Test Drive Snapchat Spectacles With Us

The BSTRO team is back at it, visiting another festival in the name of marketing research! We took the Snapchat Spectacles we picked up at SXSW and tested them out at Coachella to see how they work in the “real world”… if the real world is three days of music, art and sunshine! Seriously, we took this seriously. Before we get into what we learned, here’s what they actually do.

How they work

1. Snapchat Spectacles let you make 10, 20 or 30-second videos (Snaps) by pushing the button on the top left side of the frame.
   Pro tip: the default length is 10 seconds, but if you press the button down before the end of the video you can keep extending your recording up to 30 seconds total.
2. The glasses store your video footage internally. In fact, you can have up to 100 ten-second snaps stored in your glasses. To download, simply enable the Bluetooth on your phone and then import into your Snapchat app.
3. Snapchat videos captured by Spectacles look like a “fisheye”, and can be viewed as either portrait or landscape which seamlessly rotates. The difference is that a normal “snap” cannot be rotated, so this gives you a different perspective of your favorite band, burrito, crush, or anything else you set your sights upon.
   
4. Outdoor daylight snaps look really good. Nighttime captures, not so much. Whether you’re satisfied depends on your tech savvy. Most people will still get the idea, but the technically elevated will be left wanting more. Don’t despair! There is a HD version of the videos. They just take longer to download.
5. Snaps made by Spectacles are a “no photo” zone – these specs are for video only. They’re still cool though, we promise.

Gerard Reyes, BSTRO Designer, sporting Snapchat Spectacles

What we learned

You will be popular

In fact, you will be approached and strangers will ask “Hey, are those the Snapchat glasses?” Guess those viral activities (like pop-ups and appearances at festival) are paying off. And, maybe that new billboard in Times Square is a hint that they are about to go mainstream?

Google Glass is scary

Snapchat Spectacles, not so much. In fact, our intrepid reporter (okay, one of our designers) wore them all day in the desert sun. Perfectly stylish, and effective sunglasses.

You think differently

They make you rethink how you capture your video, because you get a wider angle than on your phone. They’re also an instant invitation to people to strike a pose. They see the spinning circle and it’s on.

Easy to use!

The case is as stylish as the glasses, and useful because it actually charges the glasses. In fact, the case will charge the glasses up to four times. Run out of battery? Put them in the case. Repeat. Easy.

Our Review?

Worth it! Hands-free capture of your experiences. Easy to use. Easy to share on Snapchat. A new way to capture your world.

Couldn’t go to Coachella?

Check out some snaps we edited with an original soundtrack from BSTRO designer Gerard!