virtual reality Archives - Argyll Free Press

Microsoft Wants to Win VR Without Actually Releasing a VR Headset

Even though virtual reality is upon us, the arrival of Microsoft’s HoloLens won’t be for a while longer.

Microsoft isn’t keen on building its own traditional VR headset, and it doesn’t have a release date for its magical augmented reality (AR) headgear. So until that happens, Microsoft has concocted a plan.

It wants to use the allure of VR and AR to sell VR headset manufacturers, developers, and users on its Windows 10 operating system. Microsoft announced on Wednesday that Windows Holographic won’t be simply a special version of Windows that connects to its HoloLens headset.

Sometime soon, Microsoft wants to bring all its features to the traditional versions of Windows 10, which means opening up the floodgates for VR headset makers to develop their own headsets for computers using Microsoft’s most recent OS.

But Microsoft grand vision needs all those headsets to play nice with Windows, too. If successful, the plan would allow people to work together from across different time zones as if they were in the same office, regardless of the headset each of them is using.

Even if one person would be using an HTC Vive and their colleague a HoloLens, Microsoft’s new platform would allow them to see each other and their surroundings so they could collaborate on their project.

This will be made possible with the help of the HoloLens’ sensors; as they scan the room, Microsoft’s platform can share that visual data with the HTC Vive user as well.

Of course, this unbelievable scenario only really works if at least one person has purchased a $3,000 HoloLens Development Kit – which hasn’t even made it to the shelves yet.

But Microsoft’s plan doesn’t have to wait some more years until a consumer-ready version of the HoloLens will arrive; before the idea of VR and AR collaboration will bear fruit, the company hopes to inspire as many developers as possible to create Universal Windows Applications for VR headsets right now.

The catch is that if they start using Microsoft’s standard, the applications they build now will work just as well on AR headsets like the HoloLens later.

Microsoft’s idea is simpler pitch than asking VR developers to build apps for the HoloLens itself, which might not be released yet for some years.
Image Source: Wired

Google I/O Conference: Expect Virtual Reality Unveiling

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On Wednesday, Google is holding its annual conference that the company uses as a launching pad for its latest innovations and products. This year, the search giant is expected to jump on the bandwagon of virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

Even though Google has kept silent over its plans until the big event, the conference agenda that was revealed clearly hints to virtual reality and artificial intelligence as the focal points.

Words like “machine learning” that are in the plan spurred speculation that Google will soon be releasing a VR headset to compete with Facebook’s new Oculus Rift device, but also with Samsung’s Gear VR and the Vive from HTC and Valve.

The conference will be packed with bloggers and reporters from around the world, ensuring that whatever the company presents to the audience will be featured in stories, articles, and pictures delivered to the larger public.

Thousands of computer programmers will also attend the three-day showcase, presenting Google with the opportunity to convince them why they should develop apps and other services compatible with its gadgets and its Android operating system for mobile devices.

About 80 percent of the world’s smartphones are powered by Android, probably because Google allows any device maker to use the software for free.

The search giant affords that because once you have Android on your phone, you also get a package of Google’s services, such as its search engine, maps, and others. These, in turn, give Google the opportunity to include the digital ads that represent a large source of its revenue.

This year’s conference – called Google I/O – is being held at an amphitheater a few blocks from its headquarters in Mountain View, California. With a seat capacity of more than 6,000, the new amphitheater could accommodate a way larger crowd than Google’s former San Francisco venue from the past years.

It would not be Google’s first dive into virtual reality as two years ago the company unveiled an inexpensive headset called Google Cardboard. But the new efforts are expected to be more serious, given the sophisticated options that are now available for sale.

Virtual reality is presented by analysts as the next big thing in the technology realm, which creates an artificial, three-dimensional world for the user. At the same time, artificial intelligence is also touted as the tech that will create software acting and behaving as humans.
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“Destination: Mars” Exhibit Uses Virtual Reality for Space Exploration

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NASA’s “Destination: Mars” is one of the most engaging combinations between virtual reality and space travel, allowing the user to take a tour of Mars with none other by Dr. Buzz Aldrin, the second person on the moon.

Viewers will also be guided by Erisa Hines, driver on the Curiosity Mars Rover, who will present the vehicle as well as real sites on Mars where important discoveries were made.

The virtual experience is based on imagery sent back to Earth by the Curiosity Rover, NASA’s car-sized robot which landed on Mars in August 2012.

The exhibition “Destination: Mars” is based on OnSight, a software tool co-created by Microsoft and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the Mars rover mission operations. Thanks to OnSight, NASA scientists have gained a more intuitive understanding of the area explored by Mars rovers.

Users who take the tour via virtual reality headset see exactly what scientists do when they look at imagery sent by the Curiosity Rover; they can also interact with a 3D simulation of the Martian surface and conduct science experiments from a first-person perspective.

Before OnSight, scientists working on rover operations were required to “examine Mars imagery on a computer screen, and make inferences about what they are seeing.”

Thanks to advancements in virtual reality, research is now done in a new way, allowing scientists to see clearly details of a planet over 100 million miles away from Earth – while sitting in their offices.

Dave Lavery, program executive for Solar System Exploration at NASA Headquarters, said that OnSight has “fundamentally changed our perception of Mars, and how we understand the Mars environment surrounding the rover.”

This is not the first time augmented reality has paired up with NASA to advance science. Microsoft has previously sent their AR headsets HoloLens to the International Space Station, where astronaut Scott Kelly tested it during his stay abroad the station.

Augmented reality creates a mixed reality experience by overlaying digital images on top of the actual environment surrounding you. After Kelly returned to Earth last month, he said VR has “a lot of potential when it comes to space exploration.”

Besides strategically partnering with Microsoft, NASA has also done the right thing involving Dr. Buzz Aldrin in the “Destination: Mars” project. He has proved to be one of the most convincing advocates for the efforts of landing humans on Mars.

With virtual reality, sending humans to Mars in the 2030s can become a more inclusive experience, allowing the public to follow the experience the astronauts will have as they study the Martian surface.
Image Source: Mars-One

The HTC Vive Was a Little Late for a Good Reason

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While the past weeks have been all about the VR hype with the Oculus Rift preorders coming online, the HTC Vive was nearly forgotten in the absence of news; however, the HTC Vive was a little late for a good reason, it would seem, because it just came out into the daylight with a huge series of good and surprising news.

While in essence, the HTC Vive is pretty much the same thing as the Oculus Rift, and more specifically a virtual reality headset that promises to host the upcoming advancement of VR technology applications, there seem to be some differences. At least in what the bundle purchase and included items are concerned.

Firstly, the HTC Viva was announced to come with two handheld controllers over the Oculus Rift’s included Xbox controller. The two, separate controllers have inbuilt motion sensors that will allow the user’s movements to be tracked across a room and mimic them in the virtual reality experience. This will be the kind of feature that allows for a much higher level of immersion in future games coming out for the virtual reality platform, for example.

And while we’re on the topic of immersion, it seems that HTC has put a few extra ounces of effort in raising its bar as high as possible. The HTC Vive adopts a design that is slightly different from what we had originally seen in the pictures and on displays. Apparently, the upgraded model also includes a brighter display that was made to provide its users an even deeper sense of immersion.

The HTC Vive demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either.

But HTC seems to be tame and thoughtful when it comes to the long-term effects of being completely immersed in a virtual reality game or experience. The headset includes a front-facing camera that will allow you to see the outside world on the account of a switch if you want to take a break from using the gear. The company itself stated that this addition “demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either”.

This could also hold some valuable implications in what augmented reality is concerned too as it will open up some gates for smaller scale of virtual reality applications – with some utility found in things such as engineering, construction and so on.

However, the HTC Vive has also just announced its price and it would seem that the extra additions will have their fans whipping out their wallets for the sum of $799, $200 more than its direct competitor, the Oculus Rift, will cost. Not to mention that in order to be able to run the HTC Vive, you’ll have to make sure that your computer is performant enough to run VR applications to begin with.

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Oculus Rift and Rift Bundle Preorders Are Now Available

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The much expected Oculus Rift and Rift Bundle preorders are now available, after a very long, drawn out wait, filled with nothing but snippets, teasers and preliminary checks. While the virtual reality headset itself has been up for preorder for a fair amount of time, it hadn’t yet come in the bundled version – together with gaming PCs, controllers, remotes and so on.

The reasoning behind the company’s decision to start selling the bundles was fairly easy to understand. Virtual technology is certainly the next big step in what gaming – but not only resuming itself to that – has to offer or where it’s heading. And because the technology itself still requires an external engine to run it all, for example, just getting an Oculus Rift VR set alone may not allow you to begin enjoying it right away.

Just earlier this year, the Oculus Rift website was made host to a new tool for potential buyers that involved a program that would make an assessment of the computer you are running it from to figure out whether you can use a virtual reality headset with it or not. And to the regular, casual, non-gamer person, the specifications that you need to pack up in a PC in order to have the Oculus Rift work on it aren’t exactly something that easily achievable.

To the avid gamer, the specs needed won’t exceed the ‘average’ status, however.

Some of the bundles that the Oculus Rift comes in take the overzealous leap of packing in the finest technology that one can find and end up with a directly proportional price tag on it. Therefore, one of the most expensive versions of bundles you can find goes all the way up to $3,000. However, if you’re happy to stick to a very basics, Oculus VR comes packed with various PCs set up by Dell, Alienware and Asus.

Therefore, a basic PC plus Oculus Rift virtual reality headset bundle that includes the very basics that one needs in order to run VR games and experiences will cost you $1,499. For that amount of money you will get an Intel Core i5 Skylake processor, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, the Nvidia GeForcce GTX 970 video card, as well as 1TB of storage space on a regular SATA drive. Surprisingly, the much more expensive version of the bundle doesn’t include exponentially more powerful hardware than the lower end version.

Regardless, the Oculus Rift was made to function on both PC and consoles, so if you’re already the owner of one, you should expect support for it to come in a timely manner too.

The Oculus Rift alone costs $599 and will start being shipped out on March 28^th.

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A New Google VR Headset Is Imminent

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Because virtual reality is one of the hottest topics right now, and one that most technology giants are turning their gaze upon, it shouldn’t be a surprise that a new Google VR headset is imminent. With the long awaited for Oculus Rift right around the corner and less than 2 months away from its release date, news of Apple starting its own VR research and development department and Google only having its Google Cardboard headset to offer to its own public, things are probably soon to change.

Even if the original idea behind Google Cardboard was undoubtedly cheap genius, it probably won’t be able to stand up against its competitors. As a result, Google seems to be developing a new smartphone-assisted VR headset that has improved specifications. While these are only rumors, it is said that the new headset has better sensors and lenses and that it has ditched the hilarious and cheap cardboard build for a more solid plastic casing.

But that is no guarantee that the new Google virtual reality headset will be able to compete directly with gadgets the likes of Oculus Rift. The latter is a device that has been thoroughly designed with the idea that it should be a standalone – even though you do need to connect it to a rather capable computer in order to play anything in VR.

However, thinking that VR only limits itself to gaming would be an unfair understatement. Developers envision more and more utility for virtual reality on a daily basis – starting with design, art, health, education and even psychology. While so far virtual experience has limited itself to giving its users a mere glimpse of literally experiencing virtual reality such as gaming or ‘visiting’ places in virtual space – such as Mount Everest – VR is destined for much more.

But for example, Dom Barnard, cofounder of the VirtualSpeech app said that one of the best applications they could have thought of for the Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR headsets was their own application that helps the user get over their fear of public speaking. He also mentioned that he imagines a world where kids in school put on VR headsets to learn about the human body or historic sites.

Virtual reality is still in its very early stages and we’ve already heard of some stunningly beautiful and clever applications of it. Time will only tell just how far it can truly go.

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Oculus Quill Can Be Used to Create Movies

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It seems that the new virtual reality technology can serve for more than our mere entertainment, as Oculus Quill can be used to create movies. Oculus Story Studio has used the new tool to produce the upcoming motion picture Dear Angelica, featuring brilliant visuals. The studio was created exactly one year ago and has produces two other movies in the meantime.

The first motion picture focused on virtual reality is Lost, which was followed by Henry, a 3D animated movie. However, Dear Angelica is the first one that used the new tool named Oculus Quill. Will it be different from the other two? Yes, since not only does it display the full potential of virtual reality, but also involves the user in the story.

The story follows a teenage girl who is reflecting on her life by taking a look at her mother’s memories. As the viewer finds out more about her, the world starts being painted around them, and each stroke of the brush reveals new details. You can decide whether you wish to follow the story, follow the brush or simply take a look at the art. All these elements are visible no matter where you are standing. Should you wish to take a closer look at something, all you need to do is lean in.

The wonderful visual effects were created with the help of the previously mentioned Oculus Quill. This new tool can be used to create art by the simple movement of the hand, and is quite similar to the Tilt Brush from HTC Vive. Unfortunately, Oculus Quill will not be available for everyone to use. For the moment, only Oculus illustrators will be able to create visual art with the quill. On the other hand, the HTC Vive tool can be bought by all users.

This is truly an extraordinary opportunity for artists to be able to put all their emotions in their art and to represent it as closely as they can to the ideas they have in their minds. As a result, viewers will more easily understand the meaning of their art. Since Oculus Quill can be used to create movies, it can also display the progress of a painting, thus conveying movement to the still images. Wesley Allsbrook, illustrator of Dear Angelica, declared that this is all she has ever dreamed of. Who knows, maybe soon enough we will have moving and talking pictures on the walls, just like Hogwarts had those portraits hanging on its corridors.

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Google Cardboard Receives Serious Upgrades

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Google Cardboard will soon come quite close to reality.

As virtual reality piques the interest of more and more people, Google Cardboard receives serious upgrades from the multinational technology company. The latest pieces of information on the matter are that the Cardboard feature will soon have surround sound, that Google has partnered with GoPro and that it has created a new arm for virtual reality.

Google is extending its reach over numerous other fields, as it has recently announced its involvement in self-driving cars. One such field is virtual reality, which is gaining more popularity with each passing day. You do not need to go to a museum or have a complex device in order to enjoy this experience, since it is also available on your smartphone. All you have to do is buy a Google Cardboard, encase your phone into it and look through the two small lenses. The low price of the device has made it extremely popular, and thus Google has decided to make some improvements.

In this regard, the company has created a special arm that focuses exclusively on virtual reality. The division is helmed by Clay Bavor, the man who came up with the idea of Google Cardboard and also worked on Google Docs and Gmail. The division will include people from other famous companies, such as GoPro, which is masterfully developing small, efficient cameras. We can only assume that the virtual reality content will be filmed using their cameras and later incorporated into Google Cardboard. Lastly, the feature will come as close as it can to reality thanks to the new system that includes surround sound. No, you will not need speakers in every corner of your room, the sounds will still come solely from your smartphone.

The competition in the virtual reality field is tough as it includes huge companies such as Microsoft and Facebook, and highly acclaimed displays like HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. As a result, Google has another project set to aid filmmakers in creating 360-degree videos, involving the GoPro Odyssey, a 16-camera array.

Google Cardboard can be downloaded from the Apple Store for iOS devices, or from Google Play for Android phones. You can buy the cardboard online, either from the company’s website or other online stores. However, if you enjoy a challenge you can build the device yourself after reading the instructions found on the Google website. You will need some cardboard, velcro, a rubber band, magnets and lenses, but the website lists everything that you need and the places where you can find them.

Google Cardboard receives serious upgrades from its makers also because it has proven useful for other purposes than entertainment. It seems it can truly help children suffering from autism, and thus it is only rational to improve it in order to help as many people as possible.

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HTC Vive Pre-orders Start On 29 February, Watch Out Oculus

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HTC Vive pre-orders start on 29 February, watch out Oculus, you’re in a for the fight of your life. Given that virtual reality enthusiasts all over the world were utterly shocked last week upon the news that Palmer Luckey doesn’t know what in the same ballpark means, the HTC Vive might just have the upper hand.

Cher Wang, HTC CEO, has spoken to the Telegraph and said that the company has chosen to shift its focus on virtual reality, and drive away from the smartphone industry, because now, HTC, is more realistic.

HTC has partnered with game maker supreme Valve to design an immersive virtual reality headset. It will sell world-wide starting with April of this year, competing directly with the much-awaited Oculus Rift. Sony’s PlayStation VR is out of the question at the current moment as there is no information available on pricing or release date. What we do know is that Sony has stated, over and over again, that the company will release their virtual reality headset only when they have enough content available – the Japanese company is known for working on more than 100 titles for their VR headset.

For the HTC Vive, Valve will be in charge of the gaming platform with their beloved Steam – as well as offering a place for Oculus Rift lovers.

Even though we have an official pre-order date, we still don’t know what the price of a Vive headset will retail at. Yet, we will have details in the upcoming weeks regarding the cost of a Vive, notes Cher Wang.

But why the sudden shift from the smartphone industry?

Well, because the huge competition from Xiaomi and Apple, with both companies pumping a ton of money on marketing and communications. There are also a lot of other Chinese competitors that offer low-quality devices with staggering specifications, notes the CEO of HTC.

During CES 2016, HTC displayed and demoed their 2nd-gen dev kit, the Vive Pre. Those who were present, were the first to witness the huge difference between the two dev kits.

However, regardless of the change in design, the price needs to meet the expectations of VR enthusiasts across the world so the adoption rate soars, and brands jump on the bandwagon.

You need a powerful PC to run a VR headset. A PC that will make you cough up something between $500 and $1000. Dell’s Alienware has already started offering bundles that shave $200 off the base price of an Oculus Rift, and, Cher Wang says, that HP and Asus will be releasing VR-ready PCs in the upcoming months.

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Rez Infinite is Coming to PS4, and It will Support VR

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Rez Infinite is coming to PS4, and it will support VR as well.

Rez Infinite is a classic Dreamcast and PS2 video-game. It’s set to launch on Sony’s PlayStation 4 in the following days. Old-timey gamers, please, manage your excitement, as the internet has already gone bonkers. The VR version will have a solid 120 frames per second, and it will also boast fully detailed 3D audio. In its default screen mode, Rez Infinite will manage 60 frames per second at 1080p quality – 7.1. surround sound is all-present.

The remastered version will come with a brand new level.

Sony is trying to promote their VR setup, but, to be frank, this isn’t a new game. It’s just a PlayStation 2 remake, which is a HD remastered as well.

The early version of the game was, admittedly, eye-candy with stunning visuals. Developed by HexaDrive for Dreamcast, the Rez had some audio problems, as it wasn’t that well built-in and players could notice that sounds were not properly synched with attacks.

Unfortunately, the overworked music and visuals ended up hurting the gameplay, and it offered a lackluster experience. The Team Andromeda members worked really hard on the game, but, at the end of the day, big fans of Rez were left with a nasty after taste – which, hopefully, we won’t encounter this time around.

This unending stream of remakes is worrying. Even though these games made the PS2 so popular, nobody wants to be stuck in the past. While video game consoles have evolved, so have game mechanics and the way a game dev tells a story. Think of early day Fallout and The Elder Scrolls games, and compare them to the latest titles in the franchise, as in: Fallout 4 and Skyrim. There’s a huge difference in the way the developer conveys a story and grips the gamer to the edge of the seat.

Remakes are great, nostalgia is needed, but how much is too much?

This year marks PlayStation’s 20th anniversary. The Japanese-based company has officially announced that there will be 8 PS2 games available on PS4 consoles.

These PS2 titles can be purchased directly from the European and the American PlayStation Stores. Games will be up-rendered in 1080p with features you would expect a PS4 game to come with.

Be prepared for the following games: War of the Monsters, Twisted Metal: Black, both for $9.99 each. Grand Theft Auto Sand Andreas, Vice City and III for $14.99 each. Rogue Galaxy, Dark Cloud and Mark of Kri also for $14.99 each.

PaRappa the Rapper 2 and The King of Fighters 2000 will be added in the near future.

All of these PS2 classics will have Trophies enabled.

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