World of Apple

Back in April of this year, I had reviewed the MyVu Solo Plus by MyVu Video Eyewear. The MyVu Shades 301 is a very similar product to the MyVu Solo Plus in many respects, so I refer the reader to my prior review, and I will note any differences here.

Once again, the product was kindly provided to me by the vendor on a review-copy basis. The price point remains the same at $199.95. There are two versions of this product: the “Made for iPod” edition which is compatible with the video nano, touch, classic, and 5th Generation Video iPod, and the “Universal Edition” which is compatible with most portable video devices with video out. The MyVu site is silent on whether the Shades 301 will work with the iPhone but does state in a FAQ regarding the MyVu Solo Plus Edition that “Myvu has not been certified through the ‘Works with iPhone’ licensing program. However, Myvu Made for iPod versions, like many iPod accessories, will work with the iPhone when the iPhone is set to Airplane mode.” I do not have an iPhone to test whether this would hold true for this particular product but rather tested it using my iPod touch.

Like the Solo Plus, MyVu does advertise that the image quality is comparable to an iPod screen; however, my experience has been that it is far grainier and less clear. With that being said, I believe that the quality is a good value for the reasonable price point which must always be a consideration. The video specifications are stated by MyVu as a quarter VGA resolution (320X240).

This model differed in several respects from the MyVu Solo Plus. First, I found the angle of the glasses as worn with the “shade” affixed at the top created a more pleasing viewing enviroment while still allowing full visibility around the glasses. The shades serve to relieve the eyes of two competing outside views (above and below the glasses) and instead direct them more downwards without sacrificing full visibility. However, while I found that the affixed shades did provide some additional viewing clarity in bright light situations, at times, the picture was completely unviewable and obscured. I did not attempt the use of a sun visor or hat to determine if this would alleviate this situation as suggested by the website because I do not find it reasonable to expect the typical consumer to be likely to appreciate the requirement of wearing such headgear in order to have an adequate viewing experience. I wouldn’t. Second, I found the nose-rest to be much more comfortable; however, I would recommend still more padding. One criticism that I have of the Shades 301 that I did not have with the Solo Plus might not be inherent in the product, but rather due to the multi-person usage of a review unit - that being that the glasses felt loose around my head although they did not appear to be stretched at the joints in any fashion. Due to this, I would state that these would definitely not be suitable for smaller adults or children. I am of a somewhat small frame, and the looseness was enough to be a bit bothersome. The major difference between the Shades and the Solo Plus appears in the expected battery life. The MyVu Solo Plus provides four hours of viewing time with a fully charged viewer and a fully charged player while the Shades 301 provides ten hours of viewing time with initially fully-charged devices. However, my iPod touch only provides a maximum of five hours of viewing time which effectively caps my portable viewing time at that limit rather than the higher capacity of the viewer.

There are brightness, contrast, and volume controls on the pendant sitting between the glasses and the video player such as the iPod. If my memory serves me correctly, this configuration is a bit different from the MyVu Solo Plus which did not provide volume control. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of more precise fine-tuning for the brightness and contrast but found the easy access to volume control to be quite useful.

I note that MyVu has also announced another addition to their product line: the MyVu Crystal. This product sells at a $299.95 price point and is advertised to deliver full VGA resolution (640X480) as opposed to the quarter VGA resolution (320X240) offered by the MyVu Solo Plus and the MyVu Shades 301. I will be requesting a review copy of this product in order to offer a comparison and opinion on whether the higher priced product might be the better choice and for which consumers. Between the Shades 301 and the MyVu Solo Plus, I would choose the Shades as they have a better balance between the “geek” and “dork” factors, and the affixed shades do provide a less distracting viewing experience.

Pros:

• Reasonable price point
• High “geek” factor, perfect for private viewing in public situations such as mass transmit or the gym
• Easy to operate

Cons:

• Grainy video as compared to viewing directly on the iPod and not suitable for use in bright light situations
• The contrast and brightness controls do not offer more than three different gradations

Verdict: If you are a person who uses mass transit frequently or works out regularly at a public gym, then this is a highly recommended product at a reasonable price point. For a niche product, it serves its purpose well. Higher quality resolution video eyewear is available, but the price points for such are expectedly higher.