FUN’IKI Ambient smart glasses launched in Japan

Google Glass has started a trend in wearables, but the fact of the matter is that the appearance and design of Glass leave room for improvement since they are bulky and futuristic – not in a good way. They have a Terminator feel that many don’t find appealing, even though it’s high-tech equipment well worth the “embarrassment” of wearing them in public. Versatile gadgets like smart glasses have been around ever since and new additions on the market are emerging week by week, especially since Kickstarters has really flared up the past months, backing up projects and prototypes that people are truly interested in.

One of these new smart glasses is Japan’s FUN’IKI Ambient Glasses, which are more stylish than any other model out there. They are not as high tech and don’t use such advanced technology as Google Glass, but those of you who want a great accessory to show off and enjoy using for just $230, this gadget is just for you.

The FUN’IKI use subtle notification via LED lights positioned in a smart way to alert you about what your iPhone is doing at the moment. We don’t know whether support for other devices exists yet, but if the glasses catch on, I’m sure they will be available for other brands like Samsung, LG and HTC as well. They offer an easy way to access your notifications and let you customize what colors each notification has, much like the RGB LEDs under the speakers of the Xperia Z2. Another neat feature is that the glasses have speakers implemented in their arms, to help you with voice-to-text and vice versa handling.

Like many other gadgets on the market, the FUN’IKI has been made possible through crowd funding and shipping will begin December this year, hopefully worldwide. The most impressive feature about the glasses remains their design, which makes them look like regular glasses, and for those of you who are fashion conscious, this might be a huge plus. All in all, the glasses make a great accessory to your iPhone, skipping you of the hassle of getting your phone out of the pocket at every sound or vibration. The colors you assigned to your notifications will let you decide whether the blue light of Facebook is worth checking or to get your phone out only when the yellow light of text messages flashes in your eyes.