JLab JBuds Frames Bluetooth Head Phones Clip to Your Glasses

The JLab JBuds Frames Wireless Head Phones are two small boxes which clip, one to each arm on your glasses. Each has a microphone, speaker, battery, and one push button. You an use just one for mono, or two for stereo. The sound is not as good as Bose Frames sunglasses, but much better than Lenovo Lecoo C8 Smart Sunglasses. These are fine for phone and Zoom calls, but not so good for music.

 One problem is that the JLab Frames need a firm large spectacle frame to clip to. There area reversible rubber pads which can be adjuted for different size frames, but they were still loose on my ultra slim titanium frames. They worked fine on a larger pair of plastic frames. These units have the advantage they can be used on prescription glasses, and removed. But in place they still look dorky, and people looking at me on Zoom immediately commented on them. But that was a Mobile Learning Special Interest Group meeting, where dorky is a good thing. ;-)

Bose Frames Work Okay for Audio On The Go

Recently I have been trying out not-so-smart glasses. These have a Bluetooth connected speaker and microphone in each arm of a pair of sunglasses. The Lenovo Lecoo C8 Smart Sunglasses (under AU$20), were disappointing but Bose Frames "Bose Frames Rondo" (under AU$150 second hand), have much better sound quality. They also have a movement sensor built in, but Bose gave up on Augmented Reality sound, in 2020. The glasses feel much more robust that the Lenovo, plus the lenses are the same size and shape as many spectacle frames, making it easier to have prescription lenses fitted. There is no volume control built in, with one switch for on, & Bluetooth paring. Inconveniently, to turn them off you have to invert the glasses.

Audio Glasses Are Now Affordable But Not Great Sound Quality

There have been many attempts at smart glasses for consumers. Google tried and failed with Google Glass there are Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses, and were Bose Frames. Google's were equipped with small screen for Augmented Reality, the Ray-Bans have small cameras for live social media, and the Bose have a movement detector for AR sound. None of these have been a great success. However, there are glasses which simply provide two way sound for phone calls, and listening to music. These are now down to $20. But are they any good? For phone calls, perhaps just, but not for HiFi.

One recent example I found widely offered online are the Lenovo Lecoo C8 Smart Sunglasses (mine were under AU$20 including postage). They arrived sooner than promised from Singapore. The box was a bit crushed, but the glasses were undamaged in the translucent plastic case they are supplied with.

Describing these are "Sport HiFi" is an exaggeration. They are robust enough for everyday wear, but not for sport. The sound quality from the inbuilt speakers is adequate for talking books, and phone conversations, but not music. The sound quality from the built in microphones is poor. The lenses are "Anti Blue", that is blue light blocking, but so are any dark sunglasses. The glasses have the advantage of using a standard micro-USB charging cable, rather than a bespoke one. They are lighter than Bose glasses, but with much poorer sound. The touch control on the side for volume works well. If you are uncomfortable with in, and over, earphones, then for occasional use, the Lenovo Lecoo C8 are adequate. There are alternatives, but not at such an affordable price.