Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Smart glasses are a hot buy. We've seen plenty of new models hit the market in the last several years, including Amazon's own Echo Frames, which first launched in 2019. They're an oldie, but certainly a goodie. In fact, our expert liked them so much, he ditched his Meta Ray-Bans, which are more expensive.
Also: The best October Prime Day deals
In if you're eyeing your own pair, you're in luck. Amazon is offering an early October Prime exclusive bundle deal -- even days ahead of Prime Day, which begins next week on Oct. 7. For only $120, you can get the third generation of Echo Frames in several colors and frame styles, plus an Echo Spot. That's an excellent offer, considering Amazon is selling the Echo Frames alone for a whopping $270.
A good way to describe the Echo Frames is as headphones with a little more utility. Besides wearing them for the aesthetic, the glasses offer many different features that substitute devices like your headphones or Bluetooth speaker and your Alexa devices.
Also: I replaced my Ray-Ban Meta with these Amazon smart glasses, and was impressed
The glasses are still extremely capable. An Alexa assistant is available, and you can use it to listen to books, music, and podcasts, as the open-ear speakers direct sound to your ear while minimizing it for others around you.
These frames are a good entry point into smart glasses, as the price is fair. However, the features are minimal compared to their competitors. For instance, the Echo Frames do not have a built-in camera.
A closer look at the Amazon Echo Frames 3rd Gen. Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Also: The best October Prime Day Echo device deals
... continue reading