When discussing which company is set to make a splash in with its newest piece eyewear, I don’t believe anyone is tossing Bose (yes, the speaker company) out in the open. In fact, this project has been developed under the radar for the most part. Bose has taken a whole different approach to this whole augmented reality world, something that they’re just getting immersed in.
Their new headset is all about sound. They are aiming to make the world better and easier to manage with sets of hearables, rather than the typical wearable eyewear that you find with augmented reality companies. Their hearable glasses will be able to perform many functions at once, such as listening to music while speaking on the phone. This will eventually lead into plugging into the Bose AR Glasses platform experience.
With this piece of hearing already being used, there has even been a game released as well. In this game, you will be carefully listening to the voice of a French knight as you try to find him and where is voice is originating from. Once he is found, or you believe he is found, you will double tap the glasses to throw a cow (yes, the same kind of cow that is used for our everyday dietary needs) at the taunting Frenchmen’s castle. Then, you will hear through the beautiful mini speakers the crashing cow. You can also change the height of the throw through moving your head up or down.
In this game there are still augmented pictures and figures through the area you are looking, but this game and piece of eyewear will force you to rely more on your sense of hearing rather than your sense of seeing. It is a completely different feel, and something you will definitely have to get used to.
Frames
When Bose first leaped into the augmented reality mixed with hearable world, the stylish, sleek, and promising look caught the eye of many. The glasses which are known as Frames, come in two different styles. The Alto and the Rondo. Alto being more square and a bit larger, and the Rondo being more round and a smaller fit. The two perform the same.
Though many are surprised by the lack of visual augmented reality, the augmented side of the audio is what has been focused on and has impressed many with the Frames. Going through different media outlets, there has been a growing amount of frustration that these glasses “aren’t the promised AR glasses.” That is exactly right. These glasses are anything but normal.
Essentially, there are wearable headphones that double as a sunglasses. They won’t be augmenting much reality, but they will be letting you listen to your favorite music, podcast, and books on the go. Bose is working with and partnering with many companies to improve the experience for their loyal customers. The glasses can be used for walking directions, amusement park attractions, games, and ever changing stories based on your own movement. These Frames are designed to keep you moving while your hands are free, and your ears are still experiencing your own audio, and the sounds from the atmosphere that you are in.
On top of all of those experiences, they have partnered with Golfshot and New Balance to make your experience on the course more interactive with a personal caddy, and keeping you updated with how you are moving. Golfshot offers support on over 45,000 courses nation wide. These two partnerships open the door for a bright future of augmented reality in not only Golf, but many other sports as well. This is only the beginning of the future of the sports and AR working and existing together.
Overall, this product has plenty of room to improve, and Bose knows that. They are having a plethora of developers help them in making their augmented reality more visual mixed with their great sound. With that being said, the $199 for this wearable and hearable device is well worth your hard earned money.
