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When I first reported a serious voice assistant bug affecting Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, I believed it was device-specific. After a phone or WhatsApp call, the “Hey Meta” assistant would go silent — and wouldn’t respond again until the glasses were physically reset. For me as a quadriplegic, that meant total loss of control. But I’ve now confirmed the same failure occurs with Apple’s Powerbeats Pro 2 — even when the Meta glasses are not connected. What happened I was out on my own, just wearing the Powerbeats Pro 2 — Apple’s latest true wireless earbuds — connected to my iPhone. Everything was working well. I was messaging friends via Siri, completely hands-free. Then I made a call. As soon as the call ended, everything stopped. No “Hey Siri.” No voice readouts. No control. Just silence. ...

Apple has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, creating products that not only captivate the general public but also offer unique benefits for disabled people . With recent reports suggesting that Apple is working on its own smart glasses, there’s no better time to explore the potential impact these wearable devices could have. From enhancing accessibility to creating a new wave of consumer excitement, Apple smart glasses could be the next big thing. Apple smart glasses In a recent Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple’s Vision group is working on smart glasses similar to the Amazon Echo Frames or the Meta Ray-Bans, which offer some smart audio and AI features. However, Gurman said that the: “idea of making true augmented reality glasses has ...

Meta is struggling to retain users for its Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, with over 90 percent of consumers having abandoned the platform, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Launched in September 2021, for some at least the integration of the smart glasses into our daily lives has brought a new dimension of connectivity and convenience. With the partnership between Meta and Ray-Ban, the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses have already made a remarkable impact on my life allowing me to take photos and videos for the first time. However, there is always room for improvement and with a second generation of Ray-Ban Stories rumoured to still be in the pipeline, despite the current model’s low user retention, here are five innovative ways in which Meta can enhance the Ray-Ban Stories sm...

As Apple prepares to unveil its first foray into smart wearable headgear, the soon to be launched Reality Pro headset, Meta has been busy upgrading its Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, which have been around since 2021. Smart glasses have made significant progress in blending fashion with cutting-edge technology, and the iconic Ray-Ban Stories just got even smarter. With some exciting recent updates, these stylish eyewear companions are now equipped with three features that enhance your connectivity and convenience. Let’s dive into the details and discover how these upgrades make your life easier and more enjoyable. Make phone calls effortlessly In February, I revealed how Meta was working to introduce calls and messages from your phone to the Ray-Ban Stories. With the latest update to...

Last week Apple released the latest beta version of its iPhone operating system iOS 16.4 to developers and public beta testers. iOS 16.4 beta is full of new features. These include new emoji, enhanced support for 5G, the ability to enable push notifications for web apps, and the return of the new architecture for the Home app. Apple has also added some new Shortcuts actions to iOS 16.4 beta one of which will be extremely helpful for accessibility and those of us with upper limb disabilities. Last October, in a interview with 9to5 Mac I called for Apple to introduce a Shortcuts action to control the auto-answer calls feature on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and I am thrilled to report with the release of iOS 16.4 beta the company has clearly listened. Background When it was first released one...

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, announced in a blog post this week that it will soon be rolling out a new feature on its Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses that will allow users to make hands-free phone calls using their phone number. Additionally, the glasses will be equipped with the ability to read incoming text messages out loud, providing an even more convenient way for users to stay connected while on the go. Launched in 2021, and combining fashion and technology, Ray-Ban Stories are the first wearable product from a partnership between Meta and EssilorLuxottica the company behind the Ray-Ban sunglasses brand. Ray-Ban Stories look similar to a standard pair of Ray-Ban glasses yet incorporate technologies like cameras, audio, touch controls, and microphones which let you capture video an...

Ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on the 6th of June Apple has previewed updated accessibility features coming to its platforms later this year. Among the software updates with the potential to change lives are LiDAR-powered Door Detection for blind or visually impaired users, Live Captions for deaf people or those with hearing loss, and features which give those with physical and motor disabilities the ability to control the Apple Watch via an iPhone. It is the second year in a row Apple has previewed accessibility updates ahead of its annual cycle of more general software updates, which this year will be unveiled at WWDC next week. This is what Apple has announced, with particular interest to disabled people with physical and motor impairments, as well as some qu...