There’s no microfibre bag for the Frames included, which would make using them and keeping them clean while out and about a bit easier Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials Sensors are hidden in the frames that can detect your head position and interactions such as taps to the side of the glasses. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian There's a major difference in sound quality and loudness between the Tempo and the two everyday sunnies. Again, given the Tempo has been designed for athletes, they benefit from 22mm drivers in each arm and the sound is surprisingly bassy. Mind you, it's not like listening to music on dedicated headphones or earphones, but it's still quite impressive.

Bose introduces three new pairs of Frames audio sunglasses Bose introduces three new pairs of Frames audio sunglasses

Bose sells replacement lenses that users pop in and out themselves in a matter of seconds, no tools required. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian No matter what your prescription needs are, whether it’s single vision, transition, bifocal, or varifocal (to name a few), Lensology can provide lenses for your Bose frames along with any sunglass lens you choose.

The Frames comes in two polarized lens styles (the more colourful of which is sold as an optional extra) that are fairly easy to pop out and swap around should you desire. Prescription lenses are also an option with participating retailers, though this will vary by availability in each country. In Australia, we got the Soprano lenses swapped out for polarized prescription ones by just going to Specsavers. Polarised lenses have an odd tendency to distort the pavement, making it look less flat than it really is The Frames know which way you’re facing and your location from the GPS on your phone, so you can use audio to feed information about the real world into your ears. When in Bluetooth mode, Bose Frames search for and connect to the most recently connected active Bluetooth-enabled device. If that device is unavailable, Bose Frames will attempt the next most recently connected device. Bose had to design tiny speakers to fit into the arms of the Frames from scratch, along with some proprietary tech that, Bose promises, directs 99% of the sound to the wearer’s ears, with only 1% leaked.Though if you’re listening at full volume, you’ll find the leakage seems much worse than that.

Bose Frames Alto

We were recommended another app called Komrad AR, which is a game that lets you chat with a 'Soviet AI' from 1985, and we’re hoping to test that out further for future updates to this review. Along with the glasses you get a carry case, which doesn’t feel particularly high-end considering how much the glasses cost. It also doesn’t charge up the product in a similar way to how wireless earbuds like Apple AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds work. The charging cable clips in place with little effort thanks to some fairly strong magnets. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian Bose Tempo sunglasses are the ultimate high-performance sports sunglasses, with Bose’s cutting edge Open Ear Audio. Tempo’s sleek design allows you to listen to your music and your surroundings at the same time for a unique workout experience.

Prices of Bose prescription lenses with Lensology

Once you ditch the idea that ‘augmented reality’ must equate to ‘augmented vision’ you start to understand the Frames’ potential – and it really is the AR features that make the Frames an impressive piece of hardware. If you care about audio quality, these aren’t going to replace your headphones. Rather, these are a fun alternative you can use when it’s sunny and you’re laying on a beach or walking in a quiet area. In the real world if you have the volume below 50% people sitting right next to you won’t hear it. In fact I took delight in the look of surprise on people’s faces when I gave them the Frames and they suddenly heard my tunes blasting out as they put them on. It’s really very impressive.