Years ago, when I first experienced Google Glass, I had a dream.
In my dream, I wear the latest AR glasses, which can not only experience the most immersive movies, games, and music content anytime, anywhere, but also easily study, work, and chat with relatives and friends through the glasses. Walking on the street, wearing glasses is not much different from the people around me, but it has become an inseparable device like a mobile phone.
Today, many years later, Google Glass is gradually being forgotten, but the topic of AR glasses has not disappeared, but has come to us like a tide. Today, the attention of tech giants to AR has become a hot topic after dinner. Not only Apple, Meta and Snap overseas, but also many new players in China have also entered the track. Thunderbird Innovation is one of them.
Recently, Thunderbird Innovation released its latest AR glasses, Thunderbird Air 1S. During the few days of experiencing this product, I recalled that dream and was surprised to find that many functions have come true. In the ten years since the release of Google Glass in 2012, AR technology has gradually developed and integrated into our lives in a more down-to-earth way, and all this is not only gradually changing the AR glasses we are familiar with, but also allowing us to look at it from a different perspective The whole world.
01 An AR glasses that carefully polish the details
In the introduction of AR glasses experience in Geek Park over the past few years, this type of product usually has a different appearance from ordinary glasses. It looks either a “combat power detector” like Google Glass, or a “children’s toy” like Spectacles. ”, it is not only difficult for people to have the desire to wear it for a long time, but also it is not easy to integrate with the surrounding environment.
Image via WIRED
However, the Thunderbird Air 1S experienced this time has a different approach in appearance, continuing the “everyday style” design of the Thunderbird Air. From the appearance, it is more like ordinary sunglasses rather than AR glasses, which brings a big The good thing is that we can finally use it outdoors without caring about the eyes of others.
As you can see, the Thunderbird Air 1S overall presents a deep gray color, officially called “Meteorite Gray” color matching, the first feeling of getting started is light, the overall weight is only 82 grams (excluding the front lens), So if you wear it every day, it won’t feel so heavy.
Due to the built-in speakers with two super-linear units with 0.5mm stroke, the temples of Thunderbird Air 1S look a little thick, but they are not much different from the previous Bose smart audio glasses. There is no heavy damping when the temples are opened and closed. , it can be operated with one hand, which is very convenient.
Compared with the previous generation, Thunderbird Air 1S added two physical buttons to the temples. The dial on the left side of the temple is used to adjust the volume, and the dial on the right side of the temple is used to control the brightness, or you only need to press and hold for 2 seconds to switch the 2D/3D mode. The two physical buttons seem insignificant, but small The details have greatly improved the convenience of interaction in daily experience.
In addition, the Thunderbird Air 1S also uses a magnetic pluggable data cable, similar to the classic magnetic charging port on Apple’s MacBook. In daily use, you only need to gently bring the magnetic cable close to the connection port to connect accurately.
This is also something that can be done with one hand. More importantly, this small magnetic charging cable can also prevent the glasses from being broken as a whole when accidentally dropped, reflecting the attention to detail in daily use.
When it comes to magnetic suction, not only the data cable, but also the external shading lens and the inner myopia lens are also designed similarly, which is not only convenient for loading and unloading, but also provides another option for myopic people to reduce eye pressure. If If you are not used to wearing glasses at the same time, then the official magnetic myopia lenses are a plus.
Of course, the details of Thunderbird Air 1S are more than these. In order to facilitate storage, the official glasses case can also be stored in the data cable, and the data cable itself also has Velcro for easy organization. You only need to bring a small The small glasses storage box can pack the glasses and data cable away, which is compact and convenient.
On the whole, this product is as light, convenient and low-key as possible in the design. No matter you take it out in any occasion, it will not attract too much attention from the surrounding, which makes people willing to use it for a long time. important premise.
02 A portable “giant screen” that can be used to follow dramas while lying flat
Just like when the iPad appeared that year, it divided another sub-scenario other than mobile phones and PCs, allowing people to easily experience large-screen devices in different scenarios. The emergence of AR glasses has become a space between mobile phones and projectors (or giant screen TVs) The Thunderbird Air 1S not only accomplished this set goal very well, but also took a further step to improve the experience of subdivided scenes.
Chasing dramas at home is what many people like to do after work. Although TV screens are getting bigger and bigger, projectors have become another choice for some people to “upgrade to 100 inches”. It is difficult for people to really “lie down” to chase dramas with large-screen devices, and the Thunderbird Air 1S solves this pain point very well.
This product uses a new generation of Sony Micro OLED and polarized BirdBath optical solutions, with a resolution of 1920×1080 in 2D mode, 3840×1080 in 3D mode, and a contrast ratio of 100,000:1. It is worth mentioning that the Thunderbird Air 1S has also obtained the TÜV Rheinland eye protection three certification (low blue light, no flicker and eye comfort). Among them, eye comfort is the highest level of display product certification by TÜV Rheinland, indicating that Thunderbird Air 1S has reached an industry-leading level in terms of healthy eye protection. These parameters are more advantageous than most projectors used in homes.
The Thunderbird Air 1S is very simple to use. Connect one end of the USB Type-C data cable to the mobile phone, and the other end of the magnetic suction port to the glasses, and you can directly see the mobile phone screen on the glasses in real time. You can hardly feel any delay, and any operation you do on the phone can be intuitively reflected on the big screen in front of you.
Mobile phone connection interface (left) and App interface (right)
In addition, by opening the Thunderbird App installed on your mobile phone, you can also experience the large-screen system built into the glasses, which not only includes applications such as movies, games, and browsers, but also adds functions such as scenic tours and 3D model experience. At this time, the mobile phone will be turned into a remote control. Not only can the built-in gyroscope be used to achieve the “point where to hit” operation, but you can also switch between different panels by sliding, with almost no learning cost.
Here is the night shot of the mobile phone, the actual look and feel is clearer
When I put on the glasses, the first impression is that the screen is huge. Its screen size is equivalent to a 130-inch high-definition giant screen seen from a distance of 4 meters. In the past hour or so, I used it to watch the recent very popular documentary “There are Secret Agents in the Penguin Group”. I was in the icy world of Antarctica and watched the daily life of the cute, stupid penguins, and I instantly felt full of immersion.
The picture comes from “There are Secret Agents in the Penguin Group”
Another important reason for this immersion is the sound. Although the Thunderbird Air 1S supports Bluetooth headphones, I prefer its built-in speakers. This surround ear and head feel is another immersive experience compared to headphones. , Under the blessing of the super linear unit 0.5mm stroke dual speakers, the sound of the glasses itself is very balanced, the bass is stable, and the mid-frequency and high-frequency sounds are reduced by phase cancellation technology to reduce external sound leakage. Others within the range of meters can hardly hear any sound. It can be said that the Thunderbird Air 1S has done a good job in sound privacy.
In terms of audio and video content, Thunderbird Air 1S has built-in massive video resources including mainstream platforms such as Tencent, iQiyi, Youku, Bilibili, etc. If you have more needs, you can also play mobile phones through the “local video” function downloaded files. Currently supported formats include 3D left and right half-width, left and right full width, and 2D video. The way to switch between 3D and 2D is to press and hold the shortcut key on the right temple for two seconds. The supported video formats include mp4, avi, and mkv, but for the time being The external subtitle function is not supported. Swipe left and right on the screen during playback to fast forward and rewind, just like the logic of watching videos on a mobile phone.
Video content has covered mainstream platforms
With such an audio-visual experience, Thunderbird Air 1S has become my “golden companion” during the prime time before going to bed. It is also very suitable for friends who like to camp and travel frequently. Not only that, this glasses can also be used for office work and games. Make you even more powerful.
The office experience was another little surprise. For many people, the first choice is to open the laptop when traveling or working in a cafe, but an important value of the Thunderbird Air 1S is that it can be used as a secondary screen for the computer. You can use the main screen of the notebook for office work, and use the 130-inch secondary screen to view confidential information or conduct private meeting chats. For some friends who speculate in stocks or need to check market changes from time to time, this screen allows you to turn your head at will when you are working, and use the most comfortable posture to view and operate without having to look down at the screen for a long time and cause cervical spine discomfort. This kind of office work Experience is a plus.
Finally, let’s talk about the game scenes that everyone cares about. Thunderbird Air 1S has a built-in game space. Currently, 18 AR games are built in, and they are gradually expanding. If you need 3A masterpieces, you may as well connect directly to your own game console.
Nowadays, many people have not only game consoles such as PS, Xbox and Switch, but also expensive large-screen TVs because of these game consoles, but in my opinion, as an immersive “giant screen” anytime, anywhere, Thunderbird Air The 1S is completely up to the task of a TV, and it could even do it better. Through the officially provided HDMI set, the experience of playing PS5 in bed is no longer just a talk, and the operation of adjusting the volume and screen brightness is only used on the glasses, compared to looking for the remote control on the sofa, It’s an experience you’ll never go back to once you’ve used it.
After two days of experience, I was deeply impressed by the practical value of Thunderbird Air 1S as a portable “giant screen”, especially in terms of allowing me to chase dramas, watch movies, and play games, this product’s excellent audio-visual experience And good battery life, daily continuous use for 3-4 hours without heating problems, in different scenarios, it shows its own uniqueness, and it has become another portable item besides the power bank.
03 When the future comes, life is being changed
For years , we’ve been uncertain about how AR / VR technology will change people’s lives, but in 2022, as new players enter the game and the barriers to entry and price are further lowered, I see this change that’s about to affect everyone Coming, from the perspective of daily use, such products represented by the Thunderbird Air 1S have become a new choice between mobile phones and projectors (or giant-screen TVs).
In an interview in October this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned: “I think AR is a profound technology that will affect everything.” In his view, AR devices are expected to replace the iPhone within 10 years. cell phone. The important reason why Cook is so optimistic about AR equipment is the convenience of its use and the excellence of certain scenarios. From the Thunderbird Air 1S, we can clearly see the characteristics of these two aspects.
The data also reflects the recognition of consumers. Analysys analysis data from a third-party research organization shows that in Q3 of 2022, Falcon Innovation has a market share of 28.6% in the mainstream e-commerce platform of domestic consumer-grade AR glasses, ranking second and becoming the most developed domestic market. Fast consumer AR glasses brand.
After the birth of Google Glass, Warren Craddock, an optics expert who has participated in the Google Glass project, pointed out that the Google Glass screen is too small, and the optical components are too awkward to place in the corner of the eye, and “it’s stupid to wear.” Coupled with the poor battery life and networking capabilities, not many people are willing to wear it for a long time, and many people idle it after trying it out. Today, these flaws are no longer preventing people from using AR glasses after the technology continues to improve .
As we have summarized the usage scenarios, Thunderbird Air 1S has played its own value whether it is at home, on business or long-distance travel, or in outdoor camping. It also cooperates with Ideal Car to explore in-car scenarios. This product can impress different groups of people, and the price of less than 2,500 yuan reflects the product concept of “providing users with a differentiated experience that exceeds expectations” that Lei Jun once mentioned. Although there is still room for improvement in AR glasses in terms of software ecology, I think the Thunderbird Air 1S has become a must-have item for me.
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