Skip to main content

Snapchat’s camera glasses are now being sold via a viral marketing campaign

Bot Landing
The first hardware venture of Snap Inc. (Snapchat’s new name) has now appeared in the form of the camera-clad glasses dubbed Spectacles. The new glasses recently debuted in a rather happy-looking vending machine called the Snapbot. The Snapbot will appear in various locations, in each instance for only 24 hours before popping up in another spot, Snap Inc. says. But now, it looks like the cute vending machine is making more frequent appearances.
Recommended Videos

Last week, Snapchat’s Snapbot locator page began a 24-hour countdown timer, denoting the amount of time left before the social media company began selling its hardware at another location. Once the timer hit zero, eager fans would see an updated map showing the location of the vending machine where you’ll be able to buy Spectacles.

Thus far, the Snapbot has made appearances in Los Angeles, Big Sur, and the Rose Bowl Stadium, but less than 24 hours after making its most recent popup, the vending machine was found at the Grand Canyon on Sunday morning. This could mean that Snapchat is no longer abiding by the same cadence in terms of releasing its popular hardware, and that perhaps sometime soon, more of the U.S. will be able to access Spectacles.

The Snapbot’s eye, or circular screen, allows Snapchatters to virtually try on the glasses in three different colors before it will spit out the user’s selection (which of course only happens after paying $130 for the camera glasses). The eye-catching vending machines are expected to be the only way to purchase Spectacles — at least for the product’s first few months on the market.

Equipped with a motion sensor, the Snapbot will appear to be sleeping, then wake up to display sample video clips from the glasses whenever anyone walks by. Three simple colored knobs allow the user to pick their hue — coral, black or turquoise — before the glasses appear to vend out of the bot’s smiling “mouth.”

The first Snapbot was in Venice Beach, California, on Thursday. On Sunday, the second Snapbot appeared in Big Sur, and is now sold out. Snapchat staff on-location told visitors that the vending machine would not be restocked. A Snapbot map shows where the vending machine is moving to next, but only gives 24-hour notice of the bot’s location.

Snap Inc. is likely hoping that the interactive vending machine and frequent location changes will catch consumers’ eyes long enough to persuade them to (virtually) try on the Spectacles, giving the rather unique product an eye-catching distribution method. The product is still making waves even though it has limited availability at launch, as the Spectacles are selling for up to 20 times the original price on eBay.

The Spectacles shoot 10-minute video clips from a wide 115-degree angle lens designed to capture a view similar to the wearer’s own perspective. Those clips are then automatically synced to the user’s Snapchat memories for easy sharing. According to the Spectacles website, the camera glasses only work with Snapchat.

When the social media platform announced the Spectacles in September, it rebranded itself as Snap Inc. to reflect the company’s expansion beyond just Snapchat. Snap Inc. is now a self-described “camera company,” according to its website.

Originally published in November 2016. Harrison Kaminsky contributed to this article. Updated on 11-20-2016 by Lulu Chang: Added news of the Spectacles’ availability in the Grand Canyon.

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
An ace photographer is about to leave the ISS. Here are his best shots
The moon and Earth as seen from the ISS.

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is preparing to return to Earth after spending seven months living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

After arriving at the orbital outpost, Dominick -- who is on his first mission to space -- quickly earned a reputation for being an ace photographer. He's been using the facility’s plethora of high-end cameras and lenses to capture amazing shots from his unique vantage point some 250 miles above Earth. Sharing his content on social media, the American astronaut has always been happy to reveal how he captured the imagery and offer extra insight for folks interested to know more.

Read more
Filter-free and fun, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera is on sale Right Now for Prime Day
fujifilm instax mini 11 camera prime big deal days

It's 2024, and you’re considering a point-and-shoot camera. Zero judgment here. I miss the good ol’ days of flipping through actual photo albums instead of doom-scrolling on Instagram. You can get back to those days by snagging a (in the ice white color), and it’s the perfect time because it’s on sale. Get it for 24% off during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, but hurry while inventory is going strong.
There’s something magical about having a physical photo right in your hand seconds after snapping the shot, and it adds a fun, retro vibe to moments you want to capture and keep. Plus, having an actual picture to hold and display can be so much more satisfying than just another digital file on your phone. I picked one up two years ago for my eight-year-old daughter, and it’s been an instant hit in our household. And now, at its $59 sale price, I'm definitely going to be stocking up on a few to gift ahead of the holiday season.

How the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 works
The delightful throwback comes with a FUJINON 60mm lens and an automatic exposure feature that adjusts the shutter speed for the best shot, even in low light. While the picture quality won’t be as crisp as what your smartphone can capture, it’ll still produce a quality image worthy of slapping on a refrigerator.
If selfies are your thing, this camera has a dedicated Selfie Mode (with a mirror). We set up a DIY photo booth for my daughter's birthday party with sticker frames so each kid could go home with a photo souvenir, and it was a total hit.
You can opt to make it a set with a range of accessories to buy separately, like a carrying case, a handy strap, those sticker borders I mentioned, and photo albums to hold the memories.

Read more
The Canon EOS R100 mirrorless is ideal for beginners — $170 off today
Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera with lens attached

If you don't want to spend the money on a high-end DSLR camera, mirrorless cameras are an excellent alternative. But they, too, can be expensive, at least normally. Right now, thanks to a bevy of Prime Big Deal Days discounts, the best camera deals, in general, and super great Prime Day camera deals there are a ton of offers available. So, it's a great time to shop if you've been on the fence. However, we wanted to call out a great deal for novice photographers on the Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera. Normally $600, it's just $429 right now as part of the event, saving you over $170. The bundle includes the RF-S18-45mm lens. Again, a great starting point for casual or novice photographers.

 
Why shop this Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera deal for Prime Big Deal Days?

Read more