The open-ear approach also makes for challenging listening when walking a busy New York street. The Frames have four speakers (two in each arm), but when I played music, it often sounded hollow and tinny, with songs sounding like they were being clipped at higher volumes. This means that not only is your audio public and people around you can listen in if they pay close attention, but the glasses also sound much worse than Unlike some other audio glasses, Amazon's specs have traditional speakers and not newer technology like bone conduction, which pumps the audio vibrations into your ear through your skull. The audio integration was one of the Echo Frames features I was most excited about when the specs were first announced, making the actual execution all the more disappointing. Amazon touts the Echo Frames as having 'open-ear technology,' which is marketing speak for having little downward-facing speakers next to your ears, as opposed to buds inside them. Overall, the Frames' audio is middling, and if you're looking to use these as headphone replacements, it's best to look elsewhere. The Echo Frames rely on a Bluetooth connection to your phone. In general, unless you're a big Alexa user, I'm not convinced that the smart assistant does enough to justify buying the Frames. Alexa does a good job of calling my contacts too (though it isn't able to send an iMessage, initiate a video call or connect to WhatsApp). I also like being able to ask about any random piece of information (a sports score, say) without having to take out my phone.

Granted, it is nice to ask out loud if it's going to rain when seeing ominous clouds, and then instantaneously get an answer. The Echo Frames also take advantage of Alexa's skills and smart device controls, so it can turn on compatible smart lights or a TV. , it can make audio calls, play music, set timers and answer questions (such as 'What's the weather?'). When connected to an iPhone or Android phone over In the Frames, Amazon's smart assistant really isn't much better than Siri.

But this is nothing like Jarvis in the Iron Man movies. After becoming a mainstay in millions of households, Alexa truly moves outside the house with the Frames. The big appeal of the Echo Frames, of course, isn't the style but the technology. Amazon's Echo Frames look like a pair of regular glasses.

Echo frame