It is Alive!

1st Gen Wayfarer Meta Glasses

 I have written before about my Meta Wayfarer glasses which failed and I subsequently obtained another pair at a reduced cost because Meta said the glasses were not repairable. The battery had failed. 

Well--the dead have been resurrected. 

Patrick, my son, ordered a replacement battery. Well, not exactly replacement because he ordered the next generation battery for the Meta glasses which has better reliability and other improvements. 

Meta Wayfarer Battery

Companies that make products with rechargeable batteries need to ensure there is an easy way to replace the battery. A failed rechargeable battery often becomes the reason that an item stops working and needs replacing. Frankly, it is almost criminal given the cost to replace the product versus replacing the battery.

In this instance I spent over $200 to purchase a new pair of glasses, Meta gave me a deal on 2nd Gen glasses because mine were out of warranty. With shipping, the next generation battery was $15 and took about 30 minutes to install, with some specialized tools. To replace the battery, one of the arms needs to be separated to access the battery compartment and then re-glued once the battery is installed. The procedure is not something most people can do without destroying the glasses, but it was successfully accomplished in this instance. 

My other experience with a not consumer replaceable battery was a Yeedi floor cleaner, similar to a Roomba. I was able to procure a replacement battery and replace it, but because I could not get the battery from the company, the connector was not a perfect match and I finally discarded the Yeedi. When I called the Yeedi company they informed me they did not sell new batteries and it was not a consumer replaceable item. They offered me a discount on a newer model--which I did not accept.

I am not sure what I am going to do with two pair of Meta glasses, but it is a good problem to have. 

-- Bob Doan, Glen Burnie, MD