$2,195 for Smart Glasses? Snap’s New Specs Are an Engineering Marvel…With Two Massive Flaws

image via PCMag
image via PCMag

Snap officially launched its new Specs, lifting the curtain on a surprisingly robust feature set and a high-profile lineup of launch partners. With self-contained processing powering motion tracking, environment scanning, and gesture controls, these might be the most technically ambitious smart glasses on the market—easily outpacing the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display in pure hardware sophistication. But at $2,195, Snap faces monumental hurdles before its bleeding-edge tech can win over everyday buyers. I’ll give the Specs a rigorous hands-on test once a pair lands in PC Labs. For now, here's a close look at how they work, what they can do, and where they fit in an increasingly chaotic wearable ecosystem.

https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/2195-for-smart-glasses-snaps-new-specs-are-an-engineering-marvelwith-two

These reusable digital Polaroids are a clever way to cover a fridge in memories

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

I’m infatuated with these magnetic digital Polaroids from a small company called VidaBay. They look like instant photos, but use NFC tech and color E Ink screens so you can change the image as often as you want without ever having to charge a battery.

https://www.theverge.com/tech/917067/vidabay-snap-nfc-e-ink-paper-fridge-magnet-photo-hands-on

Insta360’s Snap is a tiny magnetic phone screen for taking rear-camera selfies

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

Insta360 just announced the Snap, a new smartphone accessory designed to improve the quality of your selfies. It works like a digital mirror magnetically attached to the back of your Android or iOS smartphone so you can preview and properly frame shots using its more capable rear cameras, while touchscreen functionality lets you control camera apps without having to constantly flip your phone around.

https://www.theverge.com/tech/907670/insta360-snap-usb-c-magsafe-screen-selfies-smartphone-rear-camera

Snap is turning its smart glasses team into its own company

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

“Specs are launching at an important time, as artificial intelligence transforms the way that we use our computers,” Snap says. “Instead of an operating system that expects us to do all of the work, Specs feature a first-of-its-kind Intelligence System that uses its understanding of you and your world to help get things done on your behalf while protecting and respecting your privacy.”

https://www.theverge.com/news/869210/snap-specs-smart-ar-glasses-new-subsidiary

Snap OS 2.0 is a small step towards AR glasses you might actually wear

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

Last September, Snap revealed its fifth-generation Spectacles, upgraded AR glasses with a twist: they were only ever released to developers. One year later, we still haven’t seen even a glimpse of the consumer-ready version of those glasses, which the company still says is coming in 2026, but Snap is ready to show off Snap OS 2.0, a software update to those developer Spectacles that signals its plans for mainstream AR.

https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/777810/snap-os-2-spectacles-software-browser-spotlight-gallery

School Districts Notch a Win in Tech Addiction Case Against Top Platforms

image via pcmag.com
image via pcmag.com

School districts across 19 states claim that the companies do not adequately implement features like age verification, parental controls, and session timeouts. Design choices that allow for endless scrolling, coupled with targeted algorithms, mean kids have trouble putting down their phones, creating a doom loop that can interrupt sleep at best and create serious mental health issues at worst. The schools say they've had to dedicate resources to handle this, from confiscating phones to dealing with online behavior that spills into classrooms, including dangerous social media "challenges."

https://www.pcmag.com/news/school-districts-notch-a-win-in-tech-addiction-case-against-top-platforms