Smart glasses are an interesting proposition: they offer up-close content exploration in a less restrictive way to a VR headset, but they also make you let out an audible sigh of ‘Why?’, particularly when they’re pitched as something you can use for work.
Today, Lenovo has added another device to the face wearables market, announcing the Glasses T1. They’re basically an additional monitor disguised as a pair of glasses with a micro-OLED display.
According to the company, the Lenovo Glasses T1 wearable offer “private display for on-the-go content consumption”. They’re described as providing “superb image quality” and “high-efficiency optics for extended battery life”. The Glasses T1 are also lightweight so users can “explore and enjoy content well beyond the limited screen size of mobile devices”.
The Lenovo Glasses T1 boast a micro-OLED display, a 60hz refresh rate, 1920×1080 per eye resolution, high-fidelity built-in speakers and a cable. Yep, you can’t even move around with them on (which, to be honest, is probably a good thing).
They’re not intended to replace a VR headset, nor are you really meant to leave your desk if you’ve got the Glasses T1 plonked on your face, rather Lenovo considers them to be more of a ‘virtual monitor’.
“With high optical efficiency and low overall power consumption, the Lenovo Glasses T1 can stream videos or play games from tethered mobile devices for up to hours without worrying about draining the batteries of the connected devices,” Lenovo said.
But, as Lenovo said in its press release, the face monitor is not just about fun and games.
“As hybrid work has become the new norm, professionals are looking to get more done on their mobile devices, but working on private business-critical documents on a PC in public spaces creates risk. Using the Lenovo Glasses T1, workers have a private workspace to prevent shoulder surfing,” the company said.
The Lenovo Glasses T1 will go on sale in China in late 2022 and be available in other select markets in 2023. Pricing will be announced upon availability, the company said.