REVIEWFirst up, put away any thoughts of Snapchat
Spectacles and Google Glass as while Bose Frames have
an augmented element, it’s AR audio we’re dealing with
here. Anything visual is relegated to the design of the
specs themselves (which we rather like the look of).
The ‘wow’ factor comes in how you can listen to
music through these shades without having anything
plugged into your ear – and nobody around you will
notice a thing. Yep, you read correctly.
Going beyond first impressions, just how useful
are these wearables for enjoying your audio on the
go – and is there anything else you can do with them
besides streaming the latest Tame Impala track?
The answer might surprise you.Design
We had a chance to wear the frames for a fortnight
and we can first tell you that yes, nobody on the tube
will hear you listening to your music on the morning
commute. Not unless you’ve really jacked up the
volume as that’s when leakage is noticeable.
Pumping up the volume brings us to our main
niggle, in that playing with volume levels on your
Bose Frames can only be done through your phone.
While there is a discrete button on the right arm of
the glasses with which you can pause, skip and stop,
ideally with an augmented product like this you’d
expect to only touch one device at a time.
Even better would be the ability to control music
using head movements, but that’s perhaps something
to be rolled out in future models or even software
updates. Bose told us at product launch that to enjoyREVIEW
Firstup,putawayanythoughtsofSnapchat
SpectaclesandGoogleGlassaswhileBoseFrameshave
anaugmentedelement,it’sARaudiowe’redealingwith
here.Anythingvisualisrelegatedtothedesignofthe
specsthemselves(whichweratherlikethelookof).
The‘wow’factorcomesinhowyoucanlistento
music through these shades without having anything
pluggedintoyourear– andnobodyaround you will
noticeathing.Yep,youreadcorrectly.
Goingbeyondfirstimpressions,justhowuseful
arethesewearablesforenjoyingyouraudioonthe
go – and is there anything else you can do with them
besidesstreamingthelatestTameImpala track?
Theanswermightsurpriseyou.Design
Wehadachancetoweartheframesforafortnight
andwecanfirsttellyouthatyes,nobodyonthetube
will hearyoulisteningtoyourmusiconthemorning
commute.Notunlessyou’vereallyjackedupthe
volumeasthat’swhenleakageisnoticeable.
Pumpingupthevolumebringsustoourmain
niggle,inthatplayingwithvolumelevelsonyour
BoseFramescanonlybedonethroughyourphone.
Whilethereisadiscretebuttonontherightarmof
theglasseswithwhichyoucanpause,skipandstop,
ideallywithanaugmentedproductlikethisyou’d
expecttoonlytouchonedeviceatatime.
Even better would be the ability to control music
usingheadmovements,butthat’sperhapssomething
toberolledoutinfuturemodelsorevensoftware
updates.Bosetoldusatproductlaunchthattoenjoy