Jennifer Jolly | Special to USA TODAY
This year's CES is focused on the competition for facial technology. Smart glasses seem to be popping up at every corner. However, Halliday's latest AI-infused eyewear is truly the standout highlight for me at CES 2025.
Equipped with a miniature projection screen that displays information directly in your line of sight, these smart glasses are compact, user-friendly, and offer impressive features — such as real-time translation of foreign languages.
I tried out this feature alongside the product's cofounder, who is fluent in Mandarin, and it performed exceptionally — significantly quicker than any other real-time translation tools I've used so far. It's also fantastic for making hands-free phone calls, sending texts, getting directions, and much more.
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Although the Halliday smart glasses currently lack a built-in camera — a feature that many consider essential — the product's cofounder has indicated that this may be addressed in future iterations.
This could easily turn into a new method for cheating in class, as it's virtually impossible for anyone to notice that you're receiving information directly in your line of sight. It's quite remarkable, really.
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The battery lasts an impressive 12 hours, and it features a ring that operates like a trackpad, making it even simpler to switch between different screens and functions.
Smart glasses haven't quite achieved that "essential" level of necessity just yet, but with a surprisingly affordable preorder price of $369 (compared to the $499 retail price), it's worth trying them out when they're released in the first quarter of this year without straining your budget.
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Less smart but more fashion-forward are Chamelo’s new color-changing shades. The company’s new Aura glasses ($385) change from cool blue to purple, ruby, and even crystal clear with the tap of a finger.
The Chamelo Music Shield sunglasses, priced at $249, feature integrated audio and a tint that can be adjusted on the fly. In contrast, the Falcon sunglasses, available for $199, also offer tint adjustment but lack the audio capabilities.
