Snapchat have recently launched their first piece of hardware, in the shape of a pair of sunglasses. It’s Snapchat’s first foray into the world of VR, or tech, beyond the social platform.
Selling at around $130 and currently only available in the US, the specs allow you to record what you are seeing, while you are wearing them. The videos are each limited to 10 seconds and then automatically uploaded to your snapchat feed.
This is a great little product, with a real buzz being created around them at the moment. Snapchat have made them affordable and stylish. You can choose from black, coral or teal and one size fits most (according to Snapchat!)
Snapchat describes the specs as:
“…the most fun way to make memories and then relive them later! In short, Specs are sunglasses that Snap! — allowing you to capture life from your perspective. From the ordinary to the extraordinary, Specs make it easy to capture the moment without interrupting what you’re doing. Spectacles are designed to work with Snapchat and only Snapchat.”
To launch the specs, all you have to do is press the button on the front once, which highlights while recording. The charge on the glasses is enough to record 100 10-second snaps, and the glasses are self-charging once they are in their case (you charge the case rather than the specs.)
Another really unique element of the specs is how you are able to purchase them. Snapchat has launched a parent company named Snap, Inc., which is using vending machines, or ‘bots’ to sell the specs. There is currently only one store that is selling them (located cleverly right next to the Apple store in New York.) Hundreds of people were queuing outside the store for the opening last week.
Before the opening of the store, the bots had dropped into various locations including the Grand Canyon and the Rose Bowl Stadium. The website gives you a 24hr countdown as to where the next one will pop up which has helped create a great amount of hype surrounding the specs.
You can only purchase two pairs at a time, but there are already specs being resold on Ebay, for prices a lot higher than the original. We’re going to watch this space as to when we will be able to get them over here in the UK. After seeing Ellen de Generes trial them out, we have to admit that we really want a go – and they would also make ideal Christmas presents for all our snapchat loving friends!