San Francisco-based startup Halliday has unveiled its second-generation smart glasses, a device built for work rather than social media or streaming. The Halliday G2 glasses cost $599 and are available for pre-order, with shipping set to begin in September.
The glasses designed to replace your notebook
The G2 glasses display a monochrome green text overlay in the wearer’s field of view, resembling a video game interface rather than a smartphone screen. Unlike Meta’s Ray-Ban or Oakley smart glasses, these have no camera, focusing on productivity instead of entertainment.
“We’re not creating a tool for entertainment,” said Carter Hou, Halliday’s COO and co-founder. “It’s meant to help users work more efficiently and simplify daily tasks.”
The glasses’ main feature is Meeting Flow, an AI-powered app that transcribes conversations in real time. It provides contextual suggestions and lets users replay the last 30 seconds of audio if they miss something. Tapping the frame summons the AI to summarize key points, answer questions, or highlight unaddressed topics. The aim is to keep meetings on track without forcing users to check a phone or laptop.
Halliday sees potential beyond meetings. Future updates may assist in job interviews, networking events, or doctor visits, where the AI could explain medical terms or suggest follow-up questions. Hou also mentioned the glasses might guide users during high-stakes interactions, such as traffic stops, by analyzing the situation and offering real-time advice.
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Other companies have tried similar products. The Even Realities G2, a competing model, includes a monochrome waveguide display and a transcription app called Conversate. Halliday’s version is simpler—it only supports pre-loaded apps at launch, with no third-party app store. Even Realities, on the other hand, offers options for birdwatching, religious texts, and other specialized uses.
The G2 glasses weigh 49 grams and offer 12 hours of battery life. They include onboard speakers, a binocular waveguide display with 600×300 resolution per eye, and brightness up to 1,600 nits, ensuring visibility in sunlight. The monochrome design keeps them lightweight and less noticeable than bulkier AR headsets.
Halliday is targeting professionals who spend much of their day in meetings or collaborative settings. Most smart glasses have failed to gain widespread adoption, often seen as gimmicky or too limited. The company argues the G2 isn’t trying to do everything—just serve as a better notepad, a smarter assistant, and a less distracting alternative to a phone.
Hou recognized the difficulty ahead. “Meetings are just the start,” he said. “The real challenge will be whether people continue using them after the initial interest fades.”
The device may also hint at broader trends in wearable technology. As companies refine foldable smartphone designs, accessories like these could redefine how users interact with digital information.
