Amazon Echo Frames (2nd Gen) deal puts intelligence on your face

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By Lance Ulanoff
published

Smart glasses don't have to be silly or expensive

Amazon Echo Frames deal
(Image credit: Future)

Smart glasses have a bit of a reputation, and not necessarily a good one. They can look too weird, technical, or geeky. Amazon helped break that trend with its Amazon Echo Frames, smart, prescription-friendly eyewear it introduced in 2019. But the $249 Alexa-enabled frames cost as much as prescription eyeglasses without the lens. Amazon's early Prime Day deal, though, slashes 60% off the price to bring them down to $99.

It's probably the right price for a wearable that doesn't offer any digital visuals (think augmented reality) and instead focuses solely on audio, listening for your Alexa queries and answering you through speakers embedded in the stems.

This $99 deal means you might even be able to afford the smart glasses as a spare pair of eyewear for when you want to look and be smarter, too.

(Not in the US? Scroll down for Echo Frames deals in your region).

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Amazon Echo Frames | was $249.99 | now $99.99 at Amazon Smart glasses that don't try to do too much or make you look like you're wearing technology fit the bill for winning wearables. And now it's priced sensibly, at least during this early Prime Day sale. Remember, you still have to buy your prescription lenses. 

These second-generation frames look a little less bulky, effectively hiding most of the technology in the still-thicker than normal stems. However, they're also in just a few color choices and, really, one classic style. If you need more fashion choices, you might want to look for different and not-so-smart eyewear.

Battery life varies widely depending on activity. Listening to music could give you 14 hours, but a two-way phone call might cut it down to two. As an Alexa-enabled device, it will let you voice control smart devices throughout your home - and you don't have to shout for the glasses to hear you. The audio, by the way, is, despite not being in-ear, decent and can make it feel like the sound is happening inside your head - or at least that was our experience.

The Echo Frames will work fine as sunglasses. For prescription lenses, Amazon notes, you can get a prescription from Lens Crafters, Boomerang-lens.com, or your own eyeglass professional. In all cases, you'll pay extra for the prescription lenses.

More Amazon Echo Frames deals

No matter where you live, you'll find all the lowest prices for the Amazon Echo Frames from around the web right here, with offers available in your region. 

More Prime Day deals

Lance Ulanoff
Lance Ulanoff
Editor At Large

A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.


Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Ryan, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC.