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IRL Glasses — Live IRL (In Real Life) and see everything except screens
Americans spend 11 hours a day looking at screens, NY Times 2018. We need and deserve more tools to help us balance our interaction with tech and consumption of media. IRL Glasses use horizontal polarizers to block the light from LCD/LED displays found in TVs — they also work to as sunglasses to block UV light.
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Chris Messina
Top Hunter
This project is all the more interesting when you consider the previous projects that @cash_studios has developed previously:
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Guys, I don't want to be the negative one here, but... these are just polarised glasses. Nothing more than a marketing spin applied and some hype. I just don't get it, sorry.
Top Hunter
@colinwinhall sure, but can you point to other polarised glasses on the market? And even if what you say is true, it's hard to dispute the apparent excitement or interest given the money pledged on Kickstarter so far...
@colinwinhall Totally hear your concerns! We're not denying the tech behind this is quite simple. What we've specifically done that—as far as I can tell—no one else has, is rotated and flattened the polarized filter so it blocks all vertically polarized LCD/LED screens. As we state in the Kickstarter FAQ, we're supportive of anyone who wants to roll up their sleeves and try to make this DIY style by ordering polarized filters and manually adhering them to the frames. The point of this beta pair is to validate the need, build community, and fund R&D for glasses that block OLED as well, which we're currently working on. We also explain a bit more about how we arrived at our pricing point on the Kickstarter FAQ. Definitely want to be as transparent as possible, I swear we're not trying to "trick" anyone and welcome the dialogue. Thanks again!
@colinwinhall @chrismessina Any off the shelf pair would do the trick. Just ask for "polarized glasses" at the counter.
@giovagalbiati Not true. I have polarized sunglasses and, while they make LCD/LED screens slightly darker and harder to see, they come nowhere close to blocking them completely. I'm not a scientist but I believe this is due to the fact that traditional sunglasses are not horizontally polarized.
@colinwinhall Yeah, I came here to say the same thing. Here are my current Maui Jim World Cup polarized sunglasses looking at an Asus PA328Q at my desk: https://imgur.com/a/PGhS9vc it depends on the specifics of the monitor and the angle, but it definitely blacks these monitors out nearly 100% in the normal horizontal orientation (they're IPS panels).
I am a massive fan of adblocking and would have paid hundreds to block the marketing shit on the streets. But these are just polarised glasses and that's it? No AI? 😞
@ivan_cash ok I get it, I love that movie but even I didn’t get the reference.
It’s possibly a bit self indulgent and definitely risky to design your product in the spirit of such a super-niche reference point.
The vast vast VAST majority of potential customers will just see them as per my original comment.
@mickc79 Thanks for your feedback! I agree, it's definitely a bit niche, but we wanted to make sure the glasses didn't just blend in as any old pair of glasses. We wanted them to be a statement!
Since IRL Glasses are still in beta and because they don't yet block all screens, we felt the need to root the design in something iconic, unique, and memorable. As a professional storyteller, I also felt inspired to the glasses in a bit of a story and context, even if it's an easter egg, to your point.
That all said, it's been cool to see the media latch on to the THEY LIVE-inspiration as a means of getting the word out:
https://www.wired.com/story/irl-...
https://boingboing.net/2018/10/0...
https://bloody-disgusting.com/mo...
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/th...
https://nerdist.com/real-life-th...
@mickc79 @ivan_cash yeah I love that film but its not 1988 mate, its 2018, you should make them look more appealing.
Cool project, yet again Cash. Great reference (I’m 44yo so I dig it). Can’t wear the glasses though..
I don’t think I’d like to make a statement more than a day or two on frames I wouldn’t really wear daily.
Sunglasses are quite personal. I’d love to be able to buy the lenses only.
@davidspinks Thanks man! This initial beta pair is our MVP, still a lot of R&D to do so we can block ALL SCREENS as opposed to just LCD/LED, we'll stick with this initial style until our additional R&D is complete.
@ivan_cash Very cool, but have you thought about the effect of wearing these while driving? Do these glasses affect your ability to view a lighted construction sign, for example?
@rmagrino Hey Robert, thanks for your note! As stated in our Kickstarter FAQ, IRL Glasses should NOT be worn while driving. In addition to construction signs, we are aware that there are certain car models with LCD screens embedded. So, as much as we like the idea of people rocking IRL Glasses everywhere, all the time, we strongly discourage people from wearing IRL glasses while driving, for your own safety.
Ivan is a viral stunt genius. I had the pleasure of working with him on SelflessPortraits. This guy has done some huge stunts that always get attention. He was a VP at Buzzfeed in the early days. I thought I was creative this guy is next level!
@adrian_salamunovic You're very kind, however it was Selfless Portraits co-creator Jeff Greenspan who was the ECD at Buzzfeed ;)
@ivan_cash @scottblew can't wait until you all make different frames! Would love to see designs as cool as those on https://www.shopzerouv.com with the price point.
Nevertheless, congrats on the launch and tremendously exceeding the goal. I'll be sporting these glasses as soon as they arrive in the mail.
Want... Totally. Just because it exists. We'll find out later if we really need it but would like to be on the beta list or preorder for this product. Not sure how I'm going to operate my phone with one though.
Very well put-together, and my friend Tep made an appearance as one of the people who tried on the glasses, so that was cool! That said, I have no need for this product. (Unless you can put phrases like “Obey” in as ad replacements using AR; then I’d buy it in a heartbeat.)
When I am out at a bar, I can just ignore the televisions if I’m not interested… a couple beers in and my focus becomes even more selective.
Walking through Times Square, I actually admire the audacious neon signs (although I think they are a tremendous waste of electricity in a warming world and should be turned off at the source).
And maybe it’s because I work in tech and make movies as a hobby, but I can’t imagine how boring my life would be without computer/television use. When the power goes out, I do not breathe a sigh of relief and reach for a book to read by candlelight, I just get mad.
Even if devices are largely making humans unhappy, it’s not because screens are on too much and need to blocked out; it’s because big tech companies and advertisers are hacking human psychology for profit, getting us addicted. And us being addicts, you can not reasonably expect us to resist the urge to just… take the glasses off. The siren call of checking notifications is greater than the urge to wear sunglasses, except outside on a sunny day. My guess is the only people who will successfully be able to build productive habits using these glasses are people who don’t require technology in order to be productive, or who just aren’t that addicted to technology in the first place.
I realize the product is currently quadruply overfunded, and I congratulate you on that. You certainly have found a market in Neo-Luddites, which is a popular thing to be these days with shows like “Black Mirror” waxing poetic about the ills of having the world’s collective knowledge in our pockets at all times. But I think this will end up being a novelty item; a conversation piece to be sure, but not an essential part of anyone’s wardrobe. It seems you’ve put a lot of work into this, so I am sorry if that comes off as harsh; just my honest feedback.
Pros: all. Cons: none. Avaricious investors: gtfonotforyou sorry xoxo bae this is risky baebae. Philanthropists: comeeee this is the one. 🔸
The first second I saw this product, I thought of the movie They Live. That is so awesome that it inspired you to do this. Breed and consume! :-)
Love the product, def wanna see some designer frames that are less like Rosa Klebb's glasses :) (From Russia with Love 1963 James Bond Villain - google it! LOL)
Glad to support this product and looking forward to receiving my pair. Will be great to rest eyes after computers all day, and also block distractions from time to time.
Pros:Rest eyes, block distractions
Cons:Not sure until I get my pair.
I think the product needs a lot more research and development into the technology and customer experience. Firstly the technology doesn't block all screens as IRL have said and secondly the glasses are inspired by old sunglasses designs f 1988 that dont appeal to a larger customer market. Customers like variety, technology and style. The technology has lots of promise but it is not there yet. Also you dont see Oakley selling one type of sun glasses shape design, the glass itself should be cut for different shapes to appeal to style as well as it's use. To separate the brand. Brand it! Not keep to a certain statement of glass design as there are so many tried and tested glasses shapes out there that work...
I don't think there is a single modern screen that these things will block. the excitement I had for them vanished immediately when I put them on and could still see everything. possibly useful in a third world country, or maybe if you are hanging out with your grandparents.
Pros:- they are sunglasses - they duped me with hype
Cons:they are totally useless beyond just being sunglasses
is there an update on the status of this project? Has the kickstarter closed?