The line to buy @Snapchat's new @Spectacles here in Venice is more than 100 people deep. Lots of curious onlookers and impulse buyers. pic.twitter.com/8N2PT5Flim
— Sean Ludwig (@seanludwig) November 10, 2016
Those who happened to be in Venice Beach today and found themselves looking for a bit of distraction might have noticed a bizarre yellow vending machine with black and yellow balloons floating above it. As Consumerist reports, that machine is not selling tiny Minion toys, but rather the first hardware offering from Snap Inc. (née Snapchat). Called Spectacles, the glasses have a built-in camera and sync via bluetooth to the owner's cellphone.
"Imagine one of your favorite memories," the company wrote in its introductory blog post. "What if you could go back and see that memory the way you experienced it? That’s why we built Spectacles,"
If the lines and the fact that Snap Inc. was forced to quickly restock the Venice Beach machine are any indication, Snap Inc. succeeded where Google Glass failed in making face computers cool.
The sunglasses cost $130, come in three styles, and as The Verge reports will, at least initially, be sold by vending machines that the company will move around the country. Oh, and because why not, the company isn't calling them "vending machines." Rather, they're "Snapbots." Got it?
Snap Inc. released a map which is supposed to tell excited consumers where they can find Snapbots near them, but at the time of this writing it just depicts a carton vending machine that appears to be sleeping. In the meantime, you can still buy the next generation of privacy invading tech — as long as you're willing to pay a hefty markup.
will be interesting to see where the second markets net out for @Spectacles after a week or so ($130 from Snap if you can find) pic.twitter.com/6YFWAI3vti
— Marcus Pratt (@mawkus) November 10, 2016
I PROMISE this isn't an ad but the Snapchat Spectacles are so sick 😎😎😎 pic.twitter.com/F6tq1DP96i
— Caleb Chin (@thecalebchin) November 10, 2016
Previously: Snapchat Unveils Its Own Cheaper Google Glass, Called Spectacles