Glasses

Exclusive: Court service says anyone trying to enter buildings with glasses will have them confiscated and returned when they leaveCourts in England and Wales have joined a number of restaurants, theatres and pubs in banning Meta glasses, amid a mounting backlash against what has been described as “spyware”.Last month courts in New York announced a ban on the controversial glasses, which can record video footage while being worn. Continue reading...

Some online shoppers may have left it too late to order – but you can view partial eclipse indirectly without specsA frantic rush is on across the UK to find the right kind of protective eyewear ahead of Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse.High street stores are running out of eclipse glasses and online shoppers who track down a pair are being told they may not reach them until the end of the week. In other words, in plenty of time for the next comparable UK eclipse – in 2081 – but no good at all for Wednesday’s show. Continue reading...

Meta says safeguards are in place to prevent surreptitious filming, but some UK venues now prohibit them from being worn at allWhen Meta used superstar Kylie Jenner to promote its sleek new line of “spy glasses”, the social media company hoped the devices would reach the same broad acceptance that tablets and smartwatches have found before them.But those plans have hit a snag in the UK, where venues from elite restaurants to popular pub chains have banned the £359 glasses in order to preserve the privacy of customers and staff. Continue reading...

Expert says people face being filmed without their consent as $89 Anko smartglasses sell out in stores and onlineGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKmart has sold out of Anko-branded $89 camera glasses across Australia, which a digital rights expert says presents a “privacy nightmare” as people face being filmed without their consent.As of Monday, the clear-lens, black-rimmed glasses, which can capture images and record high-definition videos, were sold out at Kmart stores across Australia and online. Continue reading...

• Comedian Michael Barrymore has sparked privacy concerns after uploading TikTok videos filmed using smart glasses. • A shop worker reported appearing in one of the videos without his knowledge or consent, highlighting the discreet nature of the recording device. • The incident raises significant questions regarding the legality and ethics of filming members of the public in private or commercial settings using wearable technology.

Ayoub Junaid, seven, given new pair but needs surgery as Gaza’s children remain unable to access treatmentA video of a seven-year-old Palestinian boy in Gaza who suffers from a severe visual impairment crying over his shattered glasses has drawn widespread attention across social and international media.The footage of Ayoub Junaid has shone a light on the plight of the many visually impaired children in Gaza who, because of Israel’s blockade and the devastation caused by the war, have been unable to access eye examinations, corrective lenses or specialist ophthalmic surgery. Continue reading...

At annual I/O conference, company debuts a product for everyday consumers to create autonomous AI agentsGoogle announced Tuesday that it would expand its search bar, the centerpiece of the most-visited website in the world, with a heavy dose of artificial intelligence. The tech giant is also trying its hand at hi-tech glasses again, more than a decade after wearers of its first eyewear were dubbed “glassholes” and laughed out of San Francisco.Google executives announced at the company’s annual conference for software developers, Google I/O, that its search box would accommodate longer and more specific queries than before – questions more like those people would ask one another than Search’s idiosyncratic syntax. The changes will direct users to engage directly with Google’s chatbot. The change to search is underpinned by the company’s new artificial intelligence model, Gemini 3.5, announced the same day. Continue reading...