North, the Canadian startup formerly known as Thalmic Labs, wasted no time bringing its latest wearable to consumers. Less than a month after the company announced it would begin making Focals, custom-made smart glasses with a transparent holographic display, product showrooms have popped up in Brooklyn and Toronto.
Coming in at $1,000, Focals price tag rivals that of many high-end wearables like the Mount Blanc Summit 2. And like luxury smartwatches, North’s newest wearable allows you to complete many common tasks without pulling you’ll smartphone out of your pocket. In addition to the holographic display to see information, there’s a built-in microphone for voice commands and an included ring that allows you to interact with Focals without lifting your hand.
Focals allows you to see and respond to texts, get turn-by-turn directions, and even request an Uber. Alexa is integrated as well, meaning you can easily control smart appliances and fixtures directly from the smart glasses.
Focals are currently available in two frame styles with three color options. The Classic option is a contemporary take on the tradition chunky square frame, and will begin shipping to customers in December 2018. Round is a more bold frame option and will start shipping in early 2019.
If you’re planning to replace your regular glasses with Focals, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. At this time, Focals are only available with non-prescription lenses. North plans to offer its smart glasses with prescription lenses in the future but hasn’t announced an official launch date for the product yet.
While you can pre-order Focals online, you need to go to one of the actual showrooms to complete your order. North showrooms are the only place that can take proper measurements for its custom-made smart glasses. If you’re not close to a showroom, there is an option to reserve a pair of Focals with a refundable deposit and request a new location.
The North showrooms in Toronto and Brooklyn are now open. If you’re interested in purchasing Focals, you can begin the process online with a $100 deposit. You can also walk into either North showroom to see the frames and experience Focals firsthand.
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