Meta Ray Ban UK user needs help please

I am not in the UK. However, if you just picked up a pair of Metas, chances are they are in dire need of a firmware update.
You can do this by opening the Meta View app, then tapping on the Settings tab, then Your Glasses, then Updates.

HTH. 🙂

Besides updating software/firmware, you will want to go into your settings on your iPhone (or Android if that is your preference), then go to privacy, then Location, and make sure Meta View is set to Always for Location settings. You will get mixed results if you have it set to While using app, or not at all.

HTH.

Hi,
I'm in the UK, and I've just tried accessing Meta's online chatbot, and I can now get access to it. I tried last week and couldn't. It kept saying how it wasn't available in my region yet. So this must be available on the glasses then? Really exciting if it is!

Tara and others--

The Independent:
https://www.the-independent.com/business/meta-ai-tools-come-to-uk-for-first-time-b2626565.html

Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/metas-ai-chatbot-be-available-new-markets-including-brazil-uk-2024-10-09/

The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/09/meta-launches-its-ai-chatbot-in-the-uk-on-facebook-and-instagram

I might still get these. The AI in the glasses will probably be availabel soon. I'll have to see.

I cannot promote these enough. If you’re getting a pair of Metas and you have a choice, go with the Skylar frames. They are the best of the available choices. The others are just too bulky.

I'll go shopping in a month or so to have a look. I don't want something too bulky so the skyler might be the best.

Hopefully you will have that option. The Skylar are so much more sleeker, kind of like the older wraparound Ray-Ban‘s, if that makes sense? Sorry, I don’t really know if you have ever purchased sunglasses for any reason, but if you have, and if you have ever held a pair of the older style, wraparound Ray-Ban‘s, then you will understand where I am coming from. 😅

I can't remember where I heard this (maybe Double Tap), but I was under the impression that the AI had rolled out in the UK except that you couldn't use look and ask with it - ie it was restricted to voice commands with no pictures.

Anyway I use WinScribe VPN. It's free. It takes a minute or two to connect to America and open/close MetaView until it all works, then disconnect the VPN and repeat in a month or two.

Meta AI is supposed to be fully functional in the UK, and something like, at least 5 other countries.

Give it time, and check for updates often. They just rolled this out a couple of weeks ago, more or less. So, you all should be able to use all of the potential of Meta AI, sooner or later. 😀

I was booted out of Meta AI again. When I started up MetaView it told me that I could only get the non-visual AI in my country and not look and ask. Fiddling around with the VPN fixed it again. So AI is here in the UK, just not the version we need as blind folk.

I also had a panic with WinScribe which seemed unable to connect to the VPN in Dallas. Fortunately a reboot of the phone fixed it after I’d tried quitting and restarting and turning off and on everything else I could think of. It will be nice when we don’t have to bother with this nonsense.

Hi,
According to the below Reddit thread, look and ask will be available from the 31st October. One of the posters was saying that new Meta customers get access to it straight away, but somebody else on another thread posted that they'd just bought a pair of Ray-bans and they couldn't access it. It's still up in the air. So we're now 4th November so who knows? People think they're phasing it in gradually.
Here's the thread.
https://www.reddit.com/r/RayBanStories/comments/1g15g26/meta_ai_in_uk/

I can't even imagine why it was done this way. Surely there are just as many, if not more, FaceBook and/or InstaGram fans, than there are here. This feels like a poor marketing decision, but what do I know? 😇

Hopefully you folks will have full access in the coming weeks. 🙂

I’ve been making good use of the look and ask feature since May, periodically reconnecting through NordVPN whenever the AI feature disappeared. The app upgraded to v 10 a couple of weeks ago and was working fine until the usual drop off. However VPN doesn’t now kick anything back into gear.
I’ve spent hours reading various posts and doing all the obvious uninstall/reinstall stuff, but they’re definitely seems to be a block now.

The AI feature is working as that has been released in the UK, but just for the voice assistant not using the camera.

If anyone has been prompted to use the VPN connection again in the UK in the last few days and has got it working successfully please let me know as I’m currently drawing the conclusion that meta have changed something somewhere to stop VPN access in certain regions.

Obviously if this is the case, for those of us who have been benefiting from the multimodal features understanding when they will be legitimately available becomes more significant now. Would be great if meta could release some reliable information about this. I know we should never become reliant on technology like this, but the multi modal functionality in these mainstream , affordable glasses has been revolutionary for so many blind and visually impaired people.

Fabulous that Be My Eyes is now available on meta frames, but there are many times when an AI interaction is sufficient/more appropriate..

Oh no. What VPN are you using? I've had a few moments where I thought this day had come, but usually rebooting the phone, restarting MetaView a few times and praying to the ai gods fixes the issue. I really hope this isn't the case.

Stupid question - but the VPN hasn't started routing you through a different country has it? Have you tried selecting different regions? Or maybe trying Canada instead of the US?

I agree that it would be nice if they could just let us know what was happening. Not sure if it's a legislative or technical reason why it's not available.

I should say as of yesterday, AI was working for me but it's been a week or two since I last did the vpn shuffle.

I’m using NordVPN. Had always routed it through United States in the past, tried multiple US servers this time and also Canada and Australia where full functionality is now available. No joy with any of those sadly.

I thought I read in the latest Meta View update, that UK and Australia had full Meta AI support. I am guessing this is not the case?

The last firmware I downloaded said that AI support had been added to the UK but was voice only. Oddly enough I'm pretty sure it had rolled out before that firmware.

I'm wondering, if you try another VPN like Windscribe, would that work? That's the one that people seem to be using here. I'm seriously reconsidering getting these if I can't even get the look feature through any VPN now. Edit to add that Windscribe is free.

I’m not convinced changing VPN provider will make any difference. Seems to be an issue others have had looking at threads on Reddit.

I had thought the main controversy in the UK stopping rollout of the AII was to do with accessing posts to teach the llama model which was obviously resolved for the voice control AI to be rolled out. So not quite sure what is stopping look and see from being available to everyone in the UK now! Hopefully it is coming soon and not just wishful thinking, but Meta won’t be getting any more of my hard earned cash until then… I have been planning to purchase a second pair during their Black Friday sale!

Okay. As someone who has experienced this and had no access to the look and describe AI feature for over five days, I found the solution last Sunday. Firstly, AI is not fully available in the United Kingdom yet. You can ask questions about non-visual things, but the look and describe/look and read feature is not yet available. I lost functionality when I updated to the most recent update that connected Be My Eyes. What you need to do is set your glasses back to factory default, remove the meta view app from your iPhone, launch your VPN, ensuring you are in the US, download the meta view app from the App Store, Reinstall it, create a new account with a new email address, and then set up the glass again. This will bring back functionality. It certainly did for me, my husband, and some other friends I know that had this issue. Just a word of warning though, if you have set your glasses to factory default, you may be warned that they are connected to a different meta account when reinstalling them after creating your new account with a new email address. Just follow the instructions through and you will be back up and running.

Okay will give that a go… My only concern is that the same thing happens the next time there’s an app update…

Out of interest did you reconnect to Be My Eyes and if yes has that been okay?

Thanks so much for this info I’ll post again when I’ve had time to reset everything…

I got my glasses a few days ago. Meta have just released Neta AI here in Ireland, as well as some other European countries.
However, like the UK, it does not include the look and ask feature. An article on the Meta website confirms this, but sadly does not say when this will change.
Friends of mine have got it working with a VPN, but I can not.
I’ve tried all of the steps in the above comment except for changing email address / Meta account, because I don’t want to go through that rigmarole if I can help it!
Dave

Followed those instructions @Kerry and it worked. Look & see back up and running. Thanks so much for the info.

Really hope the next app update doesn’t require such radical intervention…

I wonder whether running MetaView once a week or so with the VPN on might minimise the chances of getting booted off the full fat AI again…

Hi,
This is really bad news. Looks like I won't be getting these for the foreseeable future then.

Are they pulling it globally? Can you share the link to the statement from Meta…

Odd for someone from Meta to say that support is ending when it never officially rolled it out to the UK anyway. I'm guessing being legislative it's likely to be UK specific as it will be different everywhere.

I wonder how long you have to stay connected to the VPN to keep it working. It might be that the location is now baked into the firmware. In which case I wonder if it would work to disable automatic updates, then turn on the VPN before doing any updates in future. I might try this.

Has anyone found a good way of finding out about new releases without doing an update? An RSS feed or something like that would be nice?

I'm not sure I fancy doing a factory reset and creating a new account etc. Particularly if it does need to be done on a regular basis.

Feeling really gutted about this. I hope they can sort something out.

Hi,
Here is the correct link, it wasn't working before.
https://www.meta.com/gb/legal/supplemental-terms-of-service-updated/
5.8 of these terms states that you can't disguise your location in order to access functionality outside your country. In other words, you can't use a VPN to pretend to be in the US so you can access the look and ask feature from Meta AI for example. That would explain why it's now harder to use a VPN. They're clamping down on this to meet their terms. However the terms don't specify that the look and ask feature won't be available, they just specify you can't disguise your location to get access to it. The below page from 18th November states that the look and ask feature is only available in the US, Canada, and Australia. It doesn't give details of when it'll be available elsewhere.
https://about.fb.com/news/2024/11/meta-ai-begins-roll-out-on-ray-ban-meta-glasses-in-france-italy-ireland-and-spain/#:~:text=Meta%20AI%20Begins%20Roll%20Out,Meta

I have a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in the UK. I bought them knowing that only the Meta chatbot without any visual capabilities was currently in the UK. That was made clear in Meta's announcment of widening access to Meta AI. I haven't spotted any published release date for the visual features in the UK but I'm hoping we won't have to wait too long.They should turn up in an update automatically and Meta will probably highlight the release in another press release.

Hi there I am from Northern Ireland. I have been using my glasses with VPN and over the last couple of days it has not been working at all in terms of the look and tell feature. Even when I try to connect to the US it still says this feature is not available in your location.
By reading through the posts, I have discovered that some people have created a new account with a new email address, which seems to have fixed the problem. However I don’t want to go through all that at this moment in time and what if the same thing does happen even if I was to use a different email address?
It seems like Meta are trying to put their foot down on those of us using the VPN. I am a bit concerned about violating the terms and conditions if it is illegal for us to use the VPN and as a Christian I do feel a bit guilty about it. But that is only my personal view. I really do hope though that it does become available at some stage in the UK because it seems that VPN is the only temporary option at the moment and lots of people are doing it. I bought the glasses two months ago and it would be a real pity to have to send them back or leave them lying in the drawer somewhere. If only mMeta would realise how much value us blind people are getting from these things.

I did hear a rumour that Meta will be eventually blocking accounts for those who use VPN from the beginning of next year, but I’m not exactly 100% sure of the facts of that one.Best regards and thank you for all the help. Much appreciated.

Hi,
Actually I didn't think it would describe a picture if you took one. Still in two minds whether to get these or not.

I’m sure I’ve tried that before without success. But you can say “hey meta, describe the last photo” or something? Will have to give that a go.

Not ideal as it means loads of incredibly boring photos that will need to be deleted, but would be a nice feature in its own right.

You folks overseas have MetaAI for things like asking questions, checking the time, weather, etc. Calling/texting/Messaging friends, and the reminders feature. Yet what you are denied is the visual stuff, mainly look and see functionality?

The ai functions sans the visual ones are available everywhere where meta ai is available.

When Look and Tell is working you can ask the glasses to call a number er in view; save reminders; get links to QR codes…. None of these features are available when there is no multimodal access.

It’s frustrating that those of us who now have AI, but no legitimate look and tell are left guessing why look and tell is not available, and whether/when it will be.

Envision’s Ally is running the Llama model, so I wonder whether there will be mileage for us through that connection in time.

Whisper it quietly, mine still work. Not really sure why, they just do - work with Look and Ask like they have always done.

I've been updating the app Etc. Lots of people say they have lost functionality, but not me.

The only thing I can think of is that I've just left my VPN running all the time - I like getting Ads from a different country and we do have 'Tims' in the UK if I get desperate.

I wonder if this relates to them figuring out how this stands with regard to privacy legislation. Be My Eyes may have fewer issues simply because it's explicitly an accessibility tool, a bit like how noone complained that Voice Over could read books from iBooks but when Amazon added the ability to read books for anyone all hell broke loose.

I'm also in the UK and I got my glasses yesterday. Really hope the full AI features will be released in the UK very soon. The Be My Eyes part is working fine. But really want the Look and describe feature. It was the main reason for getting the glasses.

It doesn’t seem to be working any more for me, so think the VPN trick has been rumbled. I have had a little trouble with WinScribe sometimes not connecting properly but as far as I can tell, the glasses have just got wiser to it.

I don’t really want to be connected to a US VPN all the time, and I am also a little uncomfortable now it is explicitly stated that VPNs are not allowed in the terms and conditions. I’m also way too lazy to start factory resetting, creating new accounts and so on. So think that’s me back to dreaming of the day when it gets released in the UK.

On another note, I see they have released new voices. I quite liked the old male voice they had, but he’s gone and so is the scary lady. Instead we get a nicer female voice, a less good male voice and Judy Dench. They are supposed to be some other celebrity voices like Kristen Bell but I can’t figure out how to change my language with VoiceOver.

I was actually siriously thinking of importing it from outside to India. If Meta is going to enforce such silly ristrictions over the assistive features of the glasses, then I can't justify the cost yet.
Hopefully they figure it out soon.

Multimodal AI stopped for me yesterday too.

So no second pair purchase for me now.

Hope we get legitimate camera AI soon.

If only Meta could offer assurance our wait won’t be in vain…

If it’s legislative red tape I wonder how Celeste / Envision are OK to use in jurisdictions where Meta camera AI is not…