Meta Glasses Nova review: Testing AI glasses during a day on Long Island

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I’ll admit I’m a little cautious about how quickly AI is working its way into our lives on Long Island. So I was surprised by how much fun I had trying out the new Meta Glasses, and how much they taught me.

With the popularity of Meta Glasses Starfire Edition and the wave of content being made with Meta’s newest products, I wanted to give wearable AI a try. I was also curious whether the glasses could give our newsroom a new perspective on local issues.

Meta Glasses Nova at a glance:

• Price: Starting at $299
• Frame: Round frames in black, tortoiseshell, sage and sandstone
• Camera: Ultrawide 12MP camera and 3K Ultra HD video
• Battery: 8+ hours, plus a foldable charging case that adds 40+ hours
• Audio: Open ear speakers with a multiple microphone array and wind reduction
• Meta AI: Built in and hands free, with several voice options
• Live translation: 20 languages
• Fit: Metal adjustable nose bridge, three way adjustable nose pads and extendable hinges
• Prescription: Supported
• Water resistance: IPX4, which means rain, not swimming

Why I chose the Nova

I love the style of both the new Nova and Capri frames, but I went with the Nova because I thought its shape would sit comfortably on more faces. Our goal is to pass these glasses between reporters in the field, so they need to fit everyone.

A few features made that easy:

• Adjustable fit: The adjustable nose bridge and pads let me fit the frames to my face, then hand them off to a coworker who could do the same.
• Prescription lenses: Meta can fit the lenses to your prescription. It takes a little longer and can add to the cost, but it’s worth it when you consider how many ways you can use these glasses every day.

A Saturday with Meta AI

With a busy Saturday ahead of me, I took the Meta Glasses for a test drive. Before I even left the house, Meta had helped me plan my day:

• Train check: I was picking up a friend at the Long Island Rail Road station in Rockville Centre. When she didn’t answer my text, I asked Meta, which let me know the trains were running on schedule.
• Lunch stop: We had a long day ahead, so I asked whether Seven Brothers Gourmet Deli in Oceanside was open. It was, and we grabbed sandwiches on our way to Long Beach.
• Weather: Meta told me the day would be unexpectedly sunny for fall, but suggested bringing a jacket for the late afternoon.
• Waves and wind: The West End of Long Beach, where the parade takes place, is surrounded by water on both sides, which can add a chill to the air. Meta gave me a rundown of wave conditions and what to expect around the bay’s high and low tides.

Our destination was the annual Saint Brendan The Navigator Irish Day Parade and Festival. Every first Saturday in October, people from all over Long Island head to Long Beach to celebrate Irish heritage. The parade, sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Division 17, kicks off at 11 a.m. The festivities last late into the night, so it pays to come prepared.

Hands free at the parade

I still remember last year’s Irish Day clearly. I was juggling a hot tea, digging for my coat in my bag, holding my phone and plugging in a portable charger for a friend, all while trying to film my family members marching in the parade. There was nowhere on our corner to set anything down.

I had to step back from the crowd and put everything on the ground just to regroup. While I did, I missed my cousin marching with Long Beach’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1384.

This year was different.

Just as Meta predicted, the sun was out and my jacket stayed in my bag most of the day. I had a drink in one hand and my phone stayed in my pocket. With one click on my glasses, I could take photos and videos of every group marching past.

With my hands free, I could relax and enjoy the day. Whether it was the pour of a Guinness or dancing with friends, I captured every memory in a snap.

Bringing Meta AI to the newsroom

After a weekend with the glasses, I’m excited to bring them into our newsroom.

At the end of September, a nor’easter dropped more than three inches of rain on Long Island and hit our South Shore communities hard. The rain and wind, combined with lunar high tides, flooded roads and properties in Baldwin, Freeport and Long Beach.

When I stepped out to move debris that had floated from my yard into the street, the water was halfway to my knees. I was so focused on what was happening around me, and my hands were so full, that I never grabbed my phone.

If I had been wearing Meta Glasses, I could have captured that moment from my own perspective with the press of a button. Then I could have gone right back to dealing with the emergency.

Our team runs into the same problem in bad weather:

• Photographers worry about damaging expensive equipment in rain and snow.
• Reporters working in the cold lose precious seconds pulling off their gloves, and sometimes miss the shot.
• The glasses are water resistant, so they can handle rain and snow (just not a swim).

That’s why we plan to use them during the next major storm to hit Long Island. Experts predict storms like these will become more common.

I’ve also asked our reporters to try the glasses and send me their ideas. AI has potential in the newsroom, but we want to use it to cover our local communities in new ways. We’re still on the ground, talking with people and connecting with our neighbors. Meta Glasses simply give us room to reach out more and get involved without missing a moment of the action around us.

Shop our other Meta favorites

The Nova isn’t the only option. These Meta glasses offer different frame styles and features for everything from everyday wear to outdoor workouts.

Meta Glasses Adventurer ($249): Meta's most affordable AI glasses yet. A clean rectangle frame with the same 3K video capture and Meta AI features. Preorder now, shipping Oct. 23. Shop at Meta

Meta Glasses Capri (from $299): A bold cat-eye frame with a fashion-forward look, plus 12MP photos, 3K video, open-ear audio and hands-free Meta AI. Available with sun, polarized, Transitions and prescription lens options. Shop at Meta

Meta Glasses Starfire Edition (from $399): A slim oval frame designed with Kylie Jenner and available in classic Black or the new Ivory colorway. Capture 12MP photos and 3K video, listen through open-ear speakers and use Meta AI without reaching for your phone. Shop at Meta

Ray-Ban Meta Audio (from $349): All the music, calls and Meta AI with no camera at all. Clubmaster and Burbank styles, up to 12 hours of battery. Ships Oct. 13. Shop at Meta