In the modern era, dads are no longer restricted to lugging around heavy cameras on family vacations. Ray-Ban Stories, the innovative smart glasses from the collaboration of Ray-Ban and Facebook, have revolutionized the way fathers can capture and share precious moments. In this blog post, we’ll explore why these cutting-edge accessories are perfect for dads, provide a brief history of how family vacations used to involve cumbersome cameras and discuss why glasses like these might actually benefit your health (I know, right?).  I am pretty sure that we dads are the perfect target market for Ray-Ban stories, even if they would prefer a younger less new balance wearing group of people (disclaimer, I don’t wear them but I heard they are super comfortable). I should also get this out of the way: I am in no way sponsored or affiliated with Ray-Ban, I just love the technology. Like all other pages on our website we do not charge for anything and our site is strictly supported by ads and amazon product links. So if you see something you like, click away! 

A word to the reader. I am intimately familiar with the sensitivity around defined titles. As a father figure for my nephew the word Dad can be an emotional trigger. I join those who may be a bit sensitive to this for one of the worst reasons. That being said, I have decided to take the route of calling this the perfect tech accessory for dads. For those who are filling a dad role without the dad title, please interject your own title in place and know that I mean no offense. My nephew sometimes calls me duncle, in my head I will go with that.

This is a cat themed woodworking website. I decided that this post is appropriate because these glasses are perfect for recording while you work. Many of my projects feature videos taken by these Ray-Ban Stories.

 In the past, dads had limited options when it came to capturing memories on family vacations. Film cameras were the norm, requiring rolls of film that needed to be developed after the trip. Next came camcorders, which, although portable, were still relatively large and required a separate device to view the footage. This is the staple of my childhood. The introduction of digital cameras significantly reduced the size and weight of cameras, but dads still had to carry a separate device to take photos and videos. Further, the ease and portability of these devices has led to media overload, where during almost every memorable moment phones are out and the person experiences the moment looking through their phone (looking at all of you, mom’s included). This ease has some unintended consequences, many psychologists have studied the impact of viewing moments through the recording on your phone. Studies have shown a decline in memory development and a marked decline in the person’s ability to recall an event. In short, we are recording memories at the expense of experiencing them. Trippy right? We will get into that a little later on.

Before we move to the next section I want to be clear. The Ray-Ban stories will not replace your high end camera phone (yet), the quality is not the same. Pictures with Mickey and a handful of other key moments (like the below with Stitch) still require a good phone camera, but ray ban significant reduced the time that I had to pull my phone out to snap a pic.

Below you can see what the glasses look like indoors. The Character breakfast was worth it, albeit rushed.

Ray-Ban Stories have brought a refreshing change for fathers everywhere. These smart glasses combine style and functionality, allowing dads to capture moments hands-free while maintaining dad focus. Optional translucent frames allow glasses to be worn all day indoor and out, without looking like a D (hint, not short for Dad). With built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers, these glasses enable dads to take photos, record videos, and even make calls – all without the need for a separate device. In fact, as I write this I am sitting at the airport (see the video below).

One of the best features of Ray-Ban Stories is the ability to created stitched collages of clips that you record. So many times I feel that videos and pictures are taken and then lost in the media libraries on our phones and computers. Stick with me for a second, the purpose of pictures and videos is to relive the moment not watch a documentary about it. This stitched collages can take an entire day of activity and sum it up into one short clip. On our trip to Disney I hit record on the glasses dozens of times. This is a simple tap to the right arm of the glasses or the phrase ” hey Facebook, start recording”. I broke the main day at magic kingdom into three 30 second collages (choosing ten clips per collage). This took minutes to do and the short collages painted a perfect picture of the action , capturing the giggles, dances and awe of our daughter. we summarized the more relaxed days in a single collage. All of the clips get stored and you can view them in entirety, but the collages worked great for sharing to Instagram and with the family, keeping them up to date in relative real time.

In fact, my only break from the immersion of our vacation (regarding recording memories, we all need regular phone check breaks too) was these few short minutes of putting the collages together. I’ll save the ones of our daughter running to me in full speed, me able to grab her with both hands while ray ban recorded in a separate folder for future tears. Disregard my roar, it was an unplanned outburst of happiness.

I also think that having a quick and easy way to record while in the moment allows you to capture moments that are some of the most memorable. In the below example I just hit the button as we walked up to Mickey. It would have been strange to walk up with my phone held out recording a video but the glasses felt natural. Because of this, I was able to capture my daughter quite literally jumping for joy waiting to say hi to him. Sure, the high quality photo with my phone is the “typical” one but the video of her jumping is much more important to me. 

Ray-Ban Stories also take privacy and discretion into account. The glasses are equipped with an LED indicator that lights up when recording, ensuring that people around the wearer are aware they are being filmed or photographed. This promotes responsible usage and helps maintain trust between the wearer and those around them. I find this to take out any of the creepiness of the product.

Several scientific studies have explored the relationship between memory formation and the use of smartphones to capture pictures and videos. These studies highlight the potential impact of relying on smartphones to document experiences, suggesting that doing so may impair our ability to form lasting memories.

Cognitive Offloading and Memory Impairment
A study conducted by Henkel (2014) at Fairfield University found that taking photographs of objects during a museum tour led to worse memory for those objects compared to merely observing them. This phenomenon, known as “cognitive offloading,” suggests that relying on external devices to capture memories may reduce our ability to encode and remember information.
Reference: Henkel, L. A. (2014). Point-and-shoot memories: The influence of taking photos on memory for a museum tour. Psychological Science, 25(2), 396-402.

The “Photo-Taking Impairment Effect”
A study by Soares and Storm (2018) supports the idea that taking photos can impair memory formation. Participants who took photographs during an experience exhibited poorer memory recall than those who did not. This phenomenon is called the “photo-taking impairment effect” and suggests that the act of taking photos can hinder our ability to fully process and remember experiences.
Reference: Soares, J. S., & Storm, B. C. (2018). Forget in a flash: A further investigation of the photo-taking-impairment effect. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 7(1), 154-160.

Event Boundary and Memory Integration
A study by Radvansky and Copeland (2010) found that people’s memory for events is affected by “event boundaries” – points in time when one event ends, and another begins. When people use their smartphones to take photos or record videos, they often create event boundaries that disrupt the flow of experience, making it more challenging to integrate memories effectively.
Reference: Radvansky, G. A., & Copeland, D. E. (2010). Walking through doorways causes forgetting: Further explorations. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63(8), 1632-1645.

Scientific research indicates that using smartphones to capture pictures and videos may have a detrimental impact on memory formation. By relying on external devices to document experiences, people may inadvertently impair their ability to encode and remember information. Ray-Ban Stories, with their hands-free functionality and minimal disruption, offer a more immersive and mindful alternative to traditional smartphone photography. I could truly feel the difference on our vacation to Disney, it’s what inspired this article.

1. Question: What are Ray-Ban Stories?

Answer: Ray-Ban Stories are smart glasses that combine the iconic design of Ray-Ban with cutting-edge technology from Facebook. These glasses allow users to capture photos, record videos, listen to music, make calls, and access voice assistants – all hands-free.

2. Question: How do Ray-Ban Stories work?

Answer: Ray-Ban Stories are equipped with dual 5-megapixel cameras, microphones, and speakers integrated into the frame. The glasses connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, enabling you to control various functions using the Facebook View app or built-in touch controls on the frame.

3. Question: Can I use Ray-Ban Stories to make phone calls?

Answer: Yes, Ray-Ban Stories have built-in microphones and speakers that allow you to make and receive phone calls when connected to your smartphone. You can control calls using the touch controls on the frame or your phone.

4. Question: Are Ray-Ban Stories compatible with prescription lenses?

Answer: Yes, Ray-Ban Stories are available with prescription lenses. You can order them with your prescription through authorized Ray-Ban retailers or select opticians.

5. Question: How do I charge my Ray-Ban Stories?

Answer: Ray-Ban Stories come with a portable charging case. To charge the glasses, simply place them in the case and connect the case to a power source using the provided USB-C cable.

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