Facebook's Ray-Ban Stories smartglasses finally become a tiny bit 'smart'

Facebook made its “smart” glasses finally do something a little smart.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday that the Ray-Ban Stories glasses it debuted last year would get their first substantial software update. Rolling out immediately are the abilities to make phone calls, as well as send and hear messages read out loud via WhatsApp. Zuck promised another update would “soon” bring voice-activated message replies to both Messenger and WhatsApp via Ray-Ban Stories.

Look at this "cool" guy. Credit: Facebook

This is significant because the glasses as they existed at launch last year weren’t really “smartglasses” in any sense of the word. They could take photos and videos using onboard cameras, as well as play podcasts or music with really crappy speakers that sat above the ear rather than inside it (so anyone within six feet of you could hear it). Other than that, though, they were pretty much just Ray-Bans that cost $300.

Does this newest update do more to justify a purchase? I dunno. That’s up to you. If you choose to go down that road, just be prepared for people to look at you like you’re some kind of mega-creep because you’re pointing sunglasses with cameras mounted to them in their direction.