June Wan/ZDNET
Smart glasses are among the latest and most interesting tech developments. They suit an audience of tech enthusiasts and photographers and can even help bridge the gap for those with visual impairment. Amazon took its stab at them, introducing the Echo Frames in 2019 and updating them periodically since.
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Luckily, Amazon is offering an early Prime exclusive bundle deal -- even days ahead of Prime Day, which starts on July 8. For only $130, you can get the third generation of Echo Frames in any color, plus an Echo Spot. That's an excellent offer, considering Amazon is selling the Echo Frames alone for $270. Amazon is also offering another Prime exclusive bundle at a discount. The Echo Frames and Echo Show 8 are on sale together for $240.
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.
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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.
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You can make calls, though, which would be a selling point for business professionals or those on the go. The glasses can also be used for controlling Alexa devices, like the Echo Spot, Amazon's Alexa-enabled alarm clock, which comes with this bundle.
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