Topics

The "new Samsung AR glasses". (Source: 91Mobiles)

Samsung allegedly patents new AR glasses

Augmented reality (AR) may emerge as a prominent medium for content and entertainment in the future. At least, Samsung appears to think so, as it has reportedly claimed a new form of the glasses that facilitate it at the South Korean intellectual property office. Should this be the case, the resulting product may look more like sports AR goggles than anything.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 19 Aug 2020 17:15

The Nreal Light continues the AR glasses dream. (Image: Nreal)

Nreal launches its Light AR glasses in Korea bundled with either an Galaxy Note 20 or LG Velvet

Nreal has launched its Light AR glasses in Korea. Ostensibly looking like a pair of slightly oversize sunglasses, the Light can be pre-ordered now and bundled with either the LG Velvet or Samsung Galaxy Note 20.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 11 Aug 2020 12:38

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is leading the Steam top-sellers chart. (Image Source: Steam)

Microsoft Flight Simulator is now the number one selling game on Steam; VR, TrackIR, and HP Reverb G2 support coming soon

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is now the top-selling game on Steam. Developer Asobo Studio has also confirmed that the game will be available on Steam the same day as the Microsoft Store release on August 18. Flight Simulator 2020 will also offer support for VR, TrackIR, and the upcoming HP Reverb G2 headset.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 04 Aug 2020 15:41

The CTA announces CES 2021, and that it will be 100% virtual

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced that there will be a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) scheduled for January 2021. However, it will not be held in Las Vegas as usual: instead, an "all-digital" experience is planned to replace the usual physical event. However, the Association is still confident it will be worthwhile for exhibitors and e-attendees alike.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 28 Jul 2020 18:37

The new fitting mechanism is clear in this shot of the next-gen Oculus Quest. (Image: @h0x0D/Twitter)

Next-gen Oculus Quest will land September 15 according to tipster

More details have spilled about the next-gen Oculus Quest including some images of the headset in the wild, confirming the leak earlier this week was legit. VR fans will be interested to learn that it is tipped to launch on September 15 and will come with design improvements among other tweaks.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 25 Jul 2020 10:25

The purported second-generation Oculus Quest. (Image: @h0x0d/Twitter)

Next-gen Oculus Quest leaks out, looks to address wearability

The sequel to the Oculus Quest has leaked on Twitter. The revised VR headset looks to have addressed some of the ergonomic issues of the first gen model based on its appearance, but we can only speculate on which Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset powers it.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 23 Jul 2020 13:42

The promise of 5G- and 6G-enabled technology. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung sees 3D holograms, "digital twins" and terahertz bands as things in the 6G future

The 5G era has just about begun; however, Samsung's research division is also looking into the next generation of this kind of connectivity already. The OEM is also projecting the technology that this level of bandwidth could bring to fruition. They include new levels of extended reality and "AI nativity".

Deirdre O'Donnell, 19 Jul 2020 16:31

Apple may have AR glasses in the works. (Source: Wallpaper Flare)

The lenses for Apple's AR glasses are slated to be made by Foxconn

Foxconn has reportedly begun to test out the fabrication of lenses for Apple's rumored first-gen smart glasses. Apparently, these components are to be semi-transparent, and to be capable of displaying projected images to the user. They would be superimposed on "real-world" objects in this wearer's field of view.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 12 Jul 2020 22:39

Samsung’s 8K Q900 television (Image source: Samsung)

H.266 video codec finally let you stream 8K and 4K video content without laying waste to your data cap

The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz institute recently announced the new H.266 video codec standard as a successor to H.265. The new codec promises equivalent image quality at half the bit rate. This could make 8K and 4K content accessible to wider audiences.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 07 Jul 2020 16:21

The Vuzix M400 smart glasses. (Source: Vuzix)

3C clears Vuzix to sell its M400 smart glasses in China

The smart-glasses company Vuzix has announced that it has 3C certification for its M400 model. Therefore, it may now target the market in question with this IP67-rated, drop-resistant smart viewer. As with many other products in this category, it is directed at professional and industrial applications.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 05 Jul 2020 16:58

Facebook's holographic VR glasses protoype. (Image: Facebook)

Facebook teases sunglasses-like wearable VR prototype featuring holographic lens tech

Facebook’s Reality Labs has teased a working prototype of a VR ‘headset’ that shrinks the technology down into something akin to a pair of sunglasses. To make this possible, Facebook’s researchers have combined holographic optics and polarization-based optical folding which would replace the traditional refractive lens approach.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 30 Jun 2020 13:24

Vive X is its company's investment arm. (Source: Vive)

Vive X announces that it has nearly doubled its VR/AR investments

Vive X is a group set up by HTC's Vive in order to invest in augmented (AR) or virtual (VR) reality-based products and services. It has announced that it has achieved a return of nearly twice the funding it has awarded since its inception in 2016. It has mostly been conferred on commercial-grade VR/AR companies.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 27 Jun 2020 18:25

Apple Glass could feature a modular design approach. (Image: Apple/USPTO)

Apple Glass patent reveals modular design approach

Apple Glass looks like it could be many different things if a series of Apple patents points to what is in store. Rather than focusing entirely on an augmented reality experience, Apple Glass could offer different functionality according to the task at hand thanks to modular componentry.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 27 Jun 2020 15:06

Vive unveils its XR Suite. (Source: HTC Vive)

The Vive XR Suite is the latest entrant into the remote working and collaboration market

HTC Vive has announced a new suite of XR applications to help those whose work or pursuits have moved into a remote format. An example of these is Vive Sync, which may take on other similar platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. The new suite also features various software and hardware partners that operate in areas relevant to these apps.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 16 Jun 2020 16:16

HTC will unveil new phones soon. (Source: Instagram)

HTC announces a June 16, 2020 launch event, could be for Desire 20 series

HTC has yet to be heard of in the context of new phones in 2020. However, the OEM has just confirmed that it will change this with an upcoming June event. According to recent rumors, the devices to be launched may be called the Desire 20 series, one of which could also be 5G.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 10 Jun 2020 14:21

Build an Arduino-based VR headset with this cheap project

A new project has demonstrated that it is possible to build a VR headset on the cheap. Utilising an Arduino Micro and a Google Cardboard-compatible headset, the project can bring VR to a PC for under US$80.

Alex Alderson, 05 Jun 2020 19:19

Not quite Half-Life 3, but close enough - Pancake FPS Starter Kit helps you play Half Life: Alyx without a VR headset

The Pancake VR Starter Kit transforms Half Life: Alyx into something approximating a standard FPS game on PC. This allows users without the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or Valve Index to enjoy the title.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 31 May 2020 15:49

The FastConnect 6900 and 6700 are new Qualcomm wireless modules. (Source: Qualcomm)

Qualcomm's latest connectivity modules step up to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2

Qualcomm has announced the FastConnect 6900 and 6700, 2 new connectivity solutions that may upgrade some future phones to Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E. The latter is a variation on the latest wireless data standard that adds the 6GHz band to potentially increase its speed to 3.6 gigabits per second (Gb/s).

Deirdre O'Donnell, 28 May 2020 20:11

Qualcomm previews a new line of smartphone-linked XR viewers for 2021

Qualcomm has announced a range of XR viewers, a novel product category possible due to 5G speeds and bandwidth. They are intended to deliver high-quality content to be supported by the smartphones they connect to via USB type C, and will be made by companies such as Panasonic and OPPO.

Deirdre O'Donnell, 27 May 2020 18:30

The new XRSpace Mova headset is powered by the Snapdragon 845 VR platform and supports 5G connectivity. (Source: XRSpace)

Former HTC CEO back with new VR start up XRSpace and the 5G-capable Mova headset

Peter Chou was once the very visible face of HTC when it was still a force in the smartphone market. These days, with HTC and Vive well and truly in the rear vision mirror, he is back with a new VR start up that looks like it has some potential.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 26 May 2020 11:58

Minecraft has been sold over 200 million times; Mojang rebrands and announces new projects

Microsoft has confirmed that Minecraft has been sold over 200 million times, almost six years after purchasing the rights to the game. The studio behind the game, Mojang AB, has been given a rebrand too and has announced work on new projects.

Alex Alderson, 25 May 2020 19:34

The Gobi app icon (Image Source; Josh Constine)

More Apple iOS 14 features get leaked

Apple's upcoming iOS 14 is bringing more augmented reality integration via apps such as Gobi that offer dining and shopping interactions through new circular QR codes. The Find My app will also be updated with audio and haptic cues to make device retrieval even easier.

Bogdan Solca, 19 May 2020 14:23

DP Alt Mode v.2 is another potential use of the USB type C port. (Source: VESA)

USB 4.0 type C ports will be able to output up to 16K video at ~80Gb/s thanks to VESA's new DisplayPort standard

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has released specifications for its new DisplayPort (DP) Alt Mode version 2.0 standard. This video output modality allows USB type C ports to drive even 16K/60Hz displays, as it can leverage USB 4's 4 lanes to transmit nearly 80 gigabits of data per second.

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 May 2020 22:01

The SteamVR platform in action. (Source: Valve)

SteamVR canned for Apple's Macs

A blog post on the Steam website has announced the sudden cancellation with immediate effect for SteamVR support on macOS. Instead, Mac users have been directed to use what are now legacy builds of the platform as Steam now switches its full support focus to both Windows and Linux.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 03 May 2020 03:59

The Magic Leap 1 didn't get anywhere near achieving target sales of 100,000 units. (Source: Magic Leap)

Once held up as the future of consumer AR, Magic Leap lays of 1,000 staff pivots to enterprise

Magic Leap has announced that it is cutting staff and reorienting from a consumer focus to an enterprise focus. The company blames COVID-19 for at least some of its woes but the reality is that it never really gained traction as it has thus far overpromised and underdelivered.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 23 Apr 2020 11:22

Pokémon GO Raid Battles have been overhauled. (Source: Niantic)

Niantic announces a new Remote Raid Battle mode for Pokemon GO

Normally, part of the object of a Raid Battle in Pokemon GO is that the player physically visits a Gym in order to take part in such an event. However, for those still under lockdown as a result of Covid-19, this is obviously impossible. Niantic will address this by rolling out new Remote Passes that can be used at home.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Apr 2020 23:17

Tech love across all age ranges. (Source: Parks Associates)

Up to 53% of US households with high-speed internet report appreciating tech more in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic

A new study of consumer attitudes in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in findings that 53% of its participants (US households with broadband internet services) were prepared to agree with a statement to the effect that their regard for technology had improved compared to that prior to the public health crisis.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Apr 2020 22:40

Niantic is planning quarantine-friendly adaptations for its mobile AR games

Fans of games like Pokemon GO or Ingress may find it harder to pursue this kind of augmented-reality (AR) gaming while self-isolating against the risk of Covid-19. However, their maker Niantic has announced that it will shortly introduce new updates that make them more compatible with playing while stuck at home.

Deirdre O Donnell, 31 Mar 2020 18:08

The Samsung Galaxy A71 can now use Google Play AR apps. (Source: Samsung)

Google makes a slew of new devices compatible with Play Services AR

Google Play Services for AR is the new name for ARCore, the SDK necessary to develop augmented-reality (AR) features within Android apps. The Mountain View giant has announced that a long list of new phones (and some tablets) are now compatible with it. This will enable many to use AR apps and games for the first time.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Mar 2020 14:52

Here's our first glimpse at HP's next-generation VR headset. (Source: HP)

HP partnering with Valve, Microsoft on new VR headset

HP has teased its latest VR headset and it looks like it will be a genuine challenger to the current top tier VR headsets on the market. The new headset has been designed in partnership with both Valve and Microsoft, suggesting that it could be something special.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 24 Mar 2020 10:40

Some cloud gaming market stats. (Source: Fortune Business Insights)

The cloud gaming market is now projected to be worth as much as US$56.57 billion by 2027

Cloud gaming is an emerging alternative to user-owned PC set-ups, in that the massive amounts of GPU power required to sustain it are accessed remotely. Its market had an estimated value of US$12.53 billion in 2018. However, a new report estimates it could acquire an additional ~$44 billion over the next 7 years.

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2020 18:15

The new LiDAR scanner sits to the right and inbetween the 10 MP and 12 MP cameras. (Source: Apple)

A closer look at the LiDAR scanner on the new iPad Pro

Instead of using a standard 3D ToF sensor for its new iPad Pro, Apple has upped the ante by using a LiDAR scanner instead. It has opted for the more advanced technology to take the augmented reality capabilities of the iPad Pro to the next level.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 18 Mar 2020 15:15

Yes, that is actually a trackpad on an offical Apple iPad Pro keyboard! (Source: Apple)

A closer look at the new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard with trackpad support

The wait is over for the long sought after trackpad support for Apple’s iPad range. The launch of the new iPad Pro also brings with it an all-new keyboard that drops the infamous butterfly mechanism in favor of Apple’s revised Magic Keyboard scissor switch.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 18 Mar 2020 14:36

The new Reference Design based on the Snapdragon XR2 platform. (Source: Qualcomm)

Qualcomm brings 5G to headset gaming with its new Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design

Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design headset, the first such XR (as in, virtual, mixed or augmented reality) device that supports 5G. It does so via its in-built X55 modem, which is part of its latest hardware platform for this category of media. Therefore, OEMs may now start building their own headsets based on this new "boundless" artificial-reality tech.

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Feb 2020 17:21

R.E.A.L. mod brings fully playable VR experience to GTA V

GTA V remains incredibly popular despite having a few years under its belt. If the main story and GTA Online are not enough, then how about GTA V in VR? Well, after year's of development, the R.E.A.L. mod for GTA V has done just that.

Alex Alderson, 21 Feb 2020 20:07

Kaer Morhen is already playable in the Witcher Reality Project (Image source: Nexusmods)

The Witcher is now playable on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive through the Witcher Reality Project

An enterprising modder is bringing 2007's The Witcher to mainstream VR headsets through the Witcher Reality Project. The opening segment of the game is already playable

Arjun Krishna Lal, 18 Feb 2020 19:20

The Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is showing signs of life as it makes its way into retail channels. (Source: Google)

Glassholes rejoice! Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 Developer Edition reaches retail channels

Google has announced that its Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is headed to regular retail channels for developers. Although failed as a consumer product, at least in the immediate future, the company has found legs for it in enterprise so much so that demand has warranted its wider availability.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 05 Feb 2020 00:51

The entire Half-Life series is available to download on Steam for free till March. (Source: Valve)

Valve's Half-Life series is free on Steam for the next two months

To help drum up the hype ahead of the launch of Half-Life: Alyx in March, Valve is offering gamers an unbeatabale deal. For the next two months, anyone with a Steam account can download and play each of all previous Half-Life titles for free to help refamiliarize gamers with the franchise or attract new fans.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 22 Jan 2020 02:57

Panasonic effectively quadrupling the resolution and even implements HDR compatibility in a lighter and slicker package. (Source: Panasonic)

CES 2020 | Panasonic unveils world's first UHD HDR VR glasses

Besides quadrupling the resolution of current high-end VR headsets, Panasonic also introduces HDR compatibility to the VR world for the first time, and all this is packed neatly in a light frame. In order to achieve this feat, Panasonic collaborated with Kopin for the most advanced micro-OLED displays and combined these with proprietary audio / video technologies featured on its TVs, sound systems and digital cameras.

Bogdan Solca, 10 Jan 2020 15:13

NVIDIA's latest Game Ready driver brings in many new features. (Source: Forbes)

CES 2020 | NVIDIA announces new Game Ready driver with VRSS, Wolfenstein: Youngblood to receive a major RTX update

NVIDIA has announced the release of a new Game Ready driver at CES 2020. The new driver brings support for variable rate supersampling (VRSS), Freestyle splitscreen, updates to image sharpening, and frame rate limiting among others. Also being announced today is support for RTX in more games with Wolfenstein: Youngblood set to deliver an RTX patch this week.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 06 Jan 2020 17:30

Various forms of extended reality may become very successful in the future. (Source: SHRM)

VR, AR and MR may make a US$30 billion industry by 2030

Virtual, mixed and augmented reality are probably the most familiar forms of extended reality - or technologically-enhanced experientia - out there. The latest research suggests their combined market may be worth US$30 billion or more by the next decade on. Unsurprisingly, gaming is a prominent sector therein.

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Dec 2019 19:25

Facebook continues its gaming quest with acquisition of PlayGiga

Facebook announced today that it has acquired cloud gaming startup PlayGiga. The startup, which is based in Madrid, has experience working with telecoms to build gaming-as-a-service platforms that rely on 5G networks. This is yet another step in Facebook's journey of snatching up gaming-oriented companies.

Sam Medley, 19 Dec 2019 15:54

Valve Index, the latest premium entrant in the VR market (Image source: Valve)

SuperData XR Dimensions market intelligence platform introduced: claims VR isn't dying

SuperData recently announced its XR Dimensions market intelligence platform. XR Dimensions focuses on trends in the AR and VR industries. Initial XR Dimensions reports make bold claims: VR is thriving and AR is already mainstream. But does the evidence hold up?

Arjun Krishna Lal, 17 Dec 2019 08:01

Qualcomm's president, Cristiano Amon, at last year's Snapdragon Tech Summit. (Source: Qualcomm)

The 2019 Snapdragon Technology Summit keynotes will be livestreamed from their Hawaii venue

Qualcomm has announced that its next Snapdragon Tech Summit will take place from December 3 to 5, 2019 in Maui, Hawaii. This year, the company will showcase its growing 5G expertise, as well as other facets of its mobile device business such as the appropriate SoCs. Each of the event's keynotes will also be livestreamed from a dedicated site.

Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Nov 2019 23:22

Settlers of Catan to get AR treatment, courtesy of Niantic

Settlers of Catan is coming to mobile with an AR adjustment. Dubbed Catan: World Explorers, the new augmented reality game will be built using Niantic's extensive suite of AR tools. The game is still in the early stages of development, but more details should come early next year.

Sam Medley, 20 Nov 2019 04:49

A new Half-Life is apparently on the cards, but not as we know it. (Image source: Den of Geek)

New Half-Life game details leaked ahead of The Game Awards

Rumour has it that Valve plans to announce a new Half-Life game, and soon. Apparently based around protagonist Alyx Vance, the game may see a release as early as Q1 2020. It looks set to be sad news for those holding out for Half-Life 3 or even just Half-Life 2: Episode 3, though.

Alex Alderson, 18 Nov 2019 20:03

Minecraft Earth now available in the US on iOS and Android

Minecraft Earth, the latest augmented reality title from Mojang, is now available in the United States and a few other countries. The title is currently in Early Access. In true Minecraft style, Minecraft Earth focuses on collecting materials and building structures. However, the title uses AR to simulate the structures in real life.

Sam Medley, 14 Nov 2019 21:44

John Carmack steps down as CTO of Oculus to develop Artificial General Intelligence

John Carmack, the creator of Doom and a pioneer of virtual reality, is stepping down as the CTO of Oculus to focus on artificial general intelligence, which can be considered a super-powered version of artificial intelligence. Carmack will work from his home to develop machine intelligences that learn like humans do rather than through algorithms.

Sam Medley, 14 Nov 2019 05:31

Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR)

Samsung allegedly patents new AR glasses

Nreal launches its Light AR glasses in Korea bundled with either an Galaxy Note 20 or LG Velvet

Microsoft Flight Simulator is now the number one selling game on Steam; VR, TrackIR, and HP Reverb G2 support coming soon

The CTA announces CES 2021, and that it will be 100% virtual

Next-gen Oculus Quest will land September 15 according to tipster

Next-gen Oculus Quest leaks out, looks to address wearability

Samsung sees 3D holograms, "digital twins" and terahertz bands as things in the 6G future

The lenses for Apple's AR glasses are slated to be made by Foxconn

H.266 video codec finally let you stream 8K and 4K video content without laying waste to your data cap

3C clears Vuzix to sell its M400 smart glasses in China

Facebook teases sunglasses-like wearable VR prototype featuring holographic lens tech

Vive X announces that it has nearly doubled its VR/AR investments

Apple Glass patent reveals modular design approach

The Vive XR Suite is the latest entrant into the remote working and collaboration market

HTC announces a June 16, 2020 launch event, could be for Desire 20 series

Build an Arduino-based VR headset with this cheap project

Not quite Half-Life 3, but close enough - Pancake FPS Starter Kit helps you play Half Life: Alyx without a VR headset

Qualcomm's latest connectivity modules step up to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2

Qualcomm previews a new line of smartphone-linked XR viewers for 2021

Former HTC CEO back with new VR start up XRSpace and the 5G-capable Mova headset

Minecraft has been sold over 200 million times; Mojang rebrands and announces new projects

More Apple iOS 14 features get leaked

USB 4.0 type C ports will be able to output up to 16K video at ~80Gb/s thanks to VESA's new DisplayPort standard

SteamVR canned for Apple's Macs

Once held up as the future of consumer AR, Magic Leap lays of 1,000 staff pivots to enterprise

Niantic announces a new Remote Raid Battle mode for Pokemon GO

Up to 53% of US households with high-speed internet report appreciating tech more in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic

Niantic is planning quarantine-friendly adaptations for its mobile AR games

Google makes a slew of new devices compatible with Play Services AR

HP partnering with Valve, Microsoft on new VR headset

The cloud gaming market is now projected to be worth as much as US$56.57 billion by 2027

A closer look at the LiDAR scanner on the new iPad Pro

A closer look at the new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard with trackpad support

Qualcomm brings 5G to headset gaming with its new Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design

R.E.A.L. mod brings fully playable VR experience to GTA V

The Witcher is now playable on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive through the Witcher Reality Project

Glassholes rejoice! Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 Developer Edition reaches retail channels

Valve's Half-Life series is free on Steam for the next two months

CES 2020 | Panasonic unveils world's first UHD HDR VR glasses

CES 2020 | NVIDIA announces new Game Ready driver with VRSS, Wolfenstein: Youngblood to receive a major RTX update

VR, AR and MR may make a US$30 billion industry by 2030

Facebook continues its gaming quest with acquisition of PlayGiga

SuperData XR Dimensions market intelligence platform introduced: claims VR isn't dying

Qualcomm introduces the Snapdragon XR2 — the world's first 5G XR platform with 7 concurrent tracking cameras, 2x CPU and GPU performance, 3K@90 Hz display per eye, and added AI goodness

The 2019 Snapdragon Technology Summit keynotes will be livestreamed from their Hawaii venue

Settlers of Catan to get AR treatment, courtesy of Niantic

New Half-Life game details leaked ahead of The Game Awards

Hands On: PS4 Death Stranding Limited Edition Console

Minecraft Earth now available in the US on iOS and Android

John Carmack steps down as CTO of Oculus to develop Artificial General Intelligence

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