Google is finally getting serious about smart glasses, and this week the first Intelligent Eyewear collections go up for pre-order thanks to a collaboration involving Gentle Monster, Warby Parker, and Samsung. That means that Google has to make a strong case for why shoppers will want to drop $400 or more this holiday season on these frames. One of the big features being promoted is the ability to act as a translation tool, helping to break down language barriers, but some aspects of that support end up working a lot better than others.

What works, and actually works well

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to get some early hands-on time with the smart glasses at Gentle Monster’s New York pop-up. The brand put together a visually stunning event space, packed with demos highlighting many of the different workflows users might experience when using Android XR smart glasses: preparing recipe shopping lists, creating music playlists, and even getting workout tips.