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I feel like I would have been the ideal customer for it. I travel a lot and I'm a developer deep in the Apple ecosystem who is constantly wishing he had more sc

I feel like I would have been the ideal customer for it. I travel a lot and I'm a developer deep in the Apple ecosystem who is constantly wishing he had more screen real estate while bouncing between hotels and Airbnbs every few weeks. I bought it and tried it for two weeks and ended up returning it. It's really cool, but even aside from the issues with 1.0 like not being able to just pull up individual app windows from my mac or multiple desktops -- it's just too impractical, it takes too much effort to get into this thing. A phone, a tablet, a laptop, you can pick up, immediately use, put down, interact with the world around you, pick up again, zero friction, it's not restrictive, it's not an item of clothing, it doesn't take over your whole world and sensory system and thus alienate you from everyone and everything around you. Not only is it that whole extra thing, but it needs to be plugged into a special battery pack, so you have another usb cable dangling onto this bulky pack which is daisy chained to your laptop or another charging port unless you want it to die in 2 hours. So you pull out your laptop, plug it into a charger, pull out your headset, plug it into its battery pack, plug that battery pack into your laptop, put on the headset, untangle yourself from the wires and figure out where to set the battery pack to be out of the way... It's just so much faffing around. Plus it's fucking huge and takes up the majority of my backpack and I like to travel with a single carry on backpack. A pair of Raybans with a usb c cable sticking out, maybe I could see that being legitimately usable without having to make a giant effort just to use it. It seems like a few companies are getting close to that, but I have yet to try those alternatives.

conradev 2y ago
Very much agreed. Here is the pair of Raybans with a USB-C cable sticking out: https://www.viture.com/store?pid=9412104487193 https://www.viture.com/store?pid=9412104487193 It works with phones, too, which is cool!
- ChuckMcM 2y ago
  I tried a pair of those and returned them because the whole screen flying around was really disorienting.
  - zmmmmm 2y ago
    The latest ones do have solutions for that (head locked vs space locked displays). This also was one of my requirements, but now I'm actively considering them. The main thing holding me back now is that the tech is improving so rapidly that picking a time to buy in is hard.
- virgildotcodes 2y ago
  The product may be awesome but the website seems to be designed like a dropshipping site.
- Gigachad 2y ago
  Why do the glasses look photoshopped on to the models? Surely it wouldn’t have been that hard to take a photo of someone actually wearing them.
- tippytippytango 2y ago
  I tried these with much excitement. Unfortunately they give me immediate eye strain and headaches. The optics need a tremendous amount of work. 1080p is also not enough. But some people love them. It’s a product you just have to try and see if it works for you and return if they don’t.
meiraleal 2y ago
I'm waiting for the Freeza Scouter model (Dragon ball Z). One full imersed eye and ear experience. That's the perfect ergonomics.
- brailsafe 2y ago
  All we really need is the ability to check someone's power level anyway, what the hell else would convince me to put digital glasses on for!?
underlogic 2y ago
What's up with Raybans? They make the cheapest looking vanilla generic glasses I've ever seen, put a tacky logo on the lens and sell for a fortune. Why does anyone buy them?
- KerrAvon 2y ago
  They’re vanilla now because everyone copied their designs decades ago. They’re the original. Doesn’t mean they’re worth the cost, but now you know.
  - underlogic 2y ago
    I can't imagine anyone going to a whiteboard back in the day to make a pair of sunglasses and walk away with any lesser of a design than Raybans. Give human ingenuity at least some credit. you can tie your shoes you can out design Raybans
- appendix-rock 2y ago
  I’m genuinely not sure how to say this without a little bit of snark, but do you…know how fashion works?
  - Gigachad 2y ago
    Sunglasses do seem to be taking the piss more than other items. An expensive pair of leather shoes can easily be justified by the cost of the materials, manual labor, build quality, and extended lifespan over cheaper options. While sunglasses seem to be a bit of injection moulded plastic with some lenses for a 20x markup.
    - Tagbert 2y ago
      It’s mainly because of the Luxxotica monopoly. If course, there are a lot of sunglasses that are not name brands and those a much cheaper.
      - 2y ago
al_borland 2y ago
>Plus it's fucking huge and takes up the majority of my backpack and I like to travel with a single carry on backpack. I'm the same way. When I saw the reviews and the travel case, it seemed completely impractical for anyone who doesn't check luggage, on top of bringing a carry on and personal item. I also prefer to look like a waste of time for any would-be thief of pickpocket. It seemed like a Vision Pro would put a target on my back that I didn't want.
matco11 2y ago
This is the best review I have ever read on the Apple Vision Pro. Also, we should probably stop lying to ourselves, and finally admit what we have known in hour hearts for a little while now: Apple is not anymore what it used to be. Reading this makes it clear… Apple Vision Pro is the modern equivalent of John Sculley’s Apple Newton
- Gigachad 2y ago
  Not sure this is really an Apple thing. Basically all the tech companies have released some VR or AR product that either flopped, or was downgraded to a niche industry product. Remember just a few years ago when Meta was trying to convince us that the metaverse was the future.
  - kyriakos 2y ago
    Part of Apple's strength is getting into the market at the right time when technology is ready and offering a streamlined, just works experience. Apple Vision Pro is nothing like that and that's why the previous commenter said it's not the usual Apple...
    - Herokladaikum 2y ago
      [dead]
  - ffsm8 2y ago
    Meta didn't stop with that though? Just a few weeks ago they released new products that actually have a much bigger potential then the Vision Pro for the usecases virgildotcode imagined. I.e. Orion AR. As a person that only knows about it from the presentation/demos it kinda sounded like a crossover of VR headset and Google Glasses https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-first-true-augmented-reality-glasses/ https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-firs... Though I sincerely doubt it will succeed at a wider audience either, even if it's mass market appeal is way higher. The tech just isn't there yet - we'd need 4-8+k displays per eye with batteries that need to last at least 10 hours for this to become really viable (even if we could probably compromise batteries with a usb-c connection to the laptop for this particular usecase)
Gigachad 2y ago
I don’t understand why they didn’t make this a gaming device. All this hassle would be worth it to play immersive shooter games or VR chat with full hand and face tracking. No one is going to go through all that to open up Apple notes and YouTube when your phone and MacBook does exactly the same thing.
- benoau 2y ago
  The gaming industry wants to bring their existing marketplaces and platforms and even when that's not explicitly prohibited Apple wants 30% of their gross revenue and requires each game implement their in-app purchases to collect it, so they are at an impasse.
- Herokladaikum 2y ago
  [dead]
zmmmmm 2y ago
> it doesn't take over your whole world and sensory system and thus alienate you from everyone and everything around you. You sound like you are fundamentally unsuited to the device. You move around a lot and don't like being isolated. I work in my Quest 3 primarily because it isolates me and takes over my whole sensory system. I love going to work on beaches, mountain tops, or co-working with friends or colleagues virtually. You sound like you want literally the opposite of all that.
jfoster 2y ago
The visual quality of the Apple Vision Pro is extremely far ahead of any other headset. I generally don't like Apple products and I think they made plenty of mistakes with Vision Pro, but the visual quality is exceptional for our time. I wouldn't advise anyone to buy it, but I would strongly encourage everyone to try it out in an Apple Store.
- solardev 2y ago
  Wish they'd just release a set of basic wired glasses with those displays, for tethered usage with a Mac. I don't need the AR/VR crap, a battery pack, etc., but I'd be very happy with a set of high-res glasses that act as external monitors.
  - jfoster 2y ago
    Nice idea. I would probably almost go for that. I wonder how much they could cut from it to make the device you're imagining more appealing from a cost & weight perspective... 1. Front-facing display 2. Battery 3. LIDAR (might need some other tracking to replace it, unless the cameras are enough?) 4. Eye-tracking 5. Wireless module 6. Less processing power 7. No SSD I think it would lose some "wow" factor in the process, but probably be a much more pragmatic device for everyday usage.
    - solardev 2y ago
      > I think it would lose some "wow" factor in the process, but probably be a much more pragmatic device for everyday usage. Yeah, exactly. I'm really hoping Apple tries that instead after the failure of the Vision Pro. It's the opposite paradigm: Not "complete computing device in a headset", but rather "just an eye-worn display and nothing else". It doesn't even need any fancy tracking, just basic gyro stabilization so the windows don't shake, like the VR mode on phones already have (e.g. for Google Cardboard). They don't even need to be aligned to anything in the real world. Other companies are making glasses like that, but the displays aren't very good – IMO that's the limiting factor. I've tried many AR/VR devices over the past decades and it's just not a use case I can see most people ever wanting, myself included. But "portable private monitor with a giant canvas" is an itch that still hasn't been scratched :( It's less sexy in some ways, but it's also something I'd probably use every day.

conradev 2y ago

Very much agreed. Here is the pair of Raybans with a USB-C cable sticking out: https://www.viture.com/store?pid=9412104487193 https://www.viture.com/store?pid=9412104487193 It works with phones, too, which is cool!

ChuckMcM 2y ago
I tried a pair of those and returned them because the whole screen flying around was really disorienting.
- zmmmmm 2y ago
  The latest ones do have solutions for that (head locked vs space locked displays). This also was one of my requirements, but now I'm actively considering them. The main thing holding me back now is that the tech is improving so rapidly that picking a time to buy in is hard.
virgildotcodes 2y ago
The product may be awesome but the website seems to be designed like a dropshipping site.
Gigachad 2y ago
Why do the glasses look photoshopped on to the models? Surely it wouldn’t have been that hard to take a photo of someone actually wearing them.
tippytippytango 2y ago
I tried these with much excitement. Unfortunately they give me immediate eye strain and headaches. The optics need a tremendous amount of work. 1080p is also not enough. But some people love them. It’s a product you just have to try and see if it works for you and return if they don’t.

meiraleal 2y ago

I'm waiting for the Freeza Scouter model (Dragon ball Z). One full imersed eye and ear experience. That's the perfect ergonomics.

brailsafe 2y ago
All we really need is the ability to check someone's power level anyway, what the hell else would convince me to put digital glasses on for!?

underlogic 2y ago

What's up with Raybans? They make the cheapest looking vanilla generic glasses I've ever seen, put a tacky logo on the lens and sell for a fortune. Why does anyone buy them?

KerrAvon 2y ago
They’re vanilla now because everyone copied their designs decades ago. They’re the original. Doesn’t mean they’re worth the cost, but now you know.
- underlogic 2y ago
  I can't imagine anyone going to a whiteboard back in the day to make a pair of sunglasses and walk away with any lesser of a design than Raybans. Give human ingenuity at least some credit. you can tie your shoes you can out design Raybans
appendix-rock 2y ago
I’m genuinely not sure how to say this without a little bit of snark, but do you…know how fashion works?
- Gigachad 2y ago
  Sunglasses do seem to be taking the piss more than other items. An expensive pair of leather shoes can easily be justified by the cost of the materials, manual labor, build quality, and extended lifespan over cheaper options. While sunglasses seem to be a bit of injection moulded plastic with some lenses for a 20x markup.
  - Tagbert 2y ago
    It’s mainly because of the Luxxotica monopoly. If course, there are a lot of sunglasses that are not name brands and those a much cheaper.
    - 2y ago

al_borland 2y ago

>Plus it's fucking huge and takes up the majority of my backpack and I like to travel with a single carry on backpack. I'm the same way. When I saw the reviews and the travel case, it seemed completely impractical for anyone who doesn't check luggage, on top of bringing a carry on and personal item. I also prefer to look like a waste of time for any would-be thief of pickpocket. It seemed like a Vision Pro would put a target on my back that I didn't want.

matco11 2y ago

This is the best review I have ever read on the Apple Vision Pro. Also, we should probably stop lying to ourselves, and finally admit what we have known in hour hearts for a little while now: Apple is not anymore what it used to be. Reading this makes it clear… Apple Vision Pro is the modern equivalent of John Sculley’s Apple Newton

Gigachad 2y ago
Not sure this is really an Apple thing. Basically all the tech companies have released some VR or AR product that either flopped, or was downgraded to a niche industry product. Remember just a few years ago when Meta was trying to convince us that the metaverse was the future.
- kyriakos 2y ago
  Part of Apple's strength is getting into the market at the right time when technology is ready and offering a streamlined, just works experience. Apple Vision Pro is nothing like that and that's why the previous commenter said it's not the usual Apple...
  - Herokladaikum 2y ago
    [dead]
- ffsm8 2y ago
  Meta didn't stop with that though? Just a few weeks ago they released new products that actually have a much bigger potential then the Vision Pro for the usecases virgildotcode imagined. I.e. Orion AR. As a person that only knows about it from the presentation/demos it kinda sounded like a crossover of VR headset and Google Glasses https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-first-true-augmented-reality-glasses/ https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-firs... Though I sincerely doubt it will succeed at a wider audience either, even if it's mass market appeal is way higher. The tech just isn't there yet - we'd need 4-8+k displays per eye with batteries that need to last at least 10 hours for this to become really viable (even if we could probably compromise batteries with a usb-c connection to the laptop for this particular usecase)

Gigachad 2y ago

I don’t understand why they didn’t make this a gaming device. All this hassle would be worth it to play immersive shooter games or VR chat with full hand and face tracking. No one is going to go through all that to open up Apple notes and YouTube when your phone and MacBook does exactly the same thing.

benoau 2y ago
The gaming industry wants to bring their existing marketplaces and platforms and even when that's not explicitly prohibited Apple wants 30% of their gross revenue and requires each game implement their in-app purchases to collect it, so they are at an impasse.
Herokladaikum 2y ago
[dead]

zmmmmm 2y ago

> it doesn't take over your whole world and sensory system and thus alienate you from everyone and everything around you. You sound like you are fundamentally unsuited to the device. You move around a lot and don't like being isolated. I work in my Quest 3 primarily because it isolates me and takes over my whole sensory system. I love going to work on beaches, mountain tops, or co-working with friends or colleagues virtually. You sound like you want literally the opposite of all that.

jfoster 2y ago

The visual quality of the Apple Vision Pro is extremely far ahead of any other headset. I generally don't like Apple products and I think they made plenty of mistakes with Vision Pro, but the visual quality is exceptional for our time. I wouldn't advise anyone to buy it, but I would strongly encourage everyone to try it out in an Apple Store.

solardev 2y ago
Wish they'd just release a set of basic wired glasses with those displays, for tethered usage with a Mac. I don't need the AR/VR crap, a battery pack, etc., but I'd be very happy with a set of high-res glasses that act as external monitors.
- jfoster 2y ago
  Nice idea. I would probably almost go for that. I wonder how much they could cut from it to make the device you're imagining more appealing from a cost & weight perspective... 1. Front-facing display 2. Battery 3. LIDAR (might need some other tracking to replace it, unless the cameras are enough?) 4. Eye-tracking 5. Wireless module 6. Less processing power 7. No SSD I think it would lose some "wow" factor in the process, but probably be a much more pragmatic device for everyday usage.
  - solardev 2y ago
    > I think it would lose some "wow" factor in the process, but probably be a much more pragmatic device for everyday usage. Yeah, exactly. I'm really hoping Apple tries that instead after the failure of the Vision Pro. It's the opposite paradigm: Not "complete computing device in a headset", but rather "just an eye-worn display and nothing else". It doesn't even need any fancy tracking, just basic gyro stabilization so the windows don't shake, like the VR mode on phones already have (e.g. for Google Cardboard). They don't even need to be aligned to anything in the real world. Other companies are making glasses like that, but the displays aren't very good – IMO that's the limiting factor. I've tried many AR/VR devices over the past decades and it's just not a use case I can see most people ever wanting, myself included. But "portable private monitor with a giant canvas" is an itch that still hasn't been scratched :( It's less sexy in some ways, but it's also something I'd probably use every day.