Ray-Ban’s Latest, Tesla’s Competition, and Gourmet On-the-Go: This Week’s Gear Highlights

The concept isn’t as complex as it seems. One significant reason the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers stand out as the leading tech eyewear is that a substantial number of people already appreciate the classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer style. Convincing individuals to adopt a smart accessory is much simpler when that accessory boasts an attractive design. Meta has embraced this idea wholeheartedly with its latest release, the Ray-Ban Meta x Coperni collaboration, which was recently launched during Paris Fashion Week.

Coperni, a French fashion label, is recognized for its innovative fashion stunts, including spraying a dress onto model Bella Hadid, making its collaboration with Meta a fitting match. The limited-edition Coperni glasses boast all the standard Ray-Ban Meta features—live video recording, AI capabilities, and impressive sound quality—along with unique elements like limited edition numbering, a Coperni-branded charging case, and gray mirror lenses. It’s worth noting, however, that simply shelling out $549 for a pair of stylish AI glasses won’t transform you into a modern-day oligarch; you will also need a chin implant, a car riddled with recall notices, or a bunker in Hawaii for that look.

—Adrienne So

Beware Elon, Former Tesla and Lucid Executives are Launching Their Own Roadster EVs

Numerous new electric vehicle brands are emerging, but Longbow Motors stands out not only for the gorgeous designs of its upcoming models but also for being founded by ex-executives from Tesla, BYD, and Lucid—quite an impressive legacy.

The two upcoming EVs include the Speedster (shown above), a model without a roof or windshield, followed by a fixed-roof, two-seat coupe named the Roadster. The rear-wheel-drive Speedster will be limited to just 150 units, weigh only 895 kg, offer a 275-mile range, achieve a claimed 0-62 mph in just 3.5 seconds, all starting at a price of $92,600. The Roadster will be more affordable at $70,850 but will be 100 kg heavier, while still promising a 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds and a 280-mile range.

Longbow expects to unveil a prototype by the summer and deliver final vehicles to eager pre-order customers as soon as next year. In case you’re curious about the choice of the name “Roadster,” it isn’t by chance; co-founder Daniel Davy, who contributed to Tesla’s original Roadster, mentioned to Top Gear that the name was intended as a playful jab at Tesla’s repeatedly postponed Roadster MkII.

“Many customers have placed deposits for a Roadster they can’t receive,” Davy told Top Gear. “If individuals wish to retrieve their $250,000 deposit for a 2020 vehicle and allocate it towards something better and readily available, we welcome them. Our Roadster will be on the market first.” —Jeremy White

Explore JBL’s Upgraded Most Popular Speakers

JBL has unveiled two refreshed speakers just in time for the upcoming warm weather. This week, the company launched enhanced versions of the JBL Flip 7 and JBL Charge 6—two of its most beloved models. Both speakers feature upgraded sound (“larger and more robust,” as per JBL), equipped with Sound Boost technology that analyzes music in real-time and optimizes the driver to match, along with high-resolution lossless audio through USB-C. Additionally, they can connect with other Auracast-enabled JBL speakers, though compatibility with previous models using PartyBoost is not supported.