Of course you have to buy Snapchat's Spectacles from a robot
Snap's Spectacles have finally landed. The company behind the popular messaging app Snapchat released its video-camera glasses on Thursday.
The product will be sold in interactive vending machines, called Snapbots, throughout the United States. This method will be the only way people can buy the product, which retails for $129 (plus tax), for the first few months.
The first arrived in Venice Beach, nearby Snap's headquarters, on Thursday.
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The machines will only be present in each location for about a day at a time, according to Snap. Snap has yet to say what future locations will be except that they will be places where memories are made -- so perhaps more scenic city spots. The devices will only be available in the United States for now.
New locations will be revealed about 24 hours in advance via a map on Snap's website Spectacles.com. A Spectacles-related geofilter will also be available on Snapchat when a Snapbot is nearby.
No nearby a Snapbot? Snap suggested you find a friend. "Ask a friend! If a friend finds a Snapbot, they could be able to purchase Specs for you," Snap wrote on its website.
Snapchat also released a Pixar-esque video for its new vending machine.
As the video shows, the machines are interactive. The eye on front screen is closed until someone approaches. Visitors can then virtually try on the devices, in each of three colors -- coral, black and teal -- by pressing the corresponding buttons. It's similar to the experience you have with Snapchat's selfie lenses.
For those who aren't in Venice and want to see how they look, Snap released a lens that users can unlock for 24 hours to try them out.
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If you miss out on the 24 hours or want to see how they look like with different outfits and styles, there's also the website #BeASpectacle, created by digital marketing agency GLOW and not by Snapchat, that lets you try them on by uploading a photo.
People can purchase a pair from a Snapbot -- and only from a Snapbot -- with a debit or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover). It'll take about 10 seconds (the same length as a snap) to process the transaction.
The Spectacles come with three accessories: a charging case, a charging cable and a cleaning cloth. Extras of these products are not unavailable, for now.
The case can recharge Spectacles about four times, which is equivalent to about 400 snaps taken on the device.
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Spectacles can also be charged by themselves.
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Topics Snapchat
Kerry Flynn is a business reporter for Mashable covering the tech industry. She previously reported on social media companies, mobile apps and startups for International Business Times. She has also written for The Huffington Post, Forbes and Money magazine. Kerry studied environmental science and economics at Harvard College, where she led The Harvard Crimson's metro news and design teams and played mellophone in the Band. When not listening to startup pitches, she runs half-marathons, plays with puppies and pretends to like craft beer.
