Amazon’s new Echo Frames are lighter, louder, and will start shipping next week

Amazon Echo Frames’ strategy is to skip the visual augmented reality features of other “smart glasses” and offer regular-looking glasses with the Alexa voice assistant built-in. If this sounds like a valuable addition to your life, then you’re in luck, as the new third-generation Echo Frames are now available for Pre-order on Amazonand a $75 discount is available.

What the edgeDavid Pearce noted from his preview earlier this fall that the biggest differences in the new frames are as much about form as function — this latest iteration is a lighter, better-balanced version of its previous counterparts, with a sleeker, more colorful design. Options available. Since the only option on the first generation Echo Frames were drugstore-like reading glasses, this is a bigger deal than it seems.

The new Echo Frames also offer a slight boost to battery life, which now lasts a total of six hours on a full charge. The newly designed speaker array also delivers up to “three times the bass” compared to second-generation Echo Frames. There’s a small microphone built into each set of Echo Frames that can pick up the user’s voice (and according to Amazon, it’s designed not to pick up the voices of passers-by), allowing them to communicate with Alexa. So you can call up playlists with your Echo Frames, turn your Alexa-enabled smart lights on or off, play podcasts, call your mom, just go crazy!

The sticker price for 3rd Generation Frames is $269.99, but Amazon’s “introductory price promotion” adds a $75 discount for early birds who pre-order the prescription-ready version. The blue light-resistant Echo Frames have a lower discount, while a pair of sunglasses is full price. Moreover, Amazon’s collaboration with the Carrera brand is still ongoing third generation The Carrera Echo Frame sunglasses cost $389.99 (but only $314.99 if you pre-order).

Echo Frames are available in five styles, including blue round, black rectangle, black square, brown cat eye, and gray rectangle. If you order prescription-ready or blue-light-filtering versions, the idea is to bring them to your eye care professional as soon as they arrive so they can be fitted with prescription lenses. This is clearly not the case with the Echo Frames sunglasses.

You can pre order Next-gen prescription-ready Echo Frames for $194.99 or choose the blue light filtering or sunglasses version for $224.99 or $254.99 respectively. Also available for pre-order third generation From the Carrera Echo Frame Sunglasses, which are discounted at $314.99.