Meta and Ray-Ban Launch Smart Glasses with Display and EMG Wristband.

Meta is doubling down on its vision for the future of augmented reality with the introduction of its most advanced consumer glasses yet. The company has officially announced the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, a new device that introduces a crucial feature missing from its predecessors: a built-in, full-color display.

The new glasses, priced at $799, are designed to blend seamlessly into everyday life. The high-resolution display is integrated into the right lens and remains hidden until it’s needed, providing discreet access to notifications, maps, and other visual information.

Complementing the glasses is the Meta Neural Band, an electromyography (EMG) wristband that serves as a revolutionary new input method. The band reads tiny electrical signals from the muscles in a user's wrist, translating subtle finger movements into commands for the glasses without a camera or physical controller.

This allows for a new level of hands-free interaction, enabling users to scroll through menus by sliding a thumb, select items with a simple pinch, and even control media volume by twisting their wrist. This technology, which Meta has been developing for years under the codename Project Aria, is a core part of its vision for the future of human-computer interaction.

Alongside the new display glasses, Meta also unveiled the Oakley Meta Vanguard, a sports-focused smart glass that integrates with fitness platforms like Garmin and Strava. Both the new Ray-Bans and Oakley glasses are powered by Meta AI, allowing users to ask questions, get translations, and perform tasks with simple voice commands, further solidifying the company's commitment to contextual, on-the-go AI.

With the Ray-Ban Display glasses available in the US starting September 30, Meta is making a bold statement in the competitive smart glasses market. The combination of a subtle display and the breakthrough EMG wristband is an important step toward creating a truly intuitive and integrated augmented reality experience for a mainstream audience.

WhatsApp Introduce In-App Message Translation Feature.

In a significant move to enhance communication for its vast global user base, WhatsApp, the world's most popular messaging platform, is rolling out a new message translation feature. This built-in tool is designed to break down language barriers, allowing users to effortlessly translate messages directly within their chats, groups, and Channels.

For years, users have relied on cumbersome workarounds, like copying and pasting messages into external translation apps. WhatsApp’s new feature eliminates this friction, streamlining cross-cultural and cross-border conversations for its over three billion users across 180 countries. The announcement, made via the official Meta blog, highlights a commitment to fostering deeper connections and making communication more accessible.

How It Works: Simple and Intuitive.

Using the new translation tool is remarkably straightforward. To translate an incoming or outgoing message, users simply long-press on the text and select the "Translate" option from the menu. From there, they can choose their desired language. For added convenience, users can download language packs for offline use, ensuring smooth translations even without a stable internet connection.

Here is a simplified version of the steps to translate a chat message:

1. Press and hold the message you want to translate.

2. Tap the Translate option.

3. Select the desired language and tap the download icon.

4. Tap Translate.

To switch the message back to its original language or to a different language, press and hold the message and tap View translation.

A standout feature, especially for users on Android, is the ability to enable automatic translation for an entire chat thread. Once activated, all subsequent incoming messages in that conversation will be automatically translated in real-time, making ongoing multilingual discussions far more fluid and intuitive.

Privacy at the Forefront.

In an age of heightened privacy concerns, WhatsApp has emphasized that this new feature was developed with a privacy-first approach. Unlike many third-party services that process data in the cloud, WhatsApp’s message translations occur entirely on the user's device. This on-device processing ensures that WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta, cannot see or store the content of your messages during the translation process, maintaining the integrity of the platform's end-to-end encryption.

Gradual Rollout and Language Support.

The rollout of the translation feature is a phased process, beginning with a select number of languages and expanding over time. At launch, Android users will have access to six languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic. Interestingly, the initial rollout for iPhone users is more extensive, supporting over 19 languages from the get-go, a difference likely attributed to the integration with Apple’s native translation API. WhatsApp has confirmed that more languages will be added as the feature matures, ensuring it caters to the platform's diverse linguistic audience.

This new feature, alongside other recent updates like AI-powered writing assistance and message summaries, solidifies WhatsApp's position as a leader in innovative and user-centric communication. By tackling the fundamental challenge of language, WhatsApp is not just adding a tool; it's empowering its users to connect more authentically and broadly than ever before.