Garmin is a player in the growing cycling glasses market and it's doing it with a one ounce clip.
In conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016 in Las Vegas this week, Garmin unleashed its Varia Vision clip, which turns a pair of bicycle glasses — or any pair of sunglasses for that matter — into a connected heads-up display.
Tech Times had a chance to try out the wearable tech display clip at Garmin's booth at the Sands on Thursday and it's hard to think of a reason why they can't be a legitimate contender in the space. First of all, the display clip is so light and sleek that it doesn't even feel like something is attached to your glasses when wearing them.
However, and more importantly, just because Garmin is marketing the clip toward cyclists and their biking glasses, the Varia Vision clip will fasten onto any pair of sunglasses, giving more people the ability to wear smart glasses that tout heads-up display technology as well.
For cyclists, though, the advantages of having the Varia Vision became evident once I put on a pair. The clip puts everything from navigational directions to traffic and other roadside warnings, and call and text message notifications, via its Bluetooth capability, right in the floating field of view for riders. The data comes from the company's Edge computer system.
Given the fact that some cyclists enjoy the challenge of pedaling through rough weather conditions, Garmin has laced the clip to be fully weatherproof as well.
Varia Vision will retail for $400, available this spring.
