In case you haven’t heard, Snapchat now sells camera-equipped sunglasses called Spectacles.
The glasses, which record video to be shared through the Snapchat app, were first announced in September and officially went on sale Thursday.
Spectacles cost $130 and are initially being sold only through pop-up vending machines across the U.S.
Snapchat has been secretly working on these glasses for years, dating back to its acquisition of a small startup called Vergence Labs in 2014.
Here's everything you need to know about how Spectacles work and how to buy them:
Spectacles cost $130 and come in three colors: black, teal, and coral.
They record 10-second video clips with a 115-degree-angle lens, which is supposed to mimic how the human eye sees through a circular field of view.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel recounted a hiking trip he took while wearing the glasses to The Journal:
"I could see my own memory, through my own eyes-it was unbelievable. It's one thing to see images of an experience you had, but it's another thing to have an experience of the experience. It was the closest I'd ever come to feeling like I was there again."
Videos you take with Spectacles are sent to the Memories section of the Snapchat app. From there you can edit clips and send them to friends or your story.
Spectacles sync footage with the Snapchat app over Bluetooth. To sync HD video, you have to sync via a connected WiFi network.
You can use Spectacles while unpaired from your phone. When you get back into pairing range, footage will sync into Memories.
Tap a button on the top of the frames to start recording. White lights will then illuminate on the front of the glasses for the length of the recording.
Tap the button again for about two seconds to stop recording. You can tap up to three times to record three 10-second clips in a row
You can rotate between vertical and landscape video when viewing recorded video. Spectacles only shoot video, not photos.
You pair Spectacles with your Snapchat account by scanning a code in the app.
Spectacles support Android devices running Android 4.3 and above and the iPhone 5 and above.
Battery life should last you for a day of causal use, or about 16 minutes of video. Each pair will come with a charging case that can recharge the frame up to four times.
Spectacles can be charged via the case or directly through the frame.
Here's what comes in the case when you buy a pair:
If you want to see how Spectacles look before you buy them, you can try them on virtually in the Snapchat app now.
Go to the website for Spectacles and you should see a "Snap to try on" message. You'll then be able to scan a special code in Snapchat that unlocks a lense for virtually trying them on in the app.
If you wear glasses already and are worried about Spectacles not having your prescription, the company recommends consulting your optician.
Spectacles aren't waterproof and the company says to avoid using them in extreme temperatures.
To get a pair of Spectacles, you'll have to be lucky enough to visit one of the surprise pop-up vending machines that are starting to appear throughout the U.S.
To find where the machines will be,Snap has introduced an online mapthat lets you see their location 24 hours in advance. The first pop-up was on November 10 in Venice Beach, California, where the company is headquartered.
Each Snapbot vending machine will have motion sensors that turn on its circular screen when someone steps into view. The screen will show footage of video recordings from the eyewear, which can record 10-second clips that sync with the Snapchat app.
Three buttons that correspond to the three colors (coral, black, and teal) Spectacles sell in will let you virtually try on each color on the screen before you pay.
Spectacles are being sold in very limited quantities initially, so you'll have to be quick if you want to snag a pair. Each machine sells a max of two pairs per customer.
Waiting in line for @Spectacles - lots of yuppies, surprise surprise pic.twitter.com/TWNE2QquJj
— aishwarya iyer (@Aishwarya228) November 10, 2016
Here's a promo video from Snap showing the glasses in action:
CEO Evan Spiegel wants the glasses to be thought of as a "toy" for now.
"We're going to take a slow approach to rolling them out," he told The Journal. "It's about us figuring out if it fits into people's lives and seeing how they like it."
