Augmented reality and virtual reality had a big year in 2016, but these two technologies are poised to have an even bigger year in 2017, and naturally AR devices are making a huge splash at CES this year. One such AR product are the Vuzix Blade 3000 Smart Sunglasses, which as the name suggests are a pair of sunglasses that feature an array of smart functions for the wearer. We’ve been able to get some hands-on time with the Vuzix glasses at the event this morning and grab a closer look at what they offer as well as check out their overall design.
The Vuzix Blade 3000 are running on Android software, although there wasn’t any detail about whether or not it’s full Android or a proprietary software that is simply based on Android. Nevertheless, the fact that Android software is involved in some way means that the Vuzix Blade 3000 can provide a whole host of features while wearing these. There are different colored frames available, such as black and silver, and thanks to the augmented reality overlays that sit in front of the lenses you can have your content with you at all times, and hands-free essentially as you aren’t having to scroll through feeds on your phone. Naturally it also means that you don’t have to hold your phone, so if you’re watching something you can actually kick back and just relax.
The Vuzix Blade 3000 are using what Vuzix is calling their waveguide optics and Cobra II display engine, and the possibilities of what you could view through the lenses spans a wide variety, including viewing GPS navigation directions as well as looking at a menu for a restaurant so you can decide on what to eat before you get there. You could also use them for checking the weather which might come in handy if you’re someone who is wearing these while outside and are wanting to know whether or not you might be dealing with rain soon. The glasses have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity support so you can pair them with your phone via Bluetooth and connect to access your data, or connect to a local Wi-Fi hotspot and do the same, just as you can with most Android Wear smartwatches these days. They also have an integrated HD camera and they support both Android and iOS platforms.
