Frequently asked questions

Hi! No subscription, you just treat it like a regular Linux computer. You can use your own Claude Code or Codex.

Good question, The distance between the waveguide lens and the prescription lens slot is about 1.7 mm, so lenses with a thickness of around 3 mm or less can normally be fitted. The silicone fixing ring also does not have to sit exactly in the center of the lens thickness, so there is some flexibility.

Haha, it feels like it should be a simple software setting, but it’s actually a hardware-level thing. Our display uses a monocular single-green waveguide light engine. The color is determined by the light source and the optical waveguide design, not by software like on a phone screen. Green is commonly used because the human eye is most sensitive to green light, so it gives the best perceived brightness at lower power. That matters a lot for smart glasses, where battery, heat, size, and brightness are all tightly constrained. Changing it to another color, or making it full-color, would require a different optical engine and waveguide design. It’s not impossible, but it’s not a simple function toggle.

The ring is mainly for two things: health tracking and interaction with MonoOS. For health, we’re looking at features like sleep monitoring, body temperature, recovery assessment, heart rate, HRV, SpO₂, and menstrual cycle tracking for women. But the more exciting part is that it’s not just a health ring. Because it has a touch chip and an accelerometer, it can become a new input method for Linux / MonoOS. For example, you could use gestures, touch actions, or quick shortcuts to control the glasses — without always needing to use voice or without always needing to use voice or rely on camera-based gesture recognition. So for us, the ring is both a health wearable and a physical controller for AI glasses.

Yes, home delivery is available in the US. Delivery times for the next order have not yet been determined.

Our original plan was to ship at the end of August, but Sunny is a rigorous and responsible manufacturer, and their strict testing ensures a high yield rate for all glasses. Therefore, the shipping time may be delayed.

The pre-order date for the second batch of Monako glasses will be announced soon.

There should be many similar clip-on lenses available on Amazon and eBay; official accessories are not currently planned. The focus is currently on the production of the glasses themselves.

1.Microphones, cameras, and even the onboard NPU are accessible. This access could be via Lua or an agent skill. We won't rigidly adhere to a single path, but we'll still strive for best practices. 2.Native applications can be developed and UI rendered using Lua. 3. SSH or ADB access to the glasses' Linux system is supported.

Great questions! When we first unveiled Monako in June, the original design was still based on a Rockchip platform. After forming our strategic partnership with Sunny Optical, we made the decision to upgrade directly to Qualcomm’s AR1 platform. So in a way, the Monako MK1 you’ll ultimately receive is already much closer to what we originally imagined as our second-generation product. 😄 The first supporters who reserved with $19 have also locked in the $399 early-bird price—probably the lowest price in the universe for an AR1-powered device with a waveguide display. Based on our latest cost estimates, especially with memory prices continuing to rise, this price is already extremely aggressive for us. So our earliest supporters are, in fact, already receiving the biggest discount we can possibly offer. That’s Candy’s promise. ❤️ Also, as you can probably tell, Monako is evolving very very quickly. There is a possibility that once we have enough scale, we can have local trade-in programs, but we can't promise anything at this point in time because shipping back and forth internationally with customs and tariffs can get very expensive. As for the ring, it is something we started developing in response to requests from the community. The design, controls, features, and limitations are still being evaluated, and we’ll share more concrete details once they’re ready.

HK

candy@monako.ai

Hi,Sley! I just discussed the Linux 5.1 issue with my colleagues. We will apply for technical support from Qualcomm, and if we can compile a higher version of Linux ourselves, we will share it with everyone as soon as possible. Currently, Qualcomm SoCs come with Linux 5.1 by default. We will actively change this situation.

The current version will not undergo significant changes in appearance, and the software will be delivered on schedule.

Open source is the way to salvation

If you have already purchased the ring, it will be shipped together with the glasses.

Hi Patrick! Yes we provide both options. We are working on a big release this week, more updated info will be uploaded.

Hi，MT. The ASR service has a negligible cost. You can also hook up your own ASR and TTS provider if you're already paying for one.

Yes, this can be done by adding an extra sun lens layer on the outside, such as a clip-on tinted or sun lens. The key point is that it needs to be placed on the outer layer and designed not to interfere with the waveguide display area. So it’s possible, but we would want to test and validate the optical effect before offering it as an official accessory.

There will be another batch, but the timing is uncertain.