Episode 90 - Film Photography is back and we review Meta's Ray-Ban Wayfarer AI smart glasses

This week on the Solid State Podcast, we mix things up a little bit…

Not just by constantly going off the rails, because let’s face it you just expect that at this point. Instead we’re opening up with what’s “in the news”, specifically on a relatively sudden resurgence in the physical film photography industry. New camera bodies to choose from, old and new names returning to the table with novel takes on film roles, and yet another perspective on our ongoing question of “what is a photo” in this world of generative AI, computational photography, and more. In a world where every other post to Instagram is more fiction-than-fact, is a cell of film that (for better or worse) captures a moment “as it really was” suddenly more valuable than ever? 

On then to our feature topic this week, and it’s none other than a “what’s in the box” style review of Meta’s seemingly fantastic Wayfarer AI-powered smart glasses. These are hardly a “new” gadget, in fact they’ve been on store shelves for quite some time now but it feels like the true moment around them is just now starting to heat up. Meta continues to steadily improve the software, add features, and somewhat-quietly build out one of the most compelling wearables on the market today. 

Last but certainly not least, Eric and I wrap things up with a heartfelt nod to one of our industry’s greats with an homage to the very moments that made the intersection of technology and the humanities the core of what we do…

With no further ado, on to the show…