Amazon has announced the widespread release of its Echo Frames smart glasses. The device allows users to interact with Alexa when going about their daily lives discretely.

Until now, Echo Frames were only available to a small group of beta testers. Amazon has made a few upgrades before releasing them to the general public.

Echo Frames Now Available To All

Amazon initially announced the Echo Frames in 2019 as part of their "Day One" program. The scheme, designed to preview functional tech not ready for the consumer market, let a select group of beta testers give feedback on the early Echo Frames models.

They've been tweaked for public release and are available from Amazon for $249.99. Echo Frames are currently in preorder and will be available on December 10, 2020.

The release version of Echo Frames costs $70 more than the original early Echo Frames price tag of $179.99, though Day One Edition Echo Frames customers have the option of paying the difference to get the new frames.

Upgrades come in the form of 40% more battery life, auto-shutoff when the user isn't wearing them, and adaptable audio.

Alexa With You Everywhere You Go

The Echo Frames look much like a regular pair of thick-rimmed glasses and come in black, blue, and tortoiseshell colors. They fit standard lenses, and Amazon is teaming up with prescription eyewear retailer LensCrafters to make switching to Echo Frames easier.

Functionally, Echo frames work much like Bluetooth headphones. They pair with the Alexa app for iOS or Android smartphones. You'll be able to interact with Alexa as you would with Google Assistant or Siri.

You'll also be able to use the Echo Frames built-in speakers to listen to music and podcasts, which automatically adjust the volume based on surrounding noise. There is also a discrete notification function which only alerts you to particular pre-defined messages. Swiping one of the legs of the glasses reads messages aloud.

Hello Echo Frames, Goodbye Echo Loop

Echo Frames are the first Amazon Day One Edition product to see a wider release. The other Day One item was the Echo Loop, an Alexa equipped smart ring. While Echo Frames are now going into widescale production, the Echo Loop is not. Amazon announced it would be discontinuing the Echo Loop, which is sad news for aspiring futuristic undercover investigators everywhere.

In Your Home, On Your Head

Echo Frames are a natural extension of Amazon's smart device lineup. Smart glasses, and the now-defunct Echo Loop smart ring, further engrain Alexa as the central hub of a connected person's life.

Amazon's smart glasses come at a time when Alexa is using AI to give you smarter responses and improving integrations for chained actions, making it easier to automate morning and evening routines.

The idea of having Alexa on your head all day might seem like a privacy nightmare. While functionally different, a major concern about the ill-fated Google Glass was its ability to live broadcast video to the cloud. Unless specifically musted, Alexa devices are always listening, something that doesn't sit well with privacy advocates.

Echo Frames can be muted to stop them from listening, and to Amazon's credit, Echo devices do cut the microphone in hardware. That said, no system is perfect. You can always leave a room or put your phone down, but would you really want to part with your glasses to ensure your privacy?