Bose Frames Alto Bluetooth Audio Sunglasses with Integrated Microphone

I had my prescription lenses fitted in the sunglasses and it’s really great. Like the song would say : Thank you for the music !

I saw these on someone at a party and noticed the charging strip. So I asked the gentleman about it and he said "oh wow youre going to love these" and just put them on me and showed me how perfectly clean and beautiful it feels when listening to music through these. There is "blind spot" in your hearing of whats around you. Its like having ear buds in but also hearing whats going on around them. I think they are super dangerous for people starting to think you're crazy because I'll be walking down the street talking basically to myself through the phone connect.

All that being said, I wear blue light filtering glasses at my desk all day and this would be such an amazingly efficient addition to the work desk to have both the clear blue light filtering lenses in and be able to talk on phone calls etc.

Desperately looking forward to the addition of those lenses hopefully in the future.

So much better than ear buds - like someone is whispering into your brain. Better awareness of surroundings. Love them.

I bought this one a month ago and it was great, but it's stolen and there is no way to find it. I think it was a great idea to have a feature in the Bose Connect App that if someone wants to connect to a stolen frames with specific serial number then the app could report the location.

Just got mine obviously not as loud as in or over ear but nice clean sound only for me with nothing in or on my ear. Calls are nice and clear as well. Comfortable and did I mention that there sunglasses.
I put that I wouldn’t recommend to a friend but that’s just because I don’t want anyone else to have them . Lol

I bought these a couple days ago and they're awesome. I work at the market and was able to have a low level of music play through the day to keep me going while still able to serve customers and understand them fully. They work perfectly with my Google pixel 3xl and are pretty much touch free as I can tell Google to make phone calls(the volume I heard people at wasn't the loudest that's why it was 4 however not sure if I was in speaker) or turn the volume up. I would highly recommend these to people!

After 2 weeks of use stop charging. The light blink but dont charge. They give me a new ones and after 3 weeks its happen again

Hardly use it, no point if cant stay firmly, no volume controls...got one for me and 2 more for friends, they had same impressions...disappointed.

I walked into the Bose Store to look for cordless headphones and came across the sunglasses immediately. Out of curiosity I tried them on and fell in love immediately. With in minutes I purchased them. They work perfectly. I also bought the mirror polarized lenses. I can't say enough about the quality. I read some of the low ratings here and find they maybe due to operator error and not trying on the glasses in store. Would be nice to see lenses that transition and also making them for prescription wearers. My sister and brothers loved them but they would need a prescription lenses for me to buy them as a gift. Looking forward to the next generations and hope they can make more choices for frames and lenses.

There are lots of good points and a few really annoying one.
Okay the good. The lens are good and do not give any magnification (unlike RayBan). The sound is really nice, except ... see below. Setup is easy. It is so much more convenient than shoving ear plus in your ears!
Now the bad. The battery life is short - max of 3 hours, but more likely 2! The blue tooth is intermittent, which when fully charged misses words. A little off-putting when listening to podcasts. And finally, I have the volume on the phone switched up to full, but if there is a little background noise it is difficult to hear anything.
I find myself quoting Elwood sometimes through ... "it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses"
But they are really good.

When some one calls you and you picked up the call the sound ll become very low you have to disconnect the glasses from your bluetooth and connect it again to listen proper volume. I tried everything to fix that problem but in vein .. ahhhh i m shocked bose made that cheap prototype.. battery timing is very bad only 3 hrs

As stated, they mentioned that these shades are pretty big but I did see a woman (who has a much smaller face size of mine) wearing the Alto pair. I absolutely loved the sound quality and look compared to the Rondo style. But I could not wear these for even a second. They never stayed on and if I looked down, the slipped off, something that shouldn’t happen for such an expensive pair of sunglasses. I hope and pray they decide to make a smaller size, and as soon as they do I will be the first to purchase them. With that said, I do not recommend these to women (even if you have more of a bigger face) Also, the placement of the speakers didn’t fit right as well. They need to be pushed back more so they could have at least stayed on my ears.

I bought this in my trip to US a month ago. When I got back to mu country I couldn’t find the charger. Turns out they don’t have it for sale and it’s extremely rare, so my sunglasses are unusable so far. For such a big brand this is highly irresponsable and embarrassing.

Bose Alto - gives quality sound, easy to pair and the sunglasses itself very cool to use.

I have had these glasses now for a little over a week and they are "ok". There are a few things that could be improved on for sure. Sunglasses are a very personal choice item and having only a couple of options is very limiting. Perhaps the frame bows could have a slide adjustment. I have seen many complaints about the sizing. Maybe even some color choices. The angle of the lenses is also odd. While the frames fit my face, the lenses rest on my cheeks. The case is backwards. Every hard shell glass case I have ever owned, the lenses go in facing in, not out. I like the convenience of making and receiving phone calls at the press of a switch. All the personal assistance features available (Siri Google) make texting or any app that uses voice commands extremely convenient. Charging with a micro USB would also be a much better option. The sound quality is just ok. It is not up to the Bose standard that I am used to. I have Lifestyle Systems, Acoustic wave, Wave Radio, headphones, and speakers. LOVE Bose. For what they are the sound is ok.

I have owned these about a week and really like them. I already had the Bose connect app (Android) for my Bose QC 35 headphones, so after a 15 minute firmware update the glasses easily connected to my Pixel 3 XL. I think the volume is adequate and the sound quality is very good for an open ear device, I did not expect them to be as loud as noise cancelling QC 35's. I wear a 7 1/2 hat so the frame width and fit are good. I will purchase the mirrored lens because I want polarized lens. I want to wear these more often, and a HUGE bonus would be to have lens with 1.25-1.5 diopter magnification near the bottom.....I would buy them in a second!

I bought this product a week ago, didn’t like it. It’s paining if we use more than 30 minutes. I don’t recommend to buy this product

The idea is amazing I the sound is set for you, I have great reception When I get a call

All I can say is wow Bose have pulled it out of the bag once again. The sound from these are amazing I’m so glad I’ve bought these. If Bose would like to sponsor me the amount of products I’ve got as the sound blows me away every time please contact me

I received the product about a month ago and having your ears free of buds or headphones, yet still being able to enjoy music without disturbing those nearby is at first novel, but liberating.
While the 3 hour battery life means they will never be your only headphones, the understated, open wares design does provide you with an increased sense of awareness of your surroundings, which is not available with earbuds.
My only criticism is that the arms are a bit thicker and wider than what I would like, but other than that the design of the glasses comes across like a generic unisex pair of sunglasses

I have been using these for a week now. Its simply brilliant.

Pros:
- Great Sound
- Light weight (when you imagine having a speaker with a battery you do not expect it to be
this light! Great Job Bose!!)

Cons:
- Call Volume is really low (so unless your in a silent environment or have your car
windows shut you may not be able to hear the other person very clearly)
- The Sound output goes low once it reaches about 40%)

Overall a killer product for a first!! If the call volume is fixed in a update it will do wonders (as there is quiet a bit of difference when your on call (low) and when your listening to music (loud) )

I have had this product for a few weeks now and the sound this product brings is just awesome and top notch. There is minimal to no leakage from the frames too. Also the fact that the lenses are interchangeable is really good feature as I'm not one for dark lenses. The app to connect is really nice although I would question why it is needed at all. The only thing is the frames are a bit too bulky. This is a personal thing though doesn't remove from the awesomeness of the product. I would really recommend this product. I hope they come in less bulky styles

I've had these for a week so it's a bit early, but I bought these to possibly replace my airpods. They have definitely done that. Sound quality is amazing, super comfy, and calls are fantastic.

Yesterday I was on a long conversation outside of the office tower I work at. I joked with who I was talking to, "I wonder if someone is going to think I'm just talking to myself."

Well, 45 minutes later a police car pulls up and an officer approaches me. Very nicely he explains that someone called reporting that someone had been pacing around the building talking to themselves for a while. I showed him my glasses and we both got a good laugh. He tried them on and liked them too! He then went on his way.

All in all, I love em.

Greatest sunglasses around, after trying these on for the first week they were amazing. My friends have said why buy other expensive brands that cost way more then these and they don’t even have the features. The only thing Bose needs to add is a finder like there other headphones because sunglasses are easy to leave around like I did.

Bought these about a month ago and truly love them. Great fit. Holds charge well and easily connects.

The Bose Alto Frame Sunglasses (w/silver mirror-polarized lenses are great for listing to my audiobooks paired with my iPod Touch 7 Gen. Easy pairing every time - sound quality is great. In the Arizona heat my Q35 are hot - thank you Bose!

I’ve had them about a week now, fit nicely stay put even while sweating. Easy to hear and keep track of surroundings, as usual another quality Bose product.

The styling and fit are great. They were easy to pair with my phone via Bluetooth. Great ideal and excellent product .

After hearing about Bose AR last year, I have been interested to try out the Bose Frames. Sadly, the AR features are not available yet, which left me a bit sceptical how useful these would be over the cheaper solution of earphones and sunglasses.
While I was expecting not to like them, I came away, pleasantly surprised.
Most of my concerns, while still valid, were mostly overblown. Sound leakage exists, in a quiet room, you can hear them at moderate volumes, but while walking down the street, ambient noise is louder than the sound leakage. Even at moderately loud volumes, I have not had any funny looks off passers-by, though I would be cautious about he volume level on public transport.

Sound quality is considerably better than expected, these can’t compete with a good pair of in-ear headphones, but they are considerably better than bone conduction earphones I have use. While the bass is lacking compared to in-ear they do have far better bass than I could have ever imagined. The main issue with sound quality, is that ambient noise will affect your audio, cars can drown out vocals, so things like podcasts can be awkward to listen to in noisy environments.

While these are not designed for sports, there is an obvious appeal here, especially cycling. For road cycling, with me leaning forward I did find that these slipped down my nose a lot. They are quite large glasses so dependant on head size your mileage may vary. Similarly, for running I experienced the same problem, but for a slow jog they are fine.

Where these excel is for casual cycling and commuting, you remain situationally aware while still being able to listen to audio. I recently used these on holiday, and they are perfect for navigation allowing you to keep your phone in your pocket without looking too much like a tourist. For the daily clycling/scooter commute (in sunny climates) these are perfect, providing excellent audio quality and the safety of hearing things around you.

I couldn't believe the Alto Style Bose sunglasses/headphones would really work as showed. I've been using them now for around two weeks and was surprised! What a fantastic innovative product! I had already loaded the Bose Connect from the App Store on to my iPhone XS and within seconds I was experiencing such a wonderful Bose experience as the Bluetooth music from my phone was pleasantly all around me. I asked my son if he could hear the music and he said No. He was equally amazed as I continued to be at the quality of the sound the sunglasses put out. I have used them everyday since then and I am absolutely bowled over with the enjoyment I get whilst wearing them whilst shielding the sun from my eyes at the same time. One wonderful feature of the Bose Alto Style sunglasses is that whilst enjoying the music you are fully aware of what is going on around you and easily able to have conversations with others instead as I normally have to do and turn off and take off my current Bluetooth headphones. But most amazingly when I cycle I am also move aware of traffic and sound around so they are in my opinion the first headphones that I know of that keep you safer as well. Generally battery life is very good as on average I have been able to listen to music for around 4 hours on a full charge. I can without any doubt highly recommend the Alto Style glasses as a must have fashion, entertainment and safety accessory.

I absolutely love the glasses. I got them and immediately got the script with transitions sunglasses. Now I can wear them all day, everyday. The frame fits my face perfectly and get compliments.

I've had these for a month and couldn't be happier. The sound quality is fantastic and the added bonus of being able to make phone calls was brilliant. However, if it's slightly windy/busy locations it doesn't work that well whilst on the phone only. When in the office or at home it is crystal clear.
A few people made negative comments about the design as if you don't realise they play music they do look a little bulky on the sides but front on for me the design is good.
This product got me walking for no reason and even got me going to my local parks gym as I wanted to see if they would be annoying whilst exercising but to be honest they stuck to my face and not at any point was I worried about them falling off, a massive plus.
Skipping tracks, pausing and using siri with the button on the side was so simple that everyone got it instantly.
Lastly, when up at full volume I literally can't hear someone talking to me when they are stood more than 5 yards away so it does drown out outside noise if you want it too.

I bumped into someone on Wimbledon common who let me try his. It had such a profound experience on me that I went straight home and did myresearch. Sadly I went for the other brand and ended up being very disappointed. And I mean very! One week later I found myself in Bose,Regent Street and had the most amazing smile on my face when i heard the sound quality and most importantly the volume.
They are loud enough to hear above the traffic in Regent street so say no more. You don't have to use the Bose app to use the glasses. Flip them over for 2 seconds and they switch off but one tap of the golden button and you are back in business. You can also set it so that they switch off after 5 mins once the music has been turned off. Great for not draining the battery

They are so good that I take my kids to the park with background music playing, like today. I can have conversations with them without any fuss.

With a 2 year warranty its surely a no brainer.

For me they are a game changer. You will not be disappointed. Trust me. And no I am not a doctor.

I've had these Bose speaker sunglasses for a fortnight now and have to say they have had plenty of use. Whilst sound quality isn't quite as good as in ear headphones it is pleasantly surprising. The glasses are lightweight and comfortable with really good battery life and the sound is incredibly private, to the point that people sat next to me can't hear what sounds loud in my ears. Whilst these are a really good option for bright sunny weather (as the sound is so carefully focussed to your ear when they are correctly worn it can't even be heard if the glasses are on top of your head) they are of little or no use in overcast conditions.

I have been testing the Alto Style Bose sunglasses/headphones now for around two weeks and Wow what a fantastic innovative product.
I very quickly loaded the Bose Connect From the App Store on to my iPhone XR and within seconds I was experiencing such a wonderful Bose experience as the Bluetooth music from my phone was pleasantly all around me. I asked my wife can you hear the music and she said No why how are you listening to music. She was equally amazed as I continue to be at the quality of the sound the sunglasses put out.
I have used them everyday since then and I am absolutely bowled over with the enjoyment I get whilst wearing them whilst shielding the sun from my eyes at the same time.
One wonderful feature of the Bose Alto Style sunglasses is that whilst enjoying the music you are fully aware of what is going on around you and easily able to have conversations with others instead as I normally have to do and turn off and take off my current Bluetooth headphones. I am also move aware of traffic and sound around so they are in my opinion the first headphones that I know of that keep you safer as well.
Generally battery life is good as on average I have been able to listen to music for around 4 hours on a full charge.
I can without any doubt highly recommend the Alto Style glasses as a must have fashion and entertainment accessory.

I had lenses installed into the frames at a local Wal-Mart to make them my primary glasses with transition lenses. I went for Ray-Ban green and I have to say they are still stylish in the frame itself and the wide viewing angle has perks like easier iris recognition and face recognition on your other devices.

These glasses perform in their quality and utility.

1) Quality is an audio "experience" - at best - for instance, they are not even close to comparable to Bluetooth headphones or even a $5 pair of earbuds however, they are a good compromise to re-"pair"-ing with your device, or having to adjust your device (taking your headphones off) to listen to others!

2) The Utility is a compromise in that the BOSE AR does not have any real feature other than entertainment and you are not ever really utilizing the head shakes or nods to answer or reject calls. I think what bothered me the most with the whole BOSE AR introduction is it was drastically over-hyped (and from my understanding AN IPHONE ONLY FEATURE SINCE NO APPS ARE AVAILABLE SINCE I LAST CHECKED FOR ANDROID) and I purchased these on 0-day.

3) The practical functionality is in usage of a "button". I have noticed that the button's construct has made a bit of an issue however through some "tampering" I was able to alleviate what was keeping the button in a "held state" (so pushing the button repeatedly has a sign of wear and tear and I was not immediately aware of how the problem may have occurred other than the frames had applied pressure from the interior angles). The other big issue was that you cannot pick which device to manually pair to utilizing the app. The Bose Connect app for Android offered me very little extended functionality other than a battery level.

Bose's bluetooth connectivity opens the options for any bluetooth phone to perform the same features as a pair of headphones for instance the same utility or practical application from any pair of headphones utilized by your phone will give you the same functionality at a lower price bracket (One button allows for a "clear", "pair" when first powering on the device and "general / voice assist").

The bluetooth battery works for as long as the duration of when I wear prescription glasses for advanced stages of astigmatism and the wider angle viewing lens allows my eyes to breath more than any other standard pair of glasses.

For constant uninterrupted usage (for instance a 4 hour phone call, a 4 hour album) the headphones will warn you of battery levels and so will your phone.

For just normal day-to-day usage I find it's most practical application is IN SAMSUNG BIOMETRICS. The iris recognition compliments the viewing angle of these lenses beautifully. I NEVER EVEN HAVE TO TAKE MY GLASSES OFF! Also, the representation for others who are generally afraid to interrupt someone who is listening to music is a plus, in being able to answer calls while still working on other things, being able to "see" my phone without having to stare at it, listen to my tablet computer while still listening to music on my cell phone.

At my stage I found uses in the Bose Glasses to provide audio transcription of different languages as translated dialog as it allows me to hear people with my eyes and not really provide them with any sort of indication that I am eavesdropping on what they may be saying.

Out of the coolness factor I have to say bluetooth pairing with a television set is the most gripping. Even surround capabilities are at some limitation however it is still possible to have a "feeling" of "dual channel" surround.

I think my biggest pet peeve is the sensitivity in dB of the audio sunglasses though I have had complaints in several taxis from passengers who really were offended by profanity used in adult lyrics.

When I first met the Bose dealer I jogged the idea of why I would like the "nerdier" look of the "bigger frames" he encouraged me that they are sunglasses however I thought it look good in "sports" and "suits" as prescription glasses.

The unisex appeal works well to highlight even more of the contours of my face and I really enjoy the masculinity in the Altos!

The next time you think about buying a prescription pair, these are definitely worth the money!

I've had these for a month and couldn't be happier. The sound quality is fantastic and the added bonus of being able to make phone calls was brilliant. However, if it's slightly windy/busy locations it doesn't work that well whilst on the phone only. When in the office or at home it is crystal clear.
A few people made negative comments about the design as if you don't realise they play music they do look a little bulky on the sides but front on for me the design is good.
This product got me walking for no reason and even got me going to my local parks gym as I wanted to see if they would be annoying whilst exercising but to be honest they stuck to my face and not at any point was I worried about them falling off, a massive plus.
Skipping tracks, pausing and using siri with the button on the side was so simple that everyone got it instantly.
Lastly, when up at full volume I literally can't hear someone talking to me when they are stood more than 5 yards away so it does drown out outside noise if you want it too.

Like all Bose products that you order, they always come well packaged and on time. Bose have always been at the forefront of design, initiative and quality of Sound and these Bose Frames Alto are a great addition to the range. Initial setup is easy and Fast and from turning the Glasses on to experiencing the great sound was a matter of minutes. Like with any Bose product it is always better to down load the Apps to further enhance the listening experience. The charging facility is great no more fiddling with trying to get the socket in, just an easy magnetic click and you are off. The charging time is quite fast and the Battery life is good. The sound is crystal clear and sharp, and the only minus is you don't get that deep bass sound from headphones. This does not take anything away from the quality of sound. I tested the glasses in various situations and every time i enjoyed the listening experience. The Bluetooth function works seamless and no matter listening to music or a phone conversation the sound is clear. They do not disturb thous around you and you can continue to have a conversation whilst listening. Well done Bose for these stylish but innovative Glasses.

Good looking sunglasses & audio sounds. External sound might be annoying to people close by in quieter areas.
East to set up & use.

I've had these Bose speaker sunglasses for a fortnight now and have to say they have had plenty of use. Whilst sound quality isn't quite as good as in ear headphones it is pleasantly surprising. The glasses are lightweight and comfortable with really good battery life and the sound is incredibly private, to the point that people sat next to me can't hear what sounds loud in my ears. Whilst these are a really good option for bright sunny weather (as the sound is so carefully focussed to your ear when they are correctly worn it can't even be heard if the glasses are on top of your head) they are of little or no use in overcast conditions.

I have had Bose Frames a few weeks now, and still can't believe how good they are yet unobtrusive to people nearby. The frames themselves have that great timeless retro style. I have the replacement blue Alto lenses that provide a more subtle tint that's better suited for sun and shade. It is the sound clarity and depth that has blown me away though. I can't believe Bose can provide their normal high sound quality out of speakers embedded in frames. Another great innovative product from Bose I just look forward to a time when they offer prescription lenses and I can wear them all the time.

I was a little sceptical at first when I got these as I was worried they would look odd or oversized. However on comparison with a pair of sunglasses I owned the only bit that was different was the side view and then it was only marginally larger (see pictures for illustration).

The glasses are surprisingly light despite packing a decent battery life with approximately 3.5 - 4 hours runtime depending on volume and playlists. The design is quite sleek and sit really comfortably on the face with minimal sliding on the nose even with sun cream. The glasses work really well however there are 2 downsides for me:
1 - When you lay down on the sun lounger and lift them off your face they switch off, I guess this is expected as they turn off by turning them upside down.
2 - They look odd without any sunshine, although when pushed up on top of the forehead they still give a decent but reduced sound, additionally Bose offer different lenses and I'm hoping clear ones will feature soon as the lenses are really easy to change.

The sound can only slightly be heard by anyone else at approx 3/4 volume but even then its a lot less than more traditional earphones. Above 3/4 volume the base becomes less although the clarity of the sound remains fantastic.

Despite a couple of drawbacks these are amazing with everyone who has seen them wanting to test them and being in awe of the quality as well as jealous.

If you are wanting to add a soundtrack to your life and still experience the hustle and bustle of your surroundings then these are well worth it although will more volume you can drown out the majority of conversation, much to the dissapointment of some of my friends :)

I was provided with a pair of these to try out in exchange for a review. I was provided with the mirrored lenses too, which look great. Changing the lenses is simple and relatively fuss-free.

These glasses are magical when you first try them. Once you've paired them with your phone (simple and painless) and put them on, the music in your ears seems to come from nowhere. The sound is clear and while not as good as a pair of over-ear headphones, they were never going to be. I've passed my pair on to countless people who are amazed with them and everyone wants to know how they work!

The sound isolation is great. Unless you turn the volume right up, the sound leak is minimal and I've listened to audio books, podcasts and all kinds of music and nobody has so much as noticed.

In the right environments - e.g. in the office, while outside in the town/city, at home in the garden, and on some trains they sound great. Anywhere that there's any significant ambient noise I found that they become inaudible very quickly. On any of the London Underground lines they are unusable without turning the volume WAY up and even then that doesn't always help. And besides, do you really want to be wearing sunnies on the tube?

The biggest issue I have with this product is - how often am I really going to use these? In the UK we don't get that much sunshine and if I'm in the office I'm not going to sit with my sunnies on. Where they're good, they're very good, but those situations are relatively limited.

The non-standard charging cable means yet another charging cable added to the collection, and the provided cable is very very short.

The augmented reality stuff is interesting but so far very basic. I'd love to see how this develops.

Overall? A great idea with some fabulous plus points, but for me the opportunities for use are relatively limited.

I currently have Bose Headphones and when I saw these, and wanting something more discreet, This appeared to tick all the boxes. The frames are stylish with a similar wayfarer style, Lenses are interchangeable thus being able to change colour easily and they truly are light, given the fact that they have speakers in both arms......

Lets talk about sound quality, The quality and depth of sound is very good. Don't expect it to be in line with your QC35's as that's not what they are meant to be.... These produce good depth when listening to music and is very good for also listening to podcasts etc. The Volume is sufficient at 80% to be able to clearly hear what your listening comfortably.

The app is very easy to navigate and connect, and once initial connection done the first time, the glasses seamlessly connect when you press the little button on the underside of the right arm. Once connected I use Apple Music to stream all my music, I can even use my Apple Watch to control the volume which is a bonus if phone is in the pocket. You can change track by tapping the button on the arm twice and three times and to turn the glasses off, you simply turn the glasses upside down for 5 seconds.

It comes in a nice presentation box with charging cable and rigid glasses case, the only omission I would like to have seen is a lens cleaning cloth included. However this is very minor.

Overall an amazing set of glasses which produce great sound quality. This was an off the cuff purchase however since owning these my oakley's have been firmly put in a draw......

sound is fantastic and can tell it is high quality can hear perfectly well on a busy train and even in rush hour traffic.

Even inside glasgow central station with 1000s of people around me in a enclosed station sound quality is 5/5 with little to zero interference from other commuters or passing trains can still hear my music perfectly clear

Very easy to install/setup the bose app worked perfectly on a galaxy s9 and also on iphonex both installed and connected to the glasses in a matter of seconds

The frames themselves have lots of room for improvement to me personally they where rather big feeling on my face oversized even and did not feel very fashionable or trendy also seem quite cheap and flimsy feeling not sure how well they would cope with drops or bangs and dont want to find out

overall a a fantastic headset with amazing sound but the design and style of glasses lower the score for me

overall 4/5 everything is great appart from the appearance

I'm a big fan of Bose products and own a relatively high number of home and personal audio devices from them, so was really keen to get my hands on their latest tech.

Initial impressions were excellent. Nice packaging and a pretty smart, quality case to keep them in. The look and feel of the glasses themselves is a very premium one, as you come to expect from Bose products, and the design and function of the frames seems well thought-out.

I have 2 issues with this product however, the first being that the sound just isn't good enough. I would liken it to the sound you would expect from having 2 relatively premium smartphone speakers pumping sound into your ear (and I guess component wise that's exactly what you're getting). In hindsight I don't know what I expected, but at the time perhaps I assumed Bose had solved the problem of zero bass from a micro-speaker - they unfortunately have not.

The second issue is it's purpose, or lack of! The fact that the speakers can be heard at about 40% volume means that they can't really be used in confined public spaces, and the fact that Bose is an audio brand and not an internationally renowned fashion brand doesn't help to justify the disappointing sound quality for the price. In the few weeks I've had these I have therefore been unable to identify a useful purpose for the frames that would make me want to wear them over a regular pair of sunglasses and some decent earphones.

In my personal opinion, I would spend a little more and grab yourself a set of Bose's FANTASTIC QC30s and pair them with a pair of relatively decent quality sunglasses (or just the ones you already own).

These are absolutely brilliant! No messing around with headphones or ear buds - just pop them on, connect and go! They are intrusive to the person next to you. Absolutely brilliant!

I have been using the Bose Frames Alto for few weeks now. I have to admit I was quite excited the first time I saw them and thought this is a revolutionary product. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. First, as sunglasses they do a very poor job, the glass hardly stops any sunlight, the frames are massive and quite ugly to be honest. They look like the 3D glasses we get in the cinema. Even my 20 year old children didn't like the design. Second, the sound quality, in all honesty, the sound is not too bad, I was impressed of the immersive sound, it did feel like headphones but without anything in your years. The problem however is that everyone around you can hear what you are hearing. I would say, in a radius of 5 meters around me, everyone could hear what I was listening to. It's even more problematic when you use it for a phone call, no privacy. The sound is lacking some bass, which is understandable. The little speakers won't handle bass.
Overall, very poor experience, you can only use the frames when it's sunny outside and during daylight. If you go out and the weather changes to somewhat cloudy and darker you need to put them in the bag and take out your headphones, unpractical. If you travel on a train or a bus, everyone around you will be listening to your music. They can be good for jogging I guess, on a sunny day that is. The Bluetooth connection is OK, easy to establish, but I had problems few times of hearing interference, the sound will stop for a fraction of a second every few seconds. May be it was something around interfering, not sure, but when at home I had no problems. You don't get much from one charge, about 3 hours, so if you go on a trip you need to bring your conventional headphones as well. These are very expensive sunglasses for what they offer. I was surprised that a serious and leading company in this industry like Bose has produced such a poor product. Again, great idea but perhaps not very practical, it doesn't really work.

I have had my Alto style Bose Frames for approximately 3 weeks and whilst not being particularly tech-savvy have been quite impressed with the features and ease of use. I found it easy to locate and download the BOSE App, connect the frames via bluetooth and subsequently charge them using the USB cable supplied. Each time you power on the frames you are informed of the status of the battery level, which is a really handy feature. I have mostly used the frames to listen to music and was amazed at how clear the sound was and that people close by could hear nothing. Whilst the design of the frame is sturdy and quite stylish, for me the arms of the frames are too long and I had to keep pushing them back on to the bridge of my nose which consequently made them a little uncomfortable. As previously stated I was impressed with the features but the style of the frame is not for me.

Love the arlo glasses look but they are just to big for my head and I hate the look of the smaller fit! I would die for the smaller fit in the arlo shape tech wise they are just amazing but I just can't get along with the size of them they only fit properly when they are falling off my face and the smaller ones do not suit me at all but fit perfectly it's catch 22 here love them but can't use them.