I’ve been waiting for the perfect fitness tracker. I’m into the concept, but I don’t like wearing a watch or wristband all day every day.
Ideally, a fitness tracker wouldn’t get in my way while I type, and would be something I wouldn’t mind wearing on a daily basis. It wouldn’t feel like a chore to wear, and I wouldn’t have issues remembering to wear it in the first place.
So I was intrigued when VSP Global, a network of eye-care companies, came out with a fitness tracker in the form of prescription glasses. The Level smart glasses are starting to roll out in select areas, and – since eyewear is having a bit of a moment in terms of style and affordability – they couldn’t have come at a better time.
Here’s a look at the Level smart glasses and how they do what they do:
The Level smart glasses wirelessly sync to the mobile app on your phone. The app updates approximately every 60 seconds if it's open, and every 15 minutes if it's closed.
Unlike Intel's Vaunt smart glasses, Level's smart glasses send all of the information you need to your phone instead of displaying them on the lens.
It doesn't track the more complicated metrics like heart rate, but it does count things like steps taken, which is enough if you're just trying to encourage yourself to walk more often
The minimal capabilities means the technology can fit into just one arm of the glasses. Hopefully this means the glasses aren't too heavy — or worse, uneven.
The charging port is located on the inside of that same arm, so it's hidden while you're wearing them. The glasses take about 30 minutes to charge and can be used for five days straight, according to the website.
The Find My Glasses feature is an unexpected and happy surprise. It can be accessed through the paired application, similar to the way Find My iPhone works.
Fortunately this LED light is off when the glasses aren't connected. It flashes purple when it's charging, and stays solid purple when it's fully charged.
The point system is also linked to VSP Global's charity, Eyes of Hope: Every time you reach your daily goal, you get a point, and for every 50 points, Eyes of Hope donates an eye exam and pair of glasses to someone who needs them.
You can compete with friends and family via the Level app, but that might require convincing them to break away from their Fitbits and Apple Watches.
For now, the frames come in three styles, and each style comes in four colors: Black, Tortoise, Grey Tortoise, and Slate.
You can buy them as prescription or non-prescription glasses. Size is a much more limiting factor, since each style only comes in one size - check out the company's support page to learn more about sizing.
A few limitations to be aware of:
The Level smart glasses are certainly promising, but have a few notable restrictions:
• The app is currently only available in English and on iOS, though an Android version is coming soon.
• There's no desktop interface right now, and there's no way to export the data to a Mac or PC. "Would you want to? If you would, let us know," reads the FAQ. "We might add this feature in the future."
• They're "water-resistant" but they can't be submerged in water, so you'll probably want to be careful in the rain or if you choose to wear them while you sweat.
• The glasses can only connect with one device at a time. If you decide you want to use another device, you'll have to re-do the whole initial syncing process, which might be more of a headache than it's worth.
The glasses come out in March and will cost $270, plus the varying cost of your prescription lenses, the cost of insurance, "lens enhancements," and retail location.
Go here to find a location that's selling them near you.
Here's the promo video, in full: