: The AirGo 3 Smart Glasses weigh 35 grams, only slightly heavier than my regular sunglasses. Most of the weight is in the temples since the technology is housed here. I found them comfortable for up to three hours before feeling discomfort behind my ears.
- Lens quality: The AirGo 3’s photochromic lenses adjust their tint based on lighting conditions. In sunny weather, they’re dark and turn clear indoors. I found that the transition was fairly quick. You can opt for prescription or non-prescription lenses, which block UV and blue light.
- Glasses controls: There’s a button and swipe panel that lets you play, pause, browse, and adjust media volume. You can also use these controls to activate Google Assistant or ChatGPT.
- Customization: SmartHinge frames make swapping out your glasses’ frames easy while holding onto the hardware. Many styles are available, including specialized outdoor frames for protection and durability.
They’re a great pair of starter smart glasses, balancing high-tech features with a minimalist selection panel on the casing. Learning the swipe and click patterns only takes a few minutes. But many users (including myself) experienced a slight learning curve when attempting to place the finger just right on the side controls. With practice, you’ll adapt a muscle memory for hitting them correctly.
Next-level connectivity features without a screen
The Solos Smart Glasses don’t necessarily do anything your phone or laptop can’t do. Still, they offer a hands-free experience and make it easy to keep your phone in your pocket when accepting a call, putting on a song, or asking your voice assistant a quick question.
These glasses have Whisper Technology, which helps to sift out background noise and makes them more effective in loud environments. The microphone is embedded in the glasses’ temple rather than the nose bridge, which situates it close to the speaker’s mouth. It was able to pick up everything I was saying with about 98% accuracy and understood the context beyond that.
The “coach” feature wirelessly tracks your steps, estimates your calories burnt per day, and can even monitor and measure your posture based on the position of the glasses.
An accompanying Solos app brings additional functionality to the glasses, but I wouldn’t say this is entirely hands-free, as you’ll need to open the app to pair many of its features with the glasses.
Final verdict: Are the Solos Smart Glasses worth it for travelers?
If this is your first time using smart glasses, the Solos AirGo 3 model is great for beginners. It covers all bases when it comes to hands-free audio streaming. But are there use cases that can elevate the travel experience?
Here are ways I see this product working well for travelers:
- It can be a tour guide – for example, if you’re visiting Death Valley National Park, tap the glasses and ask where to head for the best scenic drive in the park. If you’re in New Orleans, tap your Solos, share your location, and ask where to get a high-rated Sazarac in walking distance.
- While Solos LiveTranslation requires the app, it makes conversation seamless by translating directly into your glasses. It’s nearly as powerful and speedy as the renowned Vasco Translator V4 regarding voice and text processing.
- The app allows you to geo-locate the Solos Smart Glasses — so place them in your luggage and you have an instant tracker.
- It’s great for listening to music or podcasts in unfamiliar environments, allowing you to keep an ear on your surroundings for safety.
- You can activate Whisper Sync notifications to help keep you on schedule without checking your phone — let’s say you linger too long in a museum — your glasses can remind you that you have an upcoming dinner in an hour so you’re not late.
- The IP67 waterproof level casing keeps Solos’ glasses dustproof and dry when briefly submerged in water, making them great for light watersports and outdoor activities.
- The glasses’ battery life is up to 10 hours, and they are easily rechargeable with a wireless connector or USB-C cable.
Overall, the Solos Smart Glasses AirGo 3 are a solid accessory for travelers. They’re simple to set up with the help of the AI-guided walkthrough, and the features feel well-rounded, ranging from translation to notifications. The Solos sports line caters to the adventurous traveler, and there are plenty of styles to choose from in the entire catalogue, so you’re not stuck with a generic clunky frame.
After a full month using the Solos AirGo 3 glasses, I found them helpful during my travels. Still, I miss one powerful feature — the ability for my eyewear to see and interpret the world around me. Unfortunately, the AirGo 3 model doesn’t have a video component, but the Solos Krypton 1 glasses have cameras that can analyze your travels in real time.
This addition takes smart glasses to the next level for savvy travelers, with expanded functionality like enhanced translation and visual identification of landmarks. Most promising, video-enabled glasses can help you navigate better, saving time and energy if you get lost.
