Solos Smart Glasses (Review)
A few years back, Solos Smart Glasses launched a Kickstarter campaign to gather funds for their Solos glasses. The campaign turned out to be a success. However, it’s important to note that Solos glasses aren’t the only product in the smart glasses market which is gaining popularity. Many individuals are embracing the trend of smart glasses. In light of this, we will be evaluating Solos smart glasses today.
Everything that Solos promises, they deliver. The glasses are stylish, comfortable, and easy to use. The microphone picks up your voice relatively well, and the audio from the speakers sounds excellent. However, the glasses need to catch up in a few key areas.
I want to take an in-depth look at Solos smart glasses. And I have some thoughts, opinions, and a few recommendations. So, I recommend you keep reading, especially if you want a new pair!
Solos Smart Glasses
The glasses I am reviewing are the Airgo2. See, before Solos released their mainstream smart glasses, they used to specialize in cycling and running glasses. They came with a display that allowed people to track their activity on the go provoking them to build healthy habits.
These models offer a cycling computing functionality designed for cyclists to enhance their riding experience by providing optimal peripheral vision and valuable performance metrics.
However, things have changed; you can only find cycling glasses from niche stores, as Solos does not make them anymore.
Using the Airgo2 feels good, and you should not feel self-conscious about what you are wearing on your face because the glasses are fashionable, stylish, and, most importantly, not bulky.
These Solos glasses use audio to deliver all the information you need. For example, if you need to use Google Maps, you will ask Google and follow the voice assistance. I like this approach, and although it works well, the future of smart glasses will be augmented reality. Therefore, Solos will need to find a way to keep its design while also implementing a proper heads-up display for the future.
Solos Smart Glasses Battery Performance
Battery performance is essential, especially if you use prescription lenses, as you will use the glasses more often. Thankfully, the battery is excellent, and you will never feel like it will run out of battery before you have time to put it on charge.
The battery on the Solos Smart glasses will last a full day of moderate to heavy usage. In addition, the battery has 2.5 days of standby time on a single charge. However, you can expect the glasses to last around 11 hours when listening to music.
Phone calls drain the battery the fastest, but it is still fantastic as it gives you around 8 hours of battery life when on a phone call.
Charging the glasses is made simple with its included charging cable. One end plugs into a standard USB port, and the other attaches to the side using a magnet.
Solos Smart Glasses Audio
One of the most prominent things about these Solos smart glasses is its whisper audio technology. Also, the audio is the most crucial part when it comes to smart glasses, especially those without a heads-up display.
The audio works exceptionally well. You won’t have problems hearing while you play music or receive notifications. Phone calls also sound crisp and clear, even in crowded areas!
While ambient noise reduction or noise cancellation elements may not be the primary focus of this product, some models may offer a certain level of passive noise isolation due to the design of the eyewear itself.
However, the glasses experience audio bleed, meaning others around you could pick up on what you are listening to. Although it is subtle and does not always happen, it is essential to note that it sometimes does.
Audio bleed is the one thing that can make me feel self-conscious about wearing these glasses. After all, no one wants people listening to their messages! With a few more iterations, the noise bleed will be handled.
The microphone on the product is phenomenal, and the whisper audio technology tries to isolate your voice and eliminate any background noises so that your voice comes through clearly on the other side, and it does work!
Features and Software
These smart glasses have rich detail, and they have to because smart glasses are busy competing with smartwatches. So, let’s look at some of the things you can expect to find:
- Whisper Audio
- Motion sensors
- Swappable lenses
- Touch controls
- UV protection
- Blue light-blocking lenses
The glasses’ software works well, offering a few helpful elements.
The motion sensors along the glasses detect your posture; initially, I thought this was a gimmick. However, extensive research and development went into this, and it works! The glasses will remind you to fix your posture if it senses that you are slouching.
The glasses can also tell you when it’s time to drink water which is quite nifty. Also, the frames can warn you if you step too far from your device so that you do not forget it.
The User Experience
The user experience with the Solos Airgo smart glasses is excellent. There is a reason why the glasses were featured at CES!
Answering phone calls is a breeze. You can have an entire conversation with someone without looking at your device once, and noise cancellation works relatively well with this.
The specialized mobile app on IOS and Android is easy to navigate and very user-friendly. You won’t need a tutorial or a manual to get started. Instead, everything is presented in an easy-to-understand way.
Finally, setting the glasses up was easy. Once set up, you should not experience random disconnects.
Are Solos Smart Glasses Good For Fitness?
Solos smart glasses do an excellent job of tracking your daily activity, such as ride time and uploading all of the info to the smart glasses app on your phone for targeted fitness goals.
However, there are much better alternatives if you want to build healthy habits via fitness. For example, smartwatches have been perfecting fitness tracking for years, especially if you have a Smartwatch connecting to a mobile network.
It is rare for people to wear frames while running, cycling, or even training at the gym, and when I try to run with smart glasses, I end up just using my SmartWatch. Also, the glasses didn’t feel comfortable on my head after a while!
The Quality
The build quality is excellent the glasses feel comfortable. In addition, the lenses do an excellent job of protecting your eyes while sitting in front of a computer. The smart and crisp design of the frames ensures they offer adequate peripheral view while also providing UV400 protection, eliminating the need to have several glasses.
If you get prescription lenses, which can be costly depending on your prescription, the lenses will be safe inside the frame.
Pros And Cons
Solos Airgo Smart Glasses Pros And Cons
Pros | Cons |
Great design | Lack of features |
Black bar design reminiscent of classic eyeglasses | Needs to stay connected to a smartphone |
Comfortable | Audio bleed |
Good battery life with 2.5 days standby time when fully charged | |
Great sounding audio | |
Easy to use | |
Fitness tracking and targeted fitness goals via the app | |
Posture monitoring |
How Much Do Solos Smart Glasses Cost?
Solos have a few different models starting from around $199. For a pair of the Solos AirGo2, the model reviewed in this article, you can expect to pay about $299 for these Solos glasses.
If you are shipping the glasses outside of the United States, you might pay quite a hefty import and export fee, sometimes costing upwards of $100.
Do I Recommend Solos Smart Glasses?
If you are in the market for a pair of smart glasses, you will be satisfied with Solos Airgo. However, it is essential to understand that you are not getting a heads-up display. Instead, you get all your information sent via the speaker.
I always recommend that people start looking at smart glasses as something to complement their smartphone and even their smartwatch, which leads me to my next point.
For most people, a smartwatch already does an excellent job if you want to build healthy habits, information on the go, and targeted fitness goals. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the glasses to replace your watch. Instead, I recommend it to anyone who wants to become an early adopter of what I believe will be the trend in the future.
Summary
Solos have exceptionally delivered what they believe is the best way to utilize smart glasses and has developed a specialized mobile app for IOS and Android.
The Solos Airgo glasses are not the best on the market, and others have built-in GPS, so you don’t need your phone when running or cycling.
For some, a heads-up display might be distracting, and the ability to take photos and videos might be a gimmick. However, if that sounds more like you and you just want an audio experience, then the Solos smartglasses are perfect.
Conclusion
If you are in the market to buy some smart glasses, you can buy a pair of Solos AirGo2 from Amazon Alternatively, you can visit their website and buy directly from them. Alternatively, you can check out Our Review of the Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses as an alternative option.
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