Tag: VR

Nintendo Adorably Introduces VR to the Switch

When Nintendo introduced Labo, the adorable toy-craft add-on for Nintendo Switch, most people thought it was a fun diversion for the kids. Now, Nintendo has released a full-blown VR experience that the user builds out of the Labo Toy-Con kits. How does it stack up against dedicated VR?

Nintendo Labo VR

Construction

The most notable departure from standard VR experiences here is that you have to build the entire VR device yourself. From cardboard. If you love arts and crafts, this is quite a fun experience. If you’re not as big on the paper-craft, this might be a bit of drag for you.

In either case, it doesn’t take too long to build your own VR headset that your Switch tablet slots straight into. There are tons of other “Toy-Cons” that you can build out of the kit, too. It’s all delightfully fun and simple, and the on-screen “Build” mode walks you through the process step-by-step.

The VR

While dedicated hardware is going to be putting out more impressive visuals than the Switch, it’s downright charming to use the “Play” mode of Labo VR. Inventive and creative uses for the technology abound, transporting the player to the fun-filled world of Nintendo in no time at all.

Various, silly controllers like a blaster with real kick-back (thanks to some rubber bands and cardboard) and a camera that makes a fun zoom-in, zoom-out sound, make the VR tactile. It feels so real and immersive to fire grenades at goofy aliens in the Blaster game.

Bottom Line

For $80 you can get all of the Toy-Cons and software needed to play with Nintendo Labo VR. It’s a fun experience, made all the better by the joy of building silly cardboard controllers. Is it going to blow away die-hard fans of the Oculus Rift? Maybe not.

But the inventive controllers, fun building aspect and downright charming games all make this the most user-friendly VR experience to yet hit the market. If anyone can sell the odd experience of VR to a mass-market, it’s Nintendo.

April 12, 2019
PC Roundup: The Best PCs for Oculus Rift

The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset is an amazing way to experience immersive video games. Virtual reality experiences have been around for some time, but they are now more accessible than ever. In fact, they’re more accessible than you might think! Today we’re rounding up some of the best PCs for Oculus Rift; they cost less than you think!

Dell XPS Tower Special Edition

Retailing for right around $1,000, the Dell XPS Special Edition is a great pick for VR. It sports an Intel i7-8700 processor, clocking in at 3.2 GHz. While the processor is important, it’s the graphics card that powers a lot of your VR experience! This computer’s Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 won’t disappoint on that front, seeing to it that your games will look gorgeous. All that comes in a nice, compact case that takes up little room. That compact size does have its drawbacks, though. The case leaves little room to work in for upgrades, and the fans are quite loud. That said, it’s still a fine gaming PC, and perfect for VR headsets.

Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop

The second Dell to make the roundup, the Inspiron Gaming Desktop is a great value at $600. It sports the exact same processor as the Tower Special Edition, but it only boasts 8GB of RAM to the Special Edition’s 16. Similarly, it has an Nvidia 1060 GPU, a slight step down from the 1070. However, those small steps back result in a $400 price reduction, making this an excellent choice even for power gamers. And, as expected, it’s fantastic for VR. It has plenty of power to render immersive worlds and engross you in your games.

Our Favorite PC for Oculus Rift: Origin Neuron

The Origin Neuron is the very top of the line when it comes to gaming PCs. If you’re interested in high-end gaming at all, this is the computer for you. It also just so happens to be amazing for VR! Your games will run butter-smooth on this machine’s Nvidia 1080 Ti graphics card. The 5 GHz i7-7700K processor puts in some serious work for this rig, and its 16GB of RAM let you multitask with the best. As top-of-the-line computers go, you can’t go wrong with the Neuron. It retails for a hair over $950, and it’s well worth the price. If you’ve been itching to try out Oculus RIft VR, this is the machine to do it on.

July 3, 2018
Microsoft HoloLens 2 Could Be The VR Evolution

They Said it, we know it, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 is coming. As itis said, It will arrive packing Qualcomm’s powerful XR1 chipset that’s designed for the next gen VR and AR experiences.

In the guts of the Microsoft HoloLens 2 augmented/mixed-reality headset is stated to be an amazing and unexpected appearance of Qualcomm’s own XR1 VR chip. The Processor we thought was possible but seemed only plausible in theory. The processor isn’t technically as powerful as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, but according to all the information we have on the XR1 so far, it’s made for and capable of running the next gen VR headsets. The hardware itself is said to be coming to the market starting in early 2019.

Qualcomm states that the XR1 is capable of streaming content at 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. This would certainly elevate the new HoloLens 2 to the top of the VR headset charts and dethrone the Oculus. The Microsoft HoloLens could re-invent the standard for the movie experience.

Virtual and augmented reality headsets need to get cheaper and better to arouse casual buyers beyond hardcore gamers and tech geeks. We know the Oculus gets it, for just a mere $200. The current generation of Microsoft’s own headset, the HoloLens, starts at $3000. While its mostly for developers, the next generation needs lower price to be commercially viable.

The Final Thought

VR is set to explode, who wants to go first. The company that can get all the intricate pieced together and put out the headset that works great, easy to use and universally compatible with some jaw dropping experiences will get to rule the VR world. The platform is set the battle is open but no one seems to want to make a run at it. So they all know something we don’t ? I sure hope so and im not just standing here holding my breath for no reason. Come one Microsoft HoloLens 2, change my world… my VR world.

June 15, 2018
Interested in Losing Yourself in Another World? Check out our Favorite VR Laptops

Since VR-capable computers tend to be very hefty machines, they are commonly desktops. However, what’s the fun of a VR set-up if you can’t show it off to your friends? Nothing’s quite as cool as showing up to a friend’s house and letting them try out VR. Parties were people can try the tech out are super fun! You can even take it on a plane ride to help pass the time while waiting to arrive at your destination. Which laptops are the best for VR, though? It’s pretty resource-heavy, so you have to pick the right one!

Dell Inspiron 15 7000

Dell’s Inspiron line carries some pretty hefty graphics, which is great for VR! It’s also at a great price point, coming in at $800, which makes it the most budget-conscious pick on this list. The main drawback to this laptop is the display, which is suboptimal. But if you’re looking to have a VR headset on while using it, it’s actually not as big a drawback! It also sports a great battery life, helping you get the most time out of your virtual reality fun!

Origin PC EVO15-S

The Origin is a very, very slim machine with a lot of power under the hood. It boasts an impressive Max-Q GTX 1070 graphics card that manages to be small, quiet and powerful all at once. You’ll be able to throw this laptop in a bag and still have plenty of room for your VR headset’s carrying case! The origin also has a great amount of storage, so you can download tons of games, and it offers great battery performance. All of this can be yours for around $1,600, which, considering how great of a laptop this is, is a great price.

Asus ROG Zephyrus

Asus, known for their high-quality builds and rock-solid durability, has a great laptop for VR. The Zephyrus also boasts an N-Vidia Max Q graphics chip, which helps it to be a thin, powerful machine like the Origin. The drawbacks to this laptop are a bit more noticeable, though. For one, it has a relatively short battery life, which somewhat negates the purpose of having a laptop instead of a desktop. It also has this weird, small, right-aligned track pad that is just… It’s bad. The 1080p screen isn’t as much of an issue if you mean to spend more time with the VR headset on, though. If you can get over those drawbacks, and the $2,700 price point, this Asus is awesome for VR.

The Strongest Laptop For VR: Alienware 17 R4

The Alienware 17 R4 is one of the strongest gaming laptops on the market. It sports a ton of options for configuration, allowing you to customize your experience. VR enthusiasts won’t be disappointed: framerate, graphics and response time will all be top-notch with this laptop. It has Nvida GTX 1080 graphics, putting some serious power in your hands. This one gets our nod because of its wide array of options. If you’re a VR enthusiast, you can customize it to suit all your needs. As such, the price will reflect that. For comparison, a high-end model of this laptop would run around $3,000, but you can outfit it to your tastes.

June 5, 2018
7 New Products From Samsung

I tend to focus on what Apple is doing alot more because I live in that bubble but Samsung has got a much bigger universe but occuping the appliace and tv space. They also seem to have their fingers in just about evey pie you could think of, so here is the top 7 Samsung releases for 2018 you should know about

1.Samsung HMD Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality Headset
$499.00

The Samsung HMD Odyssey is the best mixed reality headset for Windows 10. It features a sharp AMOLED display, built-in AKG headphones, and comfortable fit. It also comes bundled with a pair of excellent wireless controllers.

There are thousands of mixed-reality experiences for Windows 10 you can try. The headset is also compatible with Steam VR titles, so we got that going for us.

2.Samsung Gear Sport Smartwatch
$247.99

The Samsung Gear Sport is the best smartwatch for Android smartphone users. The device has a powerful set of fitness-tracking features, including the ability to guide users through various workouts.

Its waterproof body can withstand depths of up to 50 meters, so users can take it for a swim, too. An intuitive interface and interchangeable bands are also among the wearable gadget’s cool features.

3. Series 49-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor
$949.99

Samsung’s gigantic CHG90 series curved gaming monitor has a gloriously excessive 49-inch QLED display with 32:9 aspect, which will literally expand your in-game field of view. Capable of fully replacing two standard monitors, the CHG90 has superb image quality with HDR support, an ultra fast refresh rate of 144 Hz, and a plethora of gaming modes to choose from.

4.Samsung Galaxy S9+ Android Smartphone
$839.99

The Galaxy S9+ is the most advanced smartphone from Samsung to date. It features an eye-grabbing 6.2-inch Infinity display, an advanced camera setup with two optically stabilized sensors (a wide-angle and a telephoto one), and built-in stereo speakers.

Of course, the waterproof phone also comes with a long list of cutting-edge hardware specs, headed by a powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset and 6 GB of RAM. There are three colors to choose from — black, blue, and purple.

5.Samsung Q9S QLED TV (available in 85-inches)

Unbelievably, Samsung’s monstrous, 85-inch 8K TV is still considered a QLED TV. It’s the top of the list for numerous reasons – size and resolution being the most obvious two – but also its ability to use artificial intelligence upscale SD content to 8K HDR. We don’t know how much this TV is going to cost yet but, considering how much technology is going into it, it wouldn’t surprise us to see a price tag in the tens of thousands.

6. Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator

$3,499.99

Family Hub in 2018 offers a wide range of smart features that allow consumers to do what they could not do before. These include syncing up food storage with meal preparation, keeping family members better connected and organized, and providing enhanced entertainment. Family Hub is also more intuitive and intelligent with the addition of Bixby voice control and its integration with Samsung’s SmartThings IoT ecosystem.

The interactive touchscreen with interactive and customizable widgets allows your family to stay connected: Sync calendars for all family activities and events, remotely share photos, notes and memos, receive personalized information through voice recognition and challenge each other with daily trivia questions.

7.Samsung – ArtPC Pulse Desktop

$1,599.99

Step into the future with this Samsung ArtPC PULSE computer tower. Its Intel i7-6700 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver top performance, and its 256GB solid-state drive combines with a 1TB hard drive to provide ample room for all your programs and multimedia files. The 360-degree speaker of this Samsung ArtPC PULSE computer tower provides powerful sound.

The Final Thought

They may not be the best, but they are not far off. Living in the Samsung world of tech is being completely integrated, they have the option and gear before you know you need it. Samsung is where innovation meets perfection meets total integrated solutions.

April 13, 2018
HTC Vive? Sure, if You’ve Got The PC for it…
The Good
- Stunning visuals
- very responsive and interactive gaming world
- lasting fun and very immersive experience
The Bad
- A powerful gaming is needed to enjoy the full experience
- Using the Vive can take some getting used to, mind your surroundings
- Costly gaming product
The conclusion

I found the HTC Vive to be solidly built and well made. HTC has created a very immersive and responsive world that keeps you entertained and surprised for hours. You will need a powerful computer and a fair amount of space to fully enjoy the Vive. In terms of cost, considering a price drop from $599.00, it is certainly worth purchasing.

The Gist.

As long as you have a powerful PC to push the Vive, it’s pretty incredible. The system pushes a lot of pixels to the small monitors, and you need a pretty fancy graphics card and processor to match up. The required PC components is partly due to the HTC Vive, providing just about a 180 degree field of virtual vision, and it’s stunning features that come with it. The price is a little steep relative to most gaming gear at $599.00, but it’s pretty cutting edge. As time passes the price will come down. It’s an early adopter product at this point but I have to say that as far as early adopter gear goes, it’s been surprisingly robust. For how new the product is it’s surprisingly smooth and a polished. The responsiveness of turning your head and immediately having the environment respond is impressive. I didn’t notice any real lag when playing with it. The unit is reasonably light, but does get little warm after extended use. SteamVR makes using and purchasing VR games a quick and easy process. Steam also offers a large variety of VR games for how new this system is.

Final thoughts

HTC Vive is a truly great system and HTC obviously put a lot of work into this product. The wiring, controls, and overall setup is a bit cumbersome, but that is expected with any new technology at this level. I’m sure as time passes, the controls will be simpler, sleeker, and everything will be wireless. But for now, if you’re into gaming, the Vive is definitely worth a try!
January 19, 2018