“This week, we tested one of the geekiest gadgets we’ve seen in a long time: the $300 Myvu by MicroOptical Corp. (http://www.myvu.com) which looks like a pair of futuristic sunglasses with built-in earbuds. Myvu attaches to your iPod, and when you look through its lenses, it displays your iPod’s videos on a built-in screen with optics that create the illusion of watching a television set from across the room; the earbuds provide accompanying audio. It also comes in a universal version that works with other gadgets, rather than just with the iPod,” Walter S. Mossberg and Katherine Boehret report for The Wall Street Journal.
Mossberg and Boehret report, “We tested the iPod-specific version and wore the Myvu to watch various types of videos, including music videos, television shows and movies. Overall, it’s a pretty cool device, with a good-looking visual illusion that MicroOptical says is comparable to watching a 27-inch screen from six feet away. It would certainly come in handy on a long flight. But you’ll scare yourself if you look in the mirror. We can’t imagine wearing one while walking down the street, even though it’s designed to enable seeing above and below the bar of space where its screen appears… For people who wear glasses, MicroOptical makes available a $99 adapter, the Myvu Rx Clip, with lenses made to your prescription.”
“Video footage appeared instantly at our eye level, in the glasses rather than on the iPod screen, and the image was bright and crisp,” Mossberg and Boehret report. “While watching, the Myvu’s design never made us feel completely removed from our environment; we could still see when people walked by and were aware that lights were on. Myvu worked just as well, if not better, in the dark — a plus for use on planes.”
“Though it looks likes a prop from ‘Star Trek,’ Myvu is actually a smart and fun-to-use product that requires just a few simple setup steps,” Mossberg and Boehret report. “Anyone who travels often or likes watching a lot of videos on an iPod would find Myvu useful and more comfortable than the alternative — that is, watching movies on an iPod in your hand.”
Full review here.
I would like to have one that replaces my 30″ display
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Well the first question that popped into my mind, was what if you wear glasses already?
I can’t picture using ’em without a major headache. My eyes do not like to focus that close.
I have the myvu and it is awesome. But, I am an eyeglass wearer, and it made me get contact lenses. It doesn’t work well with glasses, and correction is necessary, as it doesn’t come with an adjustment for differing eyesight.
I anxiously await the first news story of a car wreck caused by a driver using a pair of these glasses while operating a motor vehicle…
I wonder if they come in 16:9 wide screen format.
Nice way to enhance my porn experience. I’m sold (about two or three paychecks down the road that is)!
Doesn’t Mossberg wear glasses? From his review, it seems you don’t need to focus closely on the glasses, the images are virtually sent out to appear they are 6ft infront of you. If you have problems focusing at 6ft, then there’s no hope for you.
Wow, 8.5 hours battery life when it’s hooked up to an iPod? Impressive.
I’m waiting for the “Squid”.
I have used a pair for over a week before. And while their not the greatest, they definitely fill a niche. Like Mosberg said, using them on a plane would be very useful and helpful.
Think of them like those weird mini portable tv’s. Fun, but not for everyday use.
MDN Word: Expected, as in these performed just like I expected.
I *had* a set of these a few months ago. After about a month the right side started fading. Not a huge issue, problems occur.
So I contacted thier customer service (from the web site) and after a reminder email (the first one went unanswered) I was sent an address and an RMA number.
I have sent 8 or 9 emails since then (that was in early Nov) and received one response Nov 29th saying
“Dear Eric,
I am looking into this for you.
I will email you later with a status.
I apologize for the delay.
Sincerely,
Alison Morash”
And that has been it. My last email asked for a refund so i could buy a different brand.
The product was cool, but with this terrible customer service I won’t bother looking at thier next offering.
In case someone from the company reads this it was RMA 4083.
My advice? (cuz thats why you are reading this right?) Wait until they get thier act together or fold before buying one.
Enjoy
Developer opportunity-
how about a mini app that takes your prescription for eyeglasses and translates the image accordingly, eliminating the need for physical glasses.
MDN word:paper
as in it looks good on paper
Also to set the record straight, your focus is about a meter away (not up close) if you need reading glasses only it worked fine. Since that is all I needed I was OK using them. Some people who used regular glasses did have issues.
yes yes, but will it work with a Wii
I got one of the first issue MyVue’s and it’s pretty darn good. It accepts component (one plug) video combined with left and right stereo in one stereo mini plug. So as long as you get a adapter you can use any component source.
I loaded up a large black iPod with hundreds of movies, video podcasts, educational videos and the like and take it with me if I know I will be needing to kill a lot of time somewhere. Trips and the like.
However it’s so niche that only the truly lonely rich geek with a lot of time on his hands would bother.
Opps…
Had to follow up even if no one actually reads this.
I was contacted by MicroOpticle right after I posted on here. They apologized sincerly and sent me the “Made for iPod” version (I originally had the earlier version)
OMG this is a nifty piece of tech. It deserves the “Made for iPod” label even if the customer sevice seems to have lost my particular problem.
Pricey but worth it. Makes plane trips lots easier.
Enjoy