As children of the digital age, scarcely a tweet gets published without some new, unprecedented form of technology being placed in our paths. While we relish the arrival of many advancements – read: mobile voter registration – we feel equally as skeptical about the advent of others. In a press release today, the app formerly known as Snapchat, Snap Inc. unveiled a pair of smart sunglasses that will capture 10-second circular videos at the click of a button. The moments can then be seamlessly streamed full-screen on your phone or in Snap’s Memories section.
Marking the company’s first foray into the product market, the “Spectacles” are sure to be a hot-ticket item this fall – especially considering their reasonable $130 price tag. But despite our appreciation for their design (they come in three cool color ways with mirror lenses) and general curiosity, we can’t help but ask: Are these really necessary? If they don’t crash and burn as quickly as Google Glass, do they stand to threaten what little time left we spend not in front of a screen?
Time over, personal experience has taught us that it’s not possible to truly live in the moment while simultaneously recording it, so when deliberating the purchase of this flashy toy, or putting the equivalent of a GoPro on our faces, we think we will pass. What about you? Check out the forthcoming frames in the video below, and let us know your stance in the comment section.
