This Just Happened in VR — Week in Review
Gear VR Moves to the Dark Side
Samsung showed off their new Gear VR headset as part of the Galaxy Note 7 introduction. Good thing because the Note 7 won’t work with the current Gear VR.
Here’s the rundown on the new Gear VR. It offers a very small 5% increase of the field of view (96 vs. 101) and a nicer, larger touchpad.
It also sports a dedicated Oculus Home button that’s convenient and makes it easier for users to go Home and buy more apps, buy more apps, buy more apps.
And, oh yeah, a dual connector that now supports USB-C so it’ll work with the Note 7 and the older models, too.
Backwards compatibility is key, because Samsung wants to reap the rewards of the million plus owners of the current (now older) model upgrading to the new Gear VR. Ka-ching!
The other notable thing is that Samsung changed the color from white (very Vive-y) to Oculus black, so it would better match its big brother.
Yes, You Too Can Now Spend $3,000 on a Hololens
Previously Microsoft’s impressive and expensive Hololens AR headset was only available for developers.
Now, in a move of great generosity, Microsoft will let anyone fork over $3K for their very own headset, and they’ll be so nice as to let you buy five of them for a tidy $15K.
Try to forget that you’re paying a premium price for a prototype, a la Google Glass.
Tilt Brush Get Its Groove On
If you take a look at Google’s new version of Tilt Brush you’ll immediately notice that there are 3 panels instead of 4. Don’t worry, nothing went away. In fact, Google has packed more goodies than ever into the amazing Tilt Brush.
You’ll find a new video capture feature, a new sketchbook panel and a bunch of cool new brushes, 14 in all.
But these are no ordinary brushes. There are now a bunch of what the big G calls Audio Reactive Brushes. I think they’re musically magical.
You can now paint things that move with the music. Your VR artwork can now pulse, gyrate, flash, and shake using patterns based on whatever music you’re playing.
Great music visualizations that you can paint and dab as you please!
Hey DJs, There’s Musical VR for You, Too
If you’re a DJ, or would like to play one in VR, you should know about the Wave VR music visualization and DJ app which is expanding its technology to create new tools for not just DJs but musicians of any type.
According to Adam Arrigo, CEO of TheWaveVR. “Music creators will be able to fully customize how their audience experiences the music — whether that’s by transforming the venue from a realistic nightclub to outer space or putting on the most unimaginable light show ever.”
Music is a tough business all around, but I’m psyched that Wave just spun up $2.5 million in investment. It’s not much in today’s startup world, but I’m betting that Wave can put it to good use making cool tools for VR DJs.
Not In My Backyard!!!
NIMBY Alert! Get your AR asses out of my back yard was the basis of a lawsuit filed by a protective landowner named Jeffery Marder, from the Garden State of New Jersey.
He wants Pokémon Go gone, so he’s suing Niantic like any overzealous American would do.
In Marder’s lawsuit his lawyers claim: “In the days following the U.S. release of Pokémon Go, Plaintiff became aware that strangers were gathering outside of his home, holding up their mobile phones as if they were taking pictures.
“At least five individuals knocked on Plaintiff’s door, informed Plaintiff that there was a Pokémon in his backyard, and asked for access to Plaintiff’s backyard in order to “catch” the Pokémon.”
Five people knocked on Marder’s door and politely asked permission to go in his yard, and he wants $5 million in damages!
WTF?! It’s a pretty pathetic attempt to get rich quick off of Pokémon Go.
As far as Marder? I think he’s going, going, gone and will only wind up with a hole in his pocket to show for it.
