Wearables
Halliday Gen 2 smart glasses ditch problematic tiny display for dual eyepiece design
The second generation of Halliday's wearable eyewear replaces the finicky single-window approach with a more comfortable dual-display system and AI-powered meeting features.
The Verge
Halliday has abandoned the frustrating design of its original smart glasses in favor of a substantially redesigned second generation that prioritizes comfort and functionality. The company unveiled its Gen 2 model after receiving considerable skepticism from early adopters who found the first iteration's tiny, movable display window difficult to view and eye-straining.
A More Practical Display Approach#
The most significant change in the Gen 2 is the departure from the original's problematic single movable window. Instead, Halliday has integrated discreet waveguides—one for each eye—that offer a noticeably larger viewing area. While the reflective elements remain detectable under certain angles, they're far subtler than the original design and considerably more functional. The monochrome green displays deliver 1,600 nits of maximum brightness and provide 600-by-300-pixel resolution per eye.
The hardware itself maintains a minimalist aesthetic and weighs considerably less than competing smart glasses options. Early testing confirmed visibility even in dimly lit environments, though performance in bright sunlight remains untested.
Meeting-Focused AI Features#
Rather than positioning itself as a general-purpose wearable, Halliday has built the Gen 2 specifically around workplace conversations. The glasses intentionally exclude a camera—a deliberate trade-off that both protects user privacy and extends battery life to approximately 12 hours per charge.
The company is launching several specialized meeting features:
- Meeting Flow: Uses AI to extract relevant context and information without requiring users to glance at other devices
- Thread Tracker: Maps conversation progression, showing how discussion topics evolve throughout a meeting
- Decision Confirmation: Highlights conclusions reached during conversations with specific dates or outcomes
- Commitment Check: Confirms action items are assigned with clear owners and deadlines
Beyond meeting tools, the Gen 2 supports real-time captioning, translation across more than 45 languages, call handling, and teleprompter functionality for speakers. Voice control operates through Halliday's integrated AI assistant.
