Well, I guess my husband could have predicted that I'd end up deciding to keep both the Meta and the Seleste Glasses. I find that each does things I appreciate. I'll go through a few here, in case it's helpful.
Connecting:
Meta connects more quickly, and uses bluetooth. The Seleste glasses use both Bluetooth and Wifi, so connecting them is a bit clunky. You have to open the seleste app, and if you're away from home, you also have to open the hotspot on your phone. The latest update does connect the Seleste glasses a bit faster.
Audio,
The meta glasses have speakers on both sides, and are very good quality. The phone's sound goes through the glasses, so you can have open ears. The Seleste glasses have only a tiny tinny speaker on the right side, but you can route the sound through the phone and use one or both of your favorite earbuds.
AI
You get Meta's AI by saying Hey Meta, and You get Seleste's AI by saying Hey Sam. The Meta one is definitely faster, but it is limited in what it will do for us as blind people. Despite what I thought, when I posted somewhere on this site, I can't get Meta to read full text on pages. It insists on summarizing. The Seleste AI will read the text in it's entirety
The meta AI refuses to answer any questions about obstacles etc., saying that it won't answer health or safety questions. Not sure yet about the Seleste glasses, but will try soon.
Connectivity.
Meta wins Hands down. I can send texts, make calls, video call with Messenger and What'sapp, while Seleste has none of those features.
Use in a professional setting:
Seleste is the clear winner. I can press a button for text scanning, and for scene description. If I want more info, I can type a discrete request to the AI. Meta only works with voice commands.
So, for me, it's Meta for play and commuting, and Seleste for work. I sure wish I could combine the best features of both.
Hope this helps. .
Comments
Thank you very much indeedā¦
Thank you very much indeed for this comparison.
Would you be so kind as to add in a comparison between the two in terms of physical appearance? I have the meta ray-bans and I'd say they are slightly chunky sunglasses that most wouldn't clock as smart. How do they compare with teh Seleste glasses?
Also, can you sit and read a book with the Seleste? That would be a sell for me.
Thanks for this!!
I will probably end up keeping both too. My original plan was to purchase the Meta, then return the Celeste. But I just can't, I want to see how the Celeste glasses evolve!
How they look, and reading a book
Well, how about that, my subject line rhymes. LOL
The appearence of the Seleste glasses is a little cheaper than the meta, but perfectly acceptable. The first time I wore then, my boss, who was on a video call, texted to say that she loved the glasses. I asked a few people, and all said that they look like normal glasses.
I've read molti-page documents with no problem with the Seleste glasses, and I have heard on this site that people have enjoyed sitting and reading a book with them. They do text recognition very well.
The Seleste glasses & Meta glasses.
I don't have the Meta glasses yet... but my mother, who is sighted, did comment that the Seleste glasses did look really nice on me!
I don't consider myself to have a large or giant face, but she did say that she didn't see any issues of me wearing them. I didn't look strange, etc.
I got the standard size of the Meta glasses, and I think they are set to come on Tuesday.
I can't wait.
Thanks, I have received mine
The Celeste glasses that is. I have received the hardware as of today but not received a link where I can download the app. I am very excited and very impatient to begin using them. Are you still enjoying them? Do you feel like improvements are being made to the platform?
Re: Thanks, I have received mine
Hey @SSWFTW,
If you kept your shipping email, the link should be in that email. If you need the link, let us know and someone can give it to you.
I feel like improvements are being made, and I am loving them so far. I have both the Meta smart glasses, and the Seleste glasses, but I still do definitely think that the Seleste glasses do better at describing my scene/ reading text, etc. Not hallucinating, etc.
My favorite thing to use the Meta smart glasses for so farIs to listen to music and record videos! I have the wayfarer version, the shiny black/clear ones. They have proven very useful for recording videos for sure!
Porsche
If someone would share the link to the app that would be great! I am so so excited and seeing your comment here only makes me more excited. I am really interested in the Meta glasses as well.
Unfortunately I can't find the link in with the shipping info.
Which pair do you find yourself wearing more?
My thoughts on the seleste glasses.
I don't like the one armed speaker thing.
The tts can't pronounce bluetooth correctly.
I'm not a fan of the square frames.
I don't like how there's no voice telling you to download, name of ap, from the app store/play store.
Over all, I have to give these a 0 out of 5.
Perhaps once they're working with the app they're alright but chat gpt 4o will already outpase them, as soon as they're in a pair of glasses, I think meta and glasses like it are going to have to really really step up their game.
link to the app
does anyone have the link
Brad, I have to agree with you
The speaker is 'expletive deleted' and the software only does two things, very slowly. They would be OK if they were a one off purchase, but the $50 a month is to much.
you don't use the speakerā¦
you don't use the speaker built into the glasses for anything except checking the battery, so I think that poor horse has been beat to death over and over again.
If you have not used any function of the glasses, you can not rate them based on the nothing experience you had.
I am going to be posting a lengthy review soon.
I have actually tried the glasses with the app, so I can give a fair and honest review based on my experiences.
also. Sswfwt have you triedā¦
also.
Sswfwt have you tried contacting seleste to send you the link?
Are you sure you are right abou tthe speaker?
When I had them, you could do everything over the speaker. If you wanted the good voice, you could have it coming out of your iPhone.
If you wanted to, you could wear Air pods with the glasses and have the good voice coming out of them.
I even saw one user say the they used two headset with the glasses, to get good results with navigation.
This was the situation up to the end of the second week of April. Things might have changed.
My thoughts.
I'm sorry I hadn't posted my review yet, things have been chaotic as all heck LOL!
but I'll be posting my full review on my site, will post here as well.
Re: link to the app
@SSWFTW,
I messaged you with the link, just in case for some reason, you can't get it.
Hope that is okay, just wanted to let you know.
Porsche
Thank you so much I really do appreciate it. With the link I was able to download the app and begin using them.
Lottie
You are technically correct. A person can choose to have the AI come from the speaker in the side of the glasses.
We both know everyone has their seleste app set to root their audio through their phones which then send that to your desired headset if you wish to wear one.
Everyone wants the higher quality voice and faster processing time.
This is the reason I said you don't use the speaker for anything but checking the battery level.
link to the app
Would you mind sending me the link as well? I got my shipping notification with a link to track and a link to update my billing info, but no testflight link. Hopefully apple approves the app so that part gets easier to manage.
Oh, OK, CrazyEyez
Now I know where you are coming from...
Yes, you are pretty much forced to have your phone in earshot or wear a headset of some sort along with the glasses.
And that's my problem, the two things the Seleste glasses do, which they do with mixed results and very slowly, do not offer any sort of value whatsoever.
The Ray-Ban glasses are excellent sunglasses, a very good headset and 'a reasonable start' on Assistive Intelligence.
The Seleste glasses will read a page of text to you...but nothing else when I had them. I know they describe scenes, but I am talking about what they actually do that the Meta glasses don't.
After four months you have paid for both, the Seleste then cost you $50 a month - with the hope that updates to the hardware and software will payoff at some point in the future.
There are obvious reasons why all these things I am saying have happened, but the sad truth is, the Seleste glasses seem to be one of those victims of a time when technology is moving very fast - a bit like Diamond Rio mp3 players twenty years ago.
I feel insulted.
I feel insulted by the one speaker thing, you guys who use this companys product shouldn't have to rout your stuff to the phone, especially when you're paying $50 a month.
I understand there's going to be new hardware, perhaps you'll get two speakers this time, but having tried the product as much as I could without the app, well, i'd not use them in the future because of this.
Shub and Sunwhoo seam nice enough but honestly their product comes across to me as, I think tacky is the right word hear.
The day any glasses connect to phone apps, Seleste is sunk
I think Seleste would be more successful if they worked on improving the glasses themselves, and connecting with something like Be my eyes or even just the phone in general. If they could become the camera, speakers and microphone, they could sell a tons of glasses, and we could use one of the already available and more advanced products.
The speed and quality of the Meta glasses see them land on my face every morning as I leave for work. I haven't taken the Selest glasses out of their case in days. I'm going to take them on a trip to Toronto next week, and unless I find some value in them, I'm sending them back.
I want to support a startup, but I'm not seeing the things that frustrate me being improved. I'm not OK with a multi-step startup that needs wifi every time. Meta is faster with just bluetooth. I don't mind so much about the headphone thing, but that should be an option, not a necessity.
Time will tell whether Seleste makes, it, but my pacience is running short.