Woah, okay, where do I even start? AR/VR news—what a wild world, huh? Let’s dive in. Oh, and heads up—there’s a sweet giveaway, so stick around.
Highlights of the Week (or whatever we’re calling it)
Pico’s Secret New Toy
So, Pico’s cooking up something fresh. Heard they’re working on a headset named "Swan." Why "Swan"? Beats me. But it’s light, supposedly like holding a feather. And it uses eye and hand input—fancy, right? They’re trying to beat Meta at their own game. Meta’s trying the same trick with their code-named gadgets "Puffin" or whatever. Seems like they’re in a "who’s got the cooler bird name" competition.
And tethered pucks? Gotta say, not my favorite. Testing those things feels like dragging a rock. But hey, different strokes for different folks. Let’s see how these gizmos do when they’re out there in the real world.
Meta Prototypes: Wider and Wilder
Oh, Meta. They love showing off at SIGGRAPH. This time they’ve got headsets with a whopping 180° view. I mean, who even thinks of using “high-curvature reflective polarizers”? Whatever that means—it sounds like NASA stuff. It’s cool, but just because it works in a lab doesn’t mean we’ll see it at Best Buy. You get me?
HTC Vive Playing the Tease Game
HTC’s dropping hints on social. And all we’ve got are some GPS coordinates pointing to Taipei 101. Spooky or genius? You tell me. It’s in Taipei though—HTC’s turf. Could be anything—headset, software, a new kind of waffle iron. Place your bets, folks.
Free-to-Play Games: Yay or Nay?
So there’s this Brazen Blaze game…went all free-to-play. It’s not alone. Meta likes this model, but I’m not sold. Kids love free games, sure, but how do devs make money? Ads? Microtransactions? Feels like balancing on a pinhead.
More Headset Shenanigans
Coray’s popping up with glasses using Silicon Carbide. Fancy material, you say? U.S. doesn’t share it with China, but here comes a Chinese company using it. Irony much? These specs cost around $700. But no reviews yet, so hold your horses before swiping that card.
Random Bits and Bobs
Oakley’s got new smartglasses—comfy, they claim. BigScreen’s headset in purple, with VRChat goodies? Because, why not? And speaking of VRChat, there’s this new plugin for some cool Gaussian Splats. Didn’t know I needed that till now.
Meanwhile, Meta’s trying out a new tool for boosting VR app performance. It’s like a magic wand, they say. Useful, if it works.
Then there’s Venice Immersive—showcasing XR. Sounds artsy. Frankly, the arts go right over my head sometimes.
Other News (or just cool nuggets)
- Meta eyes the medical field. Scalpel + headset? Weird combo.
- FreeAim VR shoes hit their Kickstarter goal. Running in VR? Just don’t trip over the cat.
- Varjo stopping Aero and XR-3 support. Ouch.
Stuff from Friends (Who Likes Freebies?)
Free game key for Squishies! If it’s not gone already—go grab it. And Dilmer’s giving away free XR courses. Learn, grow, and all that jazz. Plus, check out the FM DUO camera—fancy gear for film buffs. Makes you feel like a Hollywood director, maybe.
Sprinkle of Fun
Indiana Jones fan shenanigans, anyone? Probably had too much caffeine and spun in VR till I got dizzy.
On a Serious Note
There are folks out there who need our help. The Ukraine situation’s a mess. If you’ve got a spare moment (and a few bucks), consider donating to the Red Cross. Seriously.
And hey, thanks to the folks who support this ramble: the patrons. You keep this chaotic journey rolling. Cheers!
(Header image? HTC Vive doing its thing.)
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