Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2 price and performance created a challenging situation for competitors. However, the financial strength of Facebook allowed them to sell Quest 2 at a relatively low cost, which is unrealistic for for-profit searching hardware manufacturers. With that said, HTC introduced its standalone VR headset Vive Focus 3, which is a clear upgrade over Oculus in many things. Unfortunately, the new HTC VR product is not for the consumer market. Instead, this Taiwanese company pushed the Vive Focus for business users. Self-sufficient VR The third generation of HTC standalone VR headset comes with a modern, high-quality design with matte black color. Though the
The first VR Google Doodle, Back to the Moon, is here
Google Doodles have existed for a long time now, but just a few days ago, the very first VR Google Doodle is finally here. The Doodles serve to spice up Google’s main page every day, and in the past they’ve been quite innovative. As of May 3rd, virtual reality has come to Google Doodles. The first VR Google Doodle: Back to the Moon You can view the first Google Doodle with compatible devices. If you have a proper VR headset and want an even better experience, head here to download it for Android, iOS or HTC Vive. Back to the Moon, in addition to being
Facebook F8 Day 1: Oculus Go announced for surprise release
Oculus Go is the first standalone VR headset from those at Oculus, and at the first day of Facebook’s F8 2018 conference, its surprise release date was announced. As of today, May 1st, 2018, the Oculus Go is being shipped. At a relatively low price of $199, it’s likely to be many people’s first VR device, and if it’s able to provide a good enough experience, it’ll get many more people hooked on VR. Entry-level virtual reality has always been a concern in the industry, due to the prohibitive cost of high-end VR experiences, but a $199 standalone headset from Oculus may just change the
Meet iQiyi’s new VR headset, the VR II
iQiyi is a prominent Chinese video streaming service owned by Baidu, a massive Internet conglomerate of same origin, often referred to as Google of China. This week, the company announced its intent to release a new headset – specifically, a 4K VR headset. An earlier version of this headset, the Qiyu VR II, was shown off at CES earlier this year. Since that time, iQiyi has announced a May release window, renamed the headset to just VR II, and has significantly improved its components. The current VR II now offers 8K panoramic video support, which is achieved by downsampling to the 4K display inside of
Oculus Rift overtakes HTC Vive in Steam survey
The Oculus Rift surpassed the HTC Vive in popularity among Steam users for the first time, according to the results of the latest monthly Steam Hardware & Software Survey. The survey, which scans users’ PCs for different hardware components, found that the Oculus Rift accounts for 47.31 percent of VR headset use, compared to the HTC Vive’s 45.38 percent share of the market. Last January’s survey saw the gap between the two devices closing, with the Vive representing 46.96 percent of headset use while the Oculus Rift took 46.09 percent. Now the Rift sits in first place, just edging out HTC’s product. Windows Mixed Reality is
Sensory reality pods let workers de-stress in VR
Dutch startup Sensiks claims it has the answer to job stress and fatigue in the workplace, in the form of a sensory reality pod (SRP) that stimulates multiple senses to immerse its users in relaxing virtual environments. The company also mentions the ability to “recall memories from the past” using its multisensory simulations. Each pod is 240 cm tall and 140 cm wide. Workers sit inside, donning a VR headset that presents them with 360-degree video while corresponding scent cartridges release smells like burning wood and freshly-cut lawn. Other sensory manipulations involve changes in temperature, air flow, and light frequencies. Visuals may take a person to
New Apple patent describes optical system for VR headsets
Details of Apple’s new design for a wearable VR device went public last Thursday when the United States Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application Apple filed in 2017 related to optical systems. The patent describes an “Optical System for Head-mounted Display” intended to make VR headgear more comfortable. In the application, Apple notes that VR headsets can be “cumbersome and tiring to wear” due to “bulky and heavy” lens arrangements. VR devices typically use microdisplays, requiring high magnification of visual content and thus thicker lenses between the display and the wearer’s eyes. Currently, many popular headsets overcome this issue by using Fresnel lenses–a type of
New to VR? A beginner’s guide
Virtual reality (VR) produces a computer-generated environment–complete with realistic sights, sounds and other sensations–which a person can explore by wearing a special kind of headset and, in some cases, using certain props. Basically every VR experience will allow the user to feel as though they are in this simulated world and look around it, while more advanced systems allow for movement and interaction. While the ability of VR to provide valuable, realistic experiences without introducing real-world risks has found many fans across various industries (from healthcare to real estate), the most popular types of virtual reality content remain video games, movies and television. For those
Dreamscape Immersive launches multisensory VR “Alien Zoo”
Location-based startup Dreamscape Immersive debuted its multisensory VR experience “Alien Zoo” on Feb. 7. The experience is open to the public at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles through March 2. Up to six people can visit Dreamscape Immersive’s intergalactic exhibit during one 40 minute time slot. The experience itself takes just 12 minutes, but participants need time to gear up with a VR headset, a backpack, shoe coverings, and sensor-equipped gloves. Each person has a full-body avatar in the “Alien Zoo” environment. To make this possible, Dreamscape Immersive partnered with Artanim, a Swiss research institute developing motion capture technology, which created a body-mapping software that
Brain-controlled video game to hit VR arcades this year
Boston-based startup Neurable will bring its brain-controlled VR video game Awakening, which the company claims is the first of its kind, to VR arcades around the world by the end of this year. This brain-computer interface (BCI) is made possible by the attachment of an HTC Vive VR headset to a brain-scanning headband equipped with electrodes that pick up neural activity by recording electroencephalography (EEG) signals. When the gamer focuses his gaze on an object in the game, Neurable’s machine learning software recognizes the resulting changes in the EEG signal and turns this into a game command, selecting that object for use. For this to
CES: Meet the HTC Vive Pro
Thanks to their critically-acclaimed Vive headset, HTC became one of the biggest names in virtual reality two years ago. The Vive Focus, a standalone headset, was announced in 2017 but didn’t quite satiate people’s hunger for a Vive successor. Fortunately for the world of VR, HTC is pulling out the big guns at CES 2018 with the new Vive Pro. The biggest improvement from the Vive to the Vive Pro is in the display. The original HTC Vive boasted a 2160 x 1200 resolution with 1080 x 1440 per-eye. The Vive Pro’s display comes in at a whopping 2880 x 1600 resolution, with 1440 x 1600
New Pico Neo VR Headset With Vive Wave Support Coming Soon
The original Pico Neo headset was, well, pretty forgettable. It was an Android gaming-centric VR headset that bundled all of its hardware into a small, SNES-esque gamepad, and decent tech specs. It released in 2016 to little fanfare, but now the Pico Neo is making a comeback with a truly standalone VR headset. The new Pico Neo comes with the same Snapdragon 835 chipset, but now has full head tracking and is compatible with Vive Wave, like the upcoming HTC Vive Focus. In addition to Vive Wave/Viveport support, the Neo headset will also have access to the Pico Store to download VR games and applications. Interestingly,
Lenovo Mirage Solo VR Headset Seen In FCC Filings, Powered By Daydream
Remember when HTC canceled their plans for a Daydream headset in favor of the Vive Focus? Fortunately for Google, it looks like not everyone is splitting from the pack: Lenovo‘s VR headset is still right around the corner, and it looks like it will also be powered by Daydream. This headset is called the Lenovo Mirage Solo, and comes bundled with a standard Daydream VR controller. As revealed by FCC filings uncovered by LetsGoDigital, the Mirage Solo is thoroughly revealed as a Daydream VR headset boasting a 4000mAh battery, support for various Wi-Fi bands (including 5.8 GHz) and support for Bluetooth 5.0. Unfortunately, there’s not
Oculus files patent application for curved display in VR headsets
According to multiple sources, Oculus has filed a patent application for a VR headset that uses curved displays. The application was filed in August, but was published by the WIPO at the end of November. Although it is unclear whether the patent will be granted, and additionally unclear as to when a curved-display Oculus headset may be manufactured, the technology would help resolve a number of issues with VR headsets using conventional flat displays. First, using a curved display can simplify the construction of VR headsets; while standard flat-panel displays require sometimes quite sophisticated lens systems to account for optical distortion, a curved display can
More hints emerge about Apple’s AR effort
While the web is perennially rife with speculation about Apple’s plans to develop a hardware device in the AR/VR space, a somewhat under-the-radar story out of Taiwan may shed a bit more light on the company’s plans. As reported by the Nikkei Asian Review, one of Apple’s supply chain partners, MacBook and Watch assembler Quanta Computer, hinted during their most recent earnings conference call that they may be playing a significant role in the development of an augmented reality device. Reportedly, such a device built by Quanta would be released no later than 2019. Although Quanta executives did not state for whom they would be
Meet The HTC Vive Focus
HTCs latest announcement is a new headset, but it’s not the Vive 2 or anything. Not exactly. The new headset is called the HTC Vive Focus, and for the time being it seems to be aimed squarely at the Chinese, so how relevant it is for Western consumers is a valid question to ask. Even without Western availability, though, the Vive Focus is still worth talking about, for multiple reasons. First and foremost is that it’s a completely standalone headset, meaning that it functions separately from any smartphone or PC. Its internal hardware boasts, among other things, a high-res AMOLED display and a Snapdragon 835
Air France introduces VR headset for Joon, Their Low Cost Airline
In July this year, Air France announced plans to launch an airline that specifically targets millennials, raising the question of what, exactly, that actually means. Their spin-off airline called ‘Joon’ is now eager to big-up its partnerships with the likes of Airbnb and Waynabox, allowing passengers to book experiences and trips alongside their flights. “Joon is Air France’s little sister, who breaks with tradition and takes inspiration from the new expectations of travelers to offer an experience that goes beyond the aircraft doors,” Jean-Michel Mathieu, CEO of Joon, said in a statement. It seems that there will be some great news for business class passengers on long-haul flights.
19th Century “VR headset” Expected to be Auctioned for More than $2500
A “virtual reality” headset hand-crafted by Sir David Brewster, a Victorian instrument-maker from Dundee, Scotland – is to be offered for sale at an auction next week, according to The Times. The Brewster stereoscope gave the illusion of depth using the same optical technology as VR headsets. The device, made of walnut and satinwood, held two images side by side which, when observed through lenticular lenses, converged into a single three-dimensional image. It was developed by Sir David Brewster, a Scottish physicist, mathematician, astronomer, inventor, writer, historian of science and university principal. Most noted for his contributions to the field of optics, he studied the
HTC Responds to Oculus, Slashes Vive Price by 25% to $599
Just as Oculus and their “time limited” summer discount for Oculus Rift + Touch at mere $399 turned into a full time pricing, HTC could not sleep in peace after seeing the tide shifting in favor of its rival, owned by Faceb00k. HTC could not afford to continue selling Vive VR headset for $799 at the time when $458.99 gets you a roomscale Oculus Rift + Touch + Sensor. Ever since its debut, HTC received many accolades and support in the gaming industry. Keeping the open approach to content and not going for exclusives proved to be a winning bet for the company which got
Here is what Virtually Live’s social VR app looks like
It is one thing to watch Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton take on the famous Grand Hotel Hairpin bend by Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo’s Formula 1 track while sipping on lemonade and sitting comfortably on your couch. It is another to be sitting in the car itself, calculating every inch of that upcoming u-shaped curve, braking and accelerating at the most precise of times. Ever wonder what that’s like? Well, put your lemonade down and get your VR headset on, because one San Francisco-based company is doing just that – placing you directly in the driver’s seat. It is just the Formula E circuit