Technologies

Watch Out, Meta. I Tried Alibaba’s Qwen Smart Glasses and They’re Mega Impressive

These AI-focused smart glasses are available now in China but will roll out internationally later this year.

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona might be a European tech show, but for the past few years, the event has largely been dominated by Chinese phone companies such as Xiaomi and Honor. This year, they were joined by tech giant Alibaba, which launched its Qwen smart glasses at the show — and having tried them, all I have to say is, Meta should watch its back.

The Qwen glasses are among the first wearable devices Alibaba is building on top of its Qwen AI family of large language models, and the company brought two different models to the MWC.

The first pair, the Qwen S1 specs, have a heads-up waveguide display etched into the lenses, and serve as a rival to Meta’s Ray-Ban Display model (minus the gesture control). My first impression of these AR glasses was that they were light and comfortable to wear — I wouldn’t have known that they were smart glasses by their weight alone. At the end of each arm are swappable batteries, which snap off easily so you can keep the glasses running for longer when you’re on the go.

I activated the glasses with the phrase «Hey Qwennie,» which it picked up with its five microphones. I then asked it to complete a range of basic tasks, including asking the device to take a photo and to tell me what I was looking at when I held a photo of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia in front of my face.

I could see a miniature version of the photo I captured in the green display, and the glasses were able to answer my architectural query both by displaying text in the heads-up display and through the bone conduction built into the arms of the S1. Perhaps my favorite feature, though, was the turn-by-turn directions. This feature felt like it could become essential for navigating a busy city, and far more convenient than using a phone or smartwatch.

I also tried out the teleprompter feature, which scrolled as I read out loud from the text appearing on the display but must confess I didn’t find it quite as easy to follow as a similar demo I tried earlier in the week on the MemoMind One glasses. With the Qwen booth assistant talking to me in Chinese, I was able to see and hear the English translation of her words on the display and in my ear simultaneously, although there was enough of a delay to prevent our communication from being entirely smooth.

The second pair of glasses Alibaba brought to the show were the Qwen G1 glasses, which lack the heads-up display present on the S1, but otherwise offer pretty much the same features thanks to the microphones, cameras and bone-conduction.

On the whole, I was impressed by the look, feel, sound quality and capabilities of these glasses, which for many people might be their first introduction to Alibaba’s Qwen AI (by way of the Qwen App, which is integrated with the specs). In China, where preorders for the glasses are already live, people wearing the glasses will be able to complete tasks such as ordering food or hailing a cab completely hands free.

Alibaba said pricing for the G1 glasses will start at around $275 (for comparison, Meta’s Ray-Ban Gen 2 glasses cost $379), but didn’t say how much the more advanced S1 glasses will cost. Official sales in China will commence on March 8, with Alibaba promising an international rollout featuring integration with popular global services scheduled for an unspecified date later in 2026.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im