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HTC Vive Was Finally Given A Price And A Launch Date

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HTC Vive Was Finally Given A Price And A Launch Date

It’s been a long wait, but HTC Vive was finally given a price and a launch date, respectively a price tag of $799, and April for still a slightly vague time frame. The release date might not be the most specific, but at the very least, it’s something. The price, however, is surprising.

  • HTC Vive VR is set for pre-order on February 29th and will start shipping in April
  • The price is set at $800, which is more expensive than its rival, Oculus Rift, set at $600
  • The headset will arrive bundled with two games, Job Simulator: The 2050 and Fantastic Contraption
  • HTC Vive VR recommended specs: Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD FX 8350 equivalent processor or better, Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or better, 4GB of RAM or more, an HDMI 1.4 / DisplayPort 1.2 video output or newer, one USB 2.0 port and Windows SP1 or later versions

The HTC Vive VR headset is developed by tech firm HTC and Valve. The virtual reality headset is considered to be the only true contender of Facebook-owned Oculus Rift. And yet, the elevated price alone might make some reluctant to try it out. Not all hope is lost though.

When the pricing of Oculus Rift was first announced at $599, the gaming community was in an uproar. It was considered too steep, and this was beyond the fact that Oculus Rift required a pretty powerful PC for smooth running. And yet, that didn’t stop the first shipment to be sold out in less than an hour. So, no matter the pricing, it still proved to have an astounding appeal to the public.

However, if anyone was expecting HTC Vive to be the cheaper option, they will be sorely disappointed. In fact, analysts estimated that the price of the VR headset will be at around $1,500 which was, thankfully, far off. Taking that into consideration, a price tag of $799 is not bad news at all. Now, HTC Vive has something to prove though, and show the gaming community why it’s worth more than Oculus Rift.

The VR headset will be available for pre-orders on February 29th, at 10 A.M. EST, and start shipping in April this year. It will arrive bundled with two wireless motion controllers, a link box to connect to your PC, earbuds, cables, and a pair of “Lighthouse” laser base stations for the purpose of tracking movements. In addition, just like the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive VR will be coming with two games included, so you will have something to do once it’s in your hands.

The two titles included are Job Simulator: The 2050, where you will be placed in a world where computers have taken over most jobs and you’ll be an employee for other day-to-day tasks. That’s for those of you out there who have always dreamed on working in a fast food restaurant. The second title is Fantastic Contraption, during which the player will be tossed in a virtual world and required to build several gadgets and machines to accomplish certain goals. It’s definitely one that looks highly entertaining while playing with a group of your friends.

According to HTC, their virtual reality headset will be essentially the same as it was first introduced, with a few added improvements. The most significant one is the front-facing camera, which will allow users to see the outline of their living room. It could be very useful in understanding your perimeter of gameplay, stop you from stumbling into things, and, you know, avoid ending up on the floor.

In addition, the headgear has been given a more comfortable strap along with better accommodations for the user’s nose. It seems that HTC acknowledged that not everyone’s nose has the same shape, and moved to make sure all users will be satisfied. The headset itself has been given a bit of a polish, so it’s slightly shinier now, the built-in microphone has been improved, and the motors will be making much less noise.

There’s also a new feature called Vive Phone Services, which will allow the user to place calls, receive calls, or even use text messages while strapped on with the headset. That and a calendar and clock in case anyone loses track and gets lost in the immersive world created by virtual reality. This might be useful for those planning on bingeing for hours in the virtual world.

All in all, it seems that virtual reality will be an expensive ordeal for gamers, and time will only tell if the investment will be worth it.

 


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VR Brings GTA V Violence To A Whole New Level

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VR Brings GTA V Violence To A Whole New Level

We’re getting closer to new experiences, and VR brings GTA V violence to a whole new level that might disturb some while others will widen their eyes in excitement. It’s likely safe to say that such extreme violence in games will be walking a fine line. It will be up to the players themselves to see on which side they fall on.

  • The VR mod for GTA V was created by Joseph Delgado
  • He used the Razer Hydra peripheral, full with hand-tracking motions and controllers
  • Delgado stated that a very interesting aspect of VR will be guilt in violent games

Modder Joseph Delgado made use of the Razer Hydra peripheral for the purpose of creating a virtual reality mod for Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V). That means that the first-person mode might just be taking a backseat. While it’s a new addition to the GTA franchise, virtual reality could take it up a notch and move the series in a whole new direction. But is it a good one? Shooting down people might never feel the same in games.

Delgado stated that he created just a short part of the mod before he started testing it, and he found a very interesting side of it. His mouth dropped the first time he shot someone. Delgado said that he actually felt guilty for lifting the gun and killing off a random NPC walking around the streets of Los Santos. It’s a fascinating aspect of virtual reality that it can immerse you into a world, but you have to take the good and the bad.

GTA V is an already violent game with a first-person shooter view available. However, it’s quite different when you not only see through the eyes of the character, but you’re actually placed in their shoes. It’s one thing to use your mouse to aim the gun, and another to physically bring up the controller, aim the weapon, and pull the trigger. The sounds, the visuals, the impact, it’s all happening as if it’s truly around you. And that could be highly disturbing.

We’re trained as human beings to have such a reaction in real life, according to Delgado. Virtual reality is getting better and better, and with it, the experience will look more realistic. But getting close to the reality of killing someone might just be horrifying. He suggested that any “average, good person” will have this sort of reaction at least the first few times. However, the guilt will pass as soon as you get used to the fact that it’s only a game.

The matter will be long debated though, especially by those who already believe violence in video games is related to violence in real life. Some believe that the impact is desensitizing the population to horrific acts against other human beings. One can only assume what will happen to those debates when virtual reality is added into the mix. It will bring the possibility of actually committing such gestures much closer to the player. If it gets too real, we might just become used to it.

However, it should be considered that there are two sides to this coin. While it could arrive with truly disturbing experiences, there is an exciting potential that could be explored. If it can truly result in powerful emotions, there is such a wide range of positive ones that could expressed in a way we have not seen before in games. Happiness, enthusiasm, thrill, adrenaline, or even a relaxing, therapeutic sensation could also see a genuine application. Don’t imagine just shooting and stabbing. Picture driving a car at speeds you would never otherwise dare or flying planes.

Playing games like GTA V in virtual reality will not be just horrifying, but thrilling as well.

Image source: vox-cdn.com

No PlayStation VR Until Fall

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No PlayStation VR Until Fall

According to chain retail store, GameStop, there will be no PlayStation VR until fall, which seems to have set virtual reality enthusiasts in a whirlwind. Why? Because that is far off course from Sony’s initially announced release date.

  • Sony announced PlayStation VR for the summer of 2016
  • It will be the last VR platform to launch this year, behind Oculus Rift and HTC Vive
  • GameStop CEO hinted at a possible delay for the fall of 2016
  • GameStop went back on the claims, and Sony made no confirmation

GameStop CEO, Paul Raines, offered a bit of an insight on what their company will be doing this year with virtual reality. It’s edging closer, with VR titans like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR looming on the horizon. The interest in the market is certainly there around both the gaming community and developers. In fact, experts claim the industry will reach $80 billion by 2025.

But now, the race is on and the crowds are waiting to see which developer will provide the superior headset. In the first year, the battle will likely be fought a little differently. Gamers might focus more on the cost versus benefit aspect of each VR headset. However, we still know very little. Oculus Rift is the only one with a clear set price tag, of $599, now available for pre-order and to be released on March 28th. It has been confirmed, and shipping will definitely start next month.

The same can’t be said about the rest of them. HTC Vive has a vague release date set for April of this year, but no price tag yet. Analysts have suggested that the cost will reach to $1,500, which is a very significant difference from Oculus Rift. So, most would expect HTC and Steam to make up for it through incredibly huge differences in either performance or titles available.

Sony’s statements have been even more ambiguous. The anticipated PlayStation VR is said to launch at some point in the summer, with no price tag announced. That means that Sony’s virtual reality platform will be the last of the three major headsets to launch this year. Now, it seems that the date will be pushed even further back.

Raines announced that they’re currently in talks with all three major players of virtual reality. He mentioned that Oculus Rift will be ready at launch in March, HTC Vive in April, and PlayStation VR in the fall. It is possible that the CEO misspoke, or that it meant GameStop in particular will not have Sony’s VR headset in their stores until the third quarter. However, it is also possible that Raines inadvertently spilled the beans.

After the statement, GameStop stepped forward to mention that “Sony has not officially announced a release date for PlayStation VR”. Sony, understandably, backed those words by claiming that “GameStop was speculating”. However, it would not be farfetched for both to deny all implications of a potential delay. It could place Sony’s headset even further behind the race for virtual reality. If fans hear they might need to wait an additional three to six months, they could deflect to other VR headsets.

It is possible that there will be a delay. Or it’s a simple misunderstanding.

Sony still has one major advantage that a possible delay will not nullify. While Oculus Rift and HTC Vive will require some pretty powerful PCs, PlayStation VR will work with an already familiar console. There will be no need to purchase a snazzy new computer, as it will only require a PlayStation 4. Additional rumors also set the headset’s price in a particularly low range.

Sony announced that their upcoming VR platform will be equal to the cost of a console. That could mean between $300 and $400, which will make it the cheapest one there is. So, the advantage is there. If all those details are true, the perhaps a delay will not make such a major difference. However, these are mere speculations.

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Discounted Oculus Rift Bundles Will Be Ready Next Week

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Is your PC ready?

Virtual reality is getting closer, and discounted Oculus Rift bundles will be ready next week for pre-order, to arrive along with the VR headset that should turn gaming on its head. For those who are not inclined to create their own systems, here are a few options that will be available for pre-order starting on February 16th:

  • Asus G11CD: Intel Core i5-6400, nVidia GeForce GTX 970, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB hard drive + Oculus Rift VR – $949
  • Alienware X51 R3 (model 1): Intel Core i5-6400, nVidia GeForce GTX 970, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB hard drive + Oculus Rift VR – $999
  • Dell XPS 8900 SE: Intel Core i5-6400, nVidia GTX 970, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB hard drive + Oculus Rift VR – $999
  • Asus ROG G20CB (model 1): Intel Core i5-6400, nVidia GTX 970, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD + Oculus Rift VR – $1349
  • Alienware X51 R3 (model 2): Intel Core i5-6400, nVidia GeForce GTX 980, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD + Oculus Rift VR – $1499
  • Asus ROG G20CB (model 2): Intel Core i7-6700, nVidia GTX 980, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, 1TB hard drive + Oculus Rift VR – $1599
  • Alienware Area 51: Intel Core i7-5820K, nVidia GTX 980, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 128GB SSD, 2TB hard drive + Oculus Rift VR – $2549

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We’re just a few short weeks away from virtual reality, and most are getting ready to get their hands on Oculus Rift and start immersing themselves into another world. It’s new, exciting, and, hopefully, it will be as exceptional as it looks. This year will likely be virtual reality’s year. It’s expected that the futuristic tech will leave its mark, one to linger in the years to come.

However, while you’re ready to give the VR headset a test, is your PC? Along with the rather hefty price of $599 that you will have to cough up for Oculus Rift, the company has made sure to announce that you will also need a good enough system to support it. And perhaps virtual reality is not where you want to take the risk and skim on the money. If the PC’s strength falters, most high-end games might just become a nightmare for you, filled with bad frames and motion sickness.

So, perhaps a bigger investment would be worth it for those who want to try out EVE: Valkyrie, Elite: Dangerous, or other titles that will be strenuous on your system. One thing seems to be for sure, as it is for a good amount of games, a powerful graphics card could make the difference. Especially for Oculus Rift, whose main attraction will be the visual it can provide.

The minimum recommendations for Oculus Rift might just be an nVidia GTX 970 or its equivalent AMD 290, an Intel i5-4590 processor, and 8GB RAM. Given today’s gaming general requirements, this could be considered a decent PC just based off of those three factors, but it could certainly be better. And it probably should be, if you’re looking for a solid 90 fps (frames per second) to avoid motion sickness in more visually demanding games.

However, to make things easier, Oculus announced a few bundles which will take off the burden off users. A configuration made separately by a PC owner is always the best way to go, but not everyone has the required knowledge. It could save some money though, although not much, so it is recommended.

It’s to be noted that the aforementioned space epic EVE: Valkyrie will arrive bundled with the headset, along with Lucky’s Tale, which will work with much lower specs.

Image source: idownloadblog.com; staticworld.net

Google Is Getting Serious With VR

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Google is preparing a new VR headset

New rumors are showing that Google is getting serious with VR and might be developing a new headset entirely to immerse users into virtual reality.

  • Google Cardboard has sold around 5 million units
  • Google is preparing a second virtual reality device
  • It will have better lenses and sensors than the Cardboard
  • The device will reportedly still be powered by smartphones, but better performing than Cardboard and with a wider range of devices than Samsung Gear VR

Google Cardboard has been only the first step. Apparently, the tech giant is not done with virtual reality at all, even though the very affordable device has seen to great success. For something so simple, it has sold 5 million units since its launch date, and it’s expected to continue thriving in 2016. Cardboard could be the first step toward bigger headsets, such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive that are coming this year.

However, most users might want to get a taste of virtual reality before knowing if they’re ready to invest hundreds if not thousands of dollars into the better performing headsets. Enter Google Cardboard. It could be the beginning for most VR users, which is why experts estimate it will still be the best sold VR device for 2016. The good news isn’t making Google wait and just bask in their success though.

Apparently, the company has another virtual reality device in store for their users. And, it will be much closer to the Samsung Gear VR than the Google Cardboard. That means a much better performing hardware along with software working directly in the headset, not just the smartphone.

There are limitations to the Cardboard, beginning from the fact that it relies on a dedicated virtual reality app. Samsung is aiming to change that with their Gear VR, but even their device will have some unwanted limitations. While it will likely be much better, there are only a handful of smartphones compatible with the headset. Perhaps Google could be the one to fill in the gaps.

According to rumors, Google is working on an Android VR operating system that will surely make their upcoming headset compatible with many more models. Allegedly, the VR headset will have “better sensors, lenses, and a more solid plastic casing”, as opposed to cardboard. It could widen the range of devices available and users who will take that first step into virtual reality.

The news indirectly confirms Google’s growing interest in the market that goes beyond simple apps. However, it remains a rumor until a true confirmation from the company will come forth. Some suggest that the tech titan will unveil more at the Google I/O on May 18th-20th this year. Perhaps the new piece of tech will be showed to the public and developers might get a hint at its capabilities.

The virtual reality market is getting hotter by the month it seems, and the major platforms have not even been released yet.

Image source: siggraph.org

Apple’s Team Could Already Be Working On VR

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Apple might be looking toward virtual reality

It’s not been confirmed yet, but rumors have it that Apple’s team could already be working on VR and other augmented reality projects.

  • Rumors on Apple’s VR involvement started in March, 2015
  • Apple has been acquiring companies involved in virtual and augmented reality
  • The latest rumors were spurred by the purchasing of Flyby Media

It seems that virtual reality is a point of interest in many companies, but Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has curiously stayed out of it. Beyond acquisitions of VR-focused companies, such as Metaio, Faceshift, and Emotient, they stood away from a clear confirmation. Perhaps they are waiting for the market to bloom, leaving Facebook and Microsoft to plant the seeds.

However, most doubted that Apple would stay out of it completely. The rumors seemed to reach peak with the acquisition of Doug Bowman, an award-winning VR expert. And yet, there was no confirmation from the company. Now, Apple acquired Flyby Media, an augmented reality startup company, which has now thrown fuel on the fire. While this was thought to finally confirm rumors, it did not.

Speculations, however, are continuing to circulate about the possibility of Apple creating a headset for virtual and augmented reality. Even more, it’s said that there are “hundreds” of people of the staff already working it. The prototype has been building for “several months”. It could tackle on the augmented reality field that has not been excellently taken by Google Glass. Or, it could perhaps rival titans such as Microsoft’s HoloLens and Facebook’s Oculus Rift.

The news arrive in the wake of Apple Chief Executive, Tim Cook’s, statements on VR. In a brief comment, he stated that virtual reality is “cool”, has some “interesting applications”, but does not believe it will be a niche project as it matures.

Apple, however, has a variety of patents that tie the company to virtual reality, including transparency displays mobile mapping solutions, and iPhone-powered virtual displays. So, it is possible that they might indeed make a similar approach as Google’s Cardboard. At least, so it seemed for a little while. The new rumors suggest higher ambitions, ones to take on Oculus Rift.

Rumors of Apple’s involvement in the virtual and augmented reality market first started in March last year. They suggested that the company has been working for a device since at least 2015, starting with a small research team in the field. After numerous acquisitions and, reportedly, snatching a few employees from Microsoft and Lytro, there are now hundreds working on a future consumer-device.

The news is potentially exciting, as Apple has shown itself to have a knack for entering the market. While they come in a little late, they bring innovation on existing technology. It happened with the iPod, tablets, and, perhaps, it might happen with virtual reality. However, first true entries on the market have not launched just yet.

Depending on the success of virtual reality, it remains to be seen how many more companies will be designing their own VR or AR headset.

Image source: valuewalk.com

Google Focuses More on Virtual Reality

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Google Cardboard will soon feature surround sound.

After the incredible success that it had with the Google Cardboard, Google focuses more on virtual reality. In this end, the company has decided to create a new arm and let Clay Bavor, the man behind Google Cardboard, to run it.

  • Google created a new arm that will be led by Clay Bavor
  • Google focuses more on virtual reality
  • Google partnered with GoPro
  • Google Cardboard will soon feature surround sound

After the original and extremely cheap Google Cardboard innovation, Google decided to create a separate arm that will deal only with further development in the Virtual Reality sector. The market for VR is opened and ready for new inventions that will bear Google’s name.

The Google Cardboard is basically a specially designed cardboard box that can be used with any smartphone. Due to its unique design, the box allows the user to experience something similar to Virtual Reality at almost no cost at all. Because of this affordable feature (something which we can’t really say about most of the technological innovations that appeared in the latest year) the box is already used by a great number of people.

The Google Cardboard is allegedly very effective in the work with autistic children. This made the company realize that there is still more room for such innovations in Google’s offices so it decided to name Clay Bavor head of the new division that was created especially for him and for the further research and development of Virtual Reality devices.

But Google didn’t just stop at creating a whole new arm, it also convinced the people at GoPro to collaborate with the new staff that will be led by Bavor. This partnership can only give us a clue at what they are trying to build next. If we take into account that GoPro specializes on small and efficient cameras, the only logical conclusion would be that the two companies are working on a method of efficient filming in VR or for VR.

The Google Cardboard will be taken to another level when the new surround system feature will be finished because you don’t actually need to be in a room filled with speakers to experience such a sensation, you only need to feel like the sound is coming at you from different angles.

This will make the Google Cardboard compete with headphone manufacturers all around the world. The conclusion is that we can only be happy that google focuses more on virtual reality and it even created a new division for this manner.

Image source: www.wikipedia.org

Google Cardboard –Virtual Reality Experience at Affordable Prices

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Google Cardboard, the name sounds fanciful, akin to a school project for creating something for fun rather than for prolonged use. However it is exactly its prolonged usefulness which makes it stand apart. Google has created a cheap virtual reality head set made of cardboard and can be used in conjunction with smartphones to magnify the technology experience.

It could look like misnomer but it is actually much more. The name Google Cardboard fits perfectly since the headset is indeed made of cardboard and is being offered at a price which fully justifies the image which Google so assiduously tries to cultivate- bring technology to the common man at a price he can afford. Google is offering the cheapest; nay I would say economical is a better word to describe it, the most economical VR experience to the ordinary person on the street.

Compare the $10 Cardboard with the nearest competitor, the Oculus Rift “development kit” headset, which carries a price tag of $350.

Google Cardboard

It was a part of the Google 20% policy which enables the worker to explore their own ideas in addition to their regular duties. The Google Cardboard is a “build your own” device kind of deal. You buy a kit from Google which includes a piece of cardboard and two “40mm focal distance lenses.”After assembly all that is left to do is to insert their smartphones into the device, and Google Cardboard will transform the conventional handset phone experience into a fully-functional virtual reality trip.

So what is the trick? The lenses when placed at an optimal distance from the phone screen create s a 3D, virtual reality effect. With attuned apps, users can simply move their heads around and control the images that are appearing on their screen. Additionally The Google Cardboard headset also comes with a specialized magnet which enables the user to touch the screen and control different facets of apps which cannot be controlled by simple movement.

You can buy the Google Cardboard here and consumers have been given different manufacturer options from which to make a purchase. Prices can vary according to the manufacturer chosen. Variations are available for different kind of smartphone one plans to use with the device. Price vary in between $20 to $30 range.

 

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