Focally Spectunes smart glasses connect to your phone or laptop via Bluetooth technology, which allows easy audio playback and hands-free calling. But is it worth your money, or is it just a gimmick? Let’s find out in this India Today Tech review.There is a four-year-old Indian brand called Focally that has been making AR glasses, smart glasses, and other smart eyewear. The company reached out to me to review their latest product –– the Spectunes. While I didn’t agree to the review with big hopes from the product, however, an Indian brand working on smart glasses was definitely intriguing. What is also interesting is that they are only priced at Rs 5,499. I had to try these out. I said yes. And 2 weeks ago, the Focally Spectunes were shipped to me, and since then I have been using them as my primary glasses.
Spectunes are essentially smart glasses that use Bluetooth for connectivity, so that you can connect your spectacles with your phone, laptop or any other Bluetooth device. The smart glasses also include a variety of swappable frames. I have been using the Titanium Charm Spectunes for 2 weeks and I loved how it replaced both my boring specs and earbuds. However, the question here is: is it worth your money, or is it just a gimmick? I will answer that in this review.
Focally Spectunes: Things I like
Focally Spectunes smart glasses are a great way to replace your everyday specs. For this product, the company has paid a lot of attention to both design and the technical part of it.
Spectunes come in both Acetate and Titanium frames, though the latter costs Rs 1,000 extra. I have been using the Titanium Charm frames and they are stylish. Interestingly, without any adjustments, the Spectunes were a perfect fit for me. Though, at first, I thought the arms of the glasses looked a bit broad and bulky (not as bulky as the famous Karan Johar glasses), but just a few hours of usage seemed to be enough to get used to it. When I went on to use the device, I realised that, if you consider that the Spectunes houses both its chipset and in-built woofers on the stem, it actually is quite light. It’s probably lighter than many of your regular spectacle frames too.
Unlike the usual pair of glasses, the Spectunes’ frames and arms come detached out of the box. It’s a bit of a DIY situation here. But the assembly is quite simple, thanks to its magnetic hinge, which also helps in swapping frames easily. You can also buy lone-frames in case you already have the arms of Spectunes and want to change up the style of your glasses. These frames are priced starting at Rs 799.On the Focally website, you can also choose to get powered-lens for the device. The only gap in the service here is that they don’t have any service for eyesight-check. In case you want to get prescription glasses, then you have to get your eyes checked at some place and then submit the power for your lenses on the Focally website. The company will then customise the product for you. It is also possible if you want to use any other company’s lens. The company also has no exclusivity on the lens, you can get them changed from any outlet.
Spectunes look great, but what about the tech?
As I have mentioned before, the Spectunes house Bluetooth and speakers in the arms of the product. The speakers are on both arms. To turn the device on, you have to long press the power buttons on both the arms –– you can do it one by one or simultaneously, but you will need to power on both the arms individually. I used it with iOS and Android devices, and the Bluetooth pairing worked smoothly with both.
I also liked that the Focally Spectunes use magnetic charging, which is very easy to connect. You just need to align the magnetic charging points on the stem with the charger and you are done. The device charges from 0 to 100 per cent in 70 minutes. We don’t know the exact battery size on the device, but I used the Focally Spectunes continuously for 3 hours and the battery drop was only 20 per cent. In these 3 hours, I listened to music, and answered several calls. The company says that it can offer up to 8 hours of playback time and I found the claim to be true. I could easily use the Focally Spectunes for two days before putting them to charge again.
Focally Spectunes: What I didn’t like
While I think, the Focally Spectunes stands tall over all the claims, it still lacks a few things. Firstly, there is a very common design flaw. Its charging indicator only lets you know that the device is charging, but neither does it tell you when the device is fully charged, nor does it indicate battery levels. The only way to know the battery levels is if you check your connected device, that is your phone or laptop.
Another drawback is that it does not feature bone-conducting technique. Essentially, these glasses aim to replace both earphones and eyeglasses. But, lack of this feature means, if you are at work and using the Focally Spectunes to listen to music, you have to be conscious about the sound leak. If you are listening to something on a high volume or even taking calls on a high volume, know that everyone around you will also be listening. While it’s good that you constantly have spatial awareness, it compromises on sound quality.
Focally Spectunes smart glasses: Is it worth it?
At a starting price of Rs 5,499, I think Focally Spectunes are decent. The smart glasses are meant to replace your regular-daily spectacles and earbuds with one device. I wouldn’t say Spectunes are a game changer. However, at its price point, it manages to offer a lot of basic features, which are all implemented quite well. If you are particular about sound quality then this device may not be for you. However, if you have been looking for a way to cut down on the number of devices you have to carry, Focally Spectunes will replace at least one of them. Spectunes could also be a great option for people who do not like to use in-ear earbuds.
