Recon Jet glasses to be in consumers' hands by year's end

Recon Instruments' augmented reality sunglasses are set to ship in December. Potential customers can already pre-order a pair for $499. But starting July 21, the price will go up to $599.

Recon Instruments' augmented reality sunglasses are set to ship in December. Potential customers can already pre-order a pair for $499. But starting July 21, the price will go up to $599.

The Recon Jet glasses with heads-up display, which were showcased at Google's I/O conference in May, feature a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1Go of RAM and 8Go of built-in storage as well as a 720p HD camera. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible, they're also packed with an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a magnetometer, all in 3D.

Equipped with a temperature sensor and a speaker-microphone, they can work in any weather conditions. And what's more: people who wear glasses can use them too.

With a 16:9 image ratio corresponding to a 30-inch screen seen at a distance of 2 meters, this first Recon Jet product runs on Android and is compatible with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The first orders will be available by the end of the year for a price well below the forthcoming Google Glass -- the first products of which were sold to developers at $1,500.