Okay, here we go. Ever had one of those moments where tech just blows your mind? I mean, not in a “whoa, that’s cool” kinda way, but more like “is this even real life?” So, here’s the thing: Brilliant Labs dropped these smart glasses they’re calling Halo. And it sort of feels like sci-fi, but also not? Maybe it’s just my love for futuristic gadgets. Anyway, these things are $300, which honestly feels like a steal. Probably less than a new phone, and those don’t even help you see better. Weird how that works.
So, picture this: they weigh about what… a mini candy bar? 40 grams? I’m imagining holding a tiny scale and feeling around, but I digress. It’s light. They’ve done this heads-up display stuff before—a few gadgets here and there like Monocle, which if you ask me, sounds like something your grandad wore to fancy parties in ’23. 2023, not 1923, but you get it.
And Halo—this is basically their consumer thingy. Stick it on your face all day, no one’s judging. Probably helps with seeing stuff, and it’s open-source, which basically means techies can tinker around like it’s a DIY project.
What’s pushing all this wizardry is something called a Cortex-M55 CPU—seriously sounds like it belongs in a sci-fi movie—and this neural processing dude that’s supposedly doing AI tasks on the spot. And the display is this snazzy micro OLED thing. Colors and stuff. I think it’s fancy, but hey, if it works it works, right?
Oh, and about the AI assistant—Noa. It’s this voice thing that chats with you all day. I guess it’s like having a pet rock that talks back. Useful, but bizarre? Like, it remembers things for later. The battery’s good for 14 hours, so no worries about mid-day crashes, unless you’re up 24/7. Not judging.
Also, did I mention microphones? Yeah, there are two. For chatting with Noa, naturally. A low-power optical—whatever that means—and basically gestures are a go! Wave your hands, tap, and sprinkle some Bluetooth 5.3 magic. I swear there was a point to this, but maybe not.
Anyway, back to that optical sensor—no videos or Snap-worthy pics. Just something called AI inference. Whatever that is. No sneaky pics at least. By the way, while other brands have those tiny LEDs telling the world you’re recording, Halo’s doing its thing differently, maybe for privacy? Who even knows anymore.
Oh, and remember Noa? There’s a freebie basic deal and a premium one. So, like, “free but limited” or “more, but it costs”—the eternal dilemma.
Glasses details? They adjust from +2 to -6 diopters. Words that mean vision correction, I think. Smart Buy Glasses is in the mix for prescriptions. If you’re into that kinda thing.
Here’s the kicker, it’s open source. Brilliant Labs threw the blueprints on GitHub. So if you’re a tinker-happy hipster or a curious tech explorer, go wild. Shipping is apparently first come, first served, starting late 2025. Pre-orders are live! $299 on their website if you’ve got cash burning a hole in your wallet.
Specs? Oh, right. There’s all this nerdy goodness:
– Display: Micro color OLED
– Audio: Bone conduction magic times two
– Processor: Alif B1 with Cortex-M55 and NPU
– Sensors galore
– Lenses—get them prescriptions if you need ’em
– Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
– Software’s open-source on GitHub. ZephyrOS, Lua scripting, and a bunch of app jazz.
– Battery: 14 hours max
– Fit’s for folks with IPD between 58–72mm
– And there’s that weight thing again: a little over 40 grams
Well, that’s about it. Seems like a lot more, but there’s probably an allure in tangible, actual futuristic doodads gracing our noses soon. If you’re trying, drop a line or comment or whatever people do these days to talk about new tech.
