{
  "id": 16311394,
  "title": "Ray-Ban Meta Audio Review: The Best Smart Glasses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/ray-ban-meta-audio-review-the-best-smart-glasses",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-24T09:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Wired",
    "slug": "wired",
    "url": "https://www.wired.com/review/ray-ban-meta-audio/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Navigating the bustling streets of Los Angeles while running, I felt the wetness of my glasses frame against my face, prompting me to amplify the pulsating techno beats filling my ears. I took the liberty of asking Meta for directions, and the AI agent responded by guiding me turn-by-turn back to my destination. This experience marked my second run in the city, a testament to the convenience of Meta's smart glasses. The new Ray-Ban Meta Audio, released in September, is a camera-free version of Meta's smart glasses, marking a significant shift since the initial launch. The primary reason for this change was the growing concern over privacy, following a series of controversies surrounding the camera-enabled glasses. Users found the cameras invasive and had devised ways to disable the indicator light, which alerts others that the glasses are recording. Meta even had to remove facial recognition technology from the glasses due to public backlash. The Meta Audio glasses, therefore, do not capture audio or video, except during the use of the AI chatbot. They do, however, offer live language translation and have transition lenses that adjust to sunlight. The sound quality is excellent, delivering clear music while still allowing ambient sounds to be heard. The glasses are lightweight, weighing in at 43 grams for the Burbank style and 47 grams for the Clubmaster, making them a more comfortable choice compared to the heavier camera-equipped Gen 3 Wayfarer. With a battery life of 12 hours, these glasses are ideal for all-day wear without the need for earbuds or headphones. The absence of cameras on these glasses offers a more peaceful experience, as users can walk around without worrying about being recorded. Although there are valid reasons for having cameras in smart glasses, such as augmented reality features, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses prove to be the ideal choice for those who primarily use smart glasses for everyday purposes, not content creation. These glasses are likely the only ones I would willingly purchase for personal use, as I've found most smart glasses to be unwieldy and impractical.",
  "summary": "No cameras? No problem. Ditching the surveillance baggage makes Meta’s audio-only frames surprisingly easy to live with.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}