Founded in 1997, Vuzix has been an industry constant in the realm of head mounted displays (HMDs) and augmented reality devices for years. First revealed at CES 2013, the company's Vuzix M100 is a wearable designed to give you convenient augmented reality on the go. It also lets you control your smartphone without having to touch the panel.
Originally limited to Android devices, Vuzix has upgraded the M100's operating system to version 2.0, allowing full compatibility with iOS products including the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
For those wondering if the gadget works, it does. I had the chance to try the M100 at CES 2014, and I was really surprised to see that the tiny optical nodule is as readable as it is. The optics are connected to a flexible yet sturdy wire that can be bent to the correct position so that it sits perfectly in your field of view. It took some work to get to a state that worked well for me, but it's doable.
It's not necessary to connect the device to a smartphone to reap the benefits. The M100 Smart Glasses (er...glass) feature an integrated camera and du-core ARM processing engine that makes it possible to connect to the Internet through WiFi as well as run other applications on its own. Speaking of working on its own, Vuzix' new OS 2.0 promises a new and intuitive user interface that features integrated Nuance voice control without the need for Internet access. The company has also added gesture recognition and standardized Android button controls.
Included with OS 2.0 is an updated developer SDK. The M100 also supports Bluetooth 3.0, enabling BLE for both hands-free phone connectivity and streaming music over Bluetooth from the phone.
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