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Tell HN: I'm on a cross-continent flight using AR glasses

4 points by remh ↗ HN
A few weeks ago I got my hands on a pair of AR glasses after reading about them here on HN, the ones that are like sunglasses with a semi-transparent LED screen. They promise to be a big screen experience on-the-go.

So, I gave them a shot at home first and they actually exceeded my expectations. But, let's be real, but it felt like a gimmick in a home office environment.

But, my cross-continent flight was the perfect opportunity to put these babies to the test. I brought my trusty wireless keyboard and mouse along for the ride and here's what I found:

The Good:

- If you're like me and used to working on monitors, these glasses are definitely a step up from using a laptop while traveling. - There's definitely some potential in this technology.

The Not-So-Good:

- The display quality is just okay, nothing too impressive and led to eye fatigue only after a few minutes. - The lack of head tracking can be a bit disorienting. - The wires and keyboard/mouse setup isn't exactly sleek. A wireless option will be needed.

All in all, I think the technology still has a ways to go but in the next few years, it could really mature and open up some cool new opportunities.

Going to put them down now as my eyes are hurting though.

Is anyone using those on a day to day basis?

4 comments

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dougmwne
I have read some reports of people trying to use Quest VR headsets to watch movies on the plane. They are not the most comfortable and the tracking is affected a bit by the plane movement, but it sounds like feeling like you are sitting alone in a giant theater instead of crammed into a tiny seat is a bit priceless during a long flight. I’d love to try it out one day, maybe when these get a bit smaller and maybe get an airplane mode that stabilizes the tracking in moving vehicles.
johntash
What glasses are you trying? I've seen a few videos of people using their steamdeck with AR glasses, and it seems kind of neat.

Having them on a plane could be interesting. What resolution is the display equivalent to?

remh
I used the nreal air. To do actual work I think the quality is not there yet but to watch a movie it seems pretty good (coupled with earphones)
johntash
Thanks, the nreal air are the ones I had seen a few videos about. I'm not sure if they're worth the current price to me yet, but I might think about it if it comes down in price or a newer version comes out