When I was preparing for my recent trip to Shenzhen, China, I was looking for ways to save space when packing. I was thinking about what I really wanted, and considering I barely know any Chinese, let alone read it, an easy-to-use translator was right up there at the top. I had also heard that Shenzhen is pretty awe-inspiring for first-time visitors, and that the other cities nearby are even bigger tourist destinations, so a pair of smart glasses to help me navigate all of this was looking more and more enticing. So in went my pair of INMO GO3 glasses, since they can do both of those things and a fair bit more thanks to the built-in AI and camera.

Translation Was The First Thing I Reached For

That was the plan, anyway, and it started to make sense almost as soon as I arrived. I mostly brought the GO3 for translation and navigation, while the built-in AI and camera were more like useful extras I might reach for if the situation called for them. Translation ended up being the feature I used most. From getting to my hotel on the first day to exploring different neighborhoods throughout the trip, I used the glasses to read Chinese signs, directions, and maps, and to work out what I was looking at in unfamiliar metro stations. A couple of times, I used the translation mode to pick up announcements from the train and display the translated text in my lenses, which gave me another way to keep track of where I was going without constantly pulling out my phone.

Signs and museum exhibits were where the glasses became most useful. In museums in particular, I kept using the translation features to read the Chinese descriptions. I found they often had some different or in some cases more details than the English version, so seeing a translation in my lenses helped me learn a little more about what I was looking at without stopping to pull out my phone every time.

Convenient For Quick Photos

I also ended up using the camera more than I expected. It was convenient to take a quick photo from my own point of view while I was walking, especially when reaching for my phone would have meant stopping or losing the moment. The photos are fine for keeping a record of where I had been, but they do leave something to be desired compared with what my phone can take. That was not a huge surprise, though. I saw the camera as a way to capture something quickly while I was on the move, not as a replacement for my phone’s camera.

Map Directions In My Eyes

Navigation was a little different. I had wanted smart glasses partly because I knew Shenzhen could feel like a lot to take in as a first-time visitor, but I am usually pretty good at finding my way around, so I only relied on the GO3's directions a few times. Because the feature is built around walking and cycling directions, I had to split a metro trip into smaller sections, such as the hotel to the metro and then the metro to my destination. I usually had most of the route in my head after making plans the night before or that morning, so I treated the directions more like a quick check than something I needed to follow step by step.

Whole Day Power and Comfort

Since I had brought the GO3 along to save space, I was also paying attention to whether they would actually be easy to live with all day. One thing I wasn't expecting, but really appreciated, was that they were comfortable enough to leave on for the entire day. I also used the open-ear speakers for music while I was walking around. Because the glasses connect to my phone over Bluetooth, I could listen without blocking out the traffic, station announcements, and general noise around me, which was useful in a busy city like Shenzhen. It didn’t really save me space not taking my earbuds, but it was nice to have one less piece of tech to keep track of.

The battery system also ended up being more useful than I expected. When one battery ran low, I could pull it off, replace it with a charged one, and restart the glasses. They do shut off during the swap, but the process was quick and simple enough that it never became a major interruption for me. The charging case was easy to hold and tuck away in my bag, and the spare batteries gave me enough extra charges to use the glasses through my full day of sightseeing without hunting for an outlet. I expected the swapping to feel like a hassle, but it ended up being one of the reasons the GO3 worked so well for travel.

My Verdict

After four days in Shenzhen, I would pack them again. I didn't end up using every feature equally, and the GO3 certainly did not replace my phone, but that was never really what I needed it to do. I mainly wanted something that could help me translate and keep from getting lost in a whole new city. Next, I think I will go to Guangzhou and I think the INMO GO3 Glasses will help me out there too.