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AR firm Avegant cuts half its workforce and picks new CEO
Avegant has drawn a lot of attention in the wearable world between its Glyph personal screen and its light-field augmented reality headset, but it's facing uncertain times. The Verge has learned that the startup cut more than half of its workforce (it's now down to "fewer than 20" workers) and has replaced CEO Joerg Tewes with co-founder Ed Tang. Most of those left are involved in research and technology partnership, according to the insiders.
The best gear for building a home theater in your dorm
To the extent that your shoebox of a dorm will be your home for the next nine months, you should do whatever you can to make it feel cozy and inviting. To that end, we've included some home-theater items in our back-to-school guide, and we've ensured everything is reasonably compact (you can hold off on your first 65-inch set until you have your very own pad). From media streamers to speakers to a handful of small- to medium-sized TVs, you have options if you want to upgrade from watching Netflix off your 13-inch laptop.
Binge-watching will be as easy as breathing
It's never been a better time to be a media addict. We're in the midst of a television renaissance, where writers are pushing the medium to new heights. It's easier than ever to get access to foreign and independent films. And the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, as well as digital rentals, makes it a cinch to watch just about anything we'd like at a whim. If anything, one of the biggest issues with the media landscape today is that there's simply too much to take in.
Avegant's light-field tech gives hope to a mixed-reality future
Virtual reality has arrived. With high-end gear like the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive and PS VR (and mobile-friendly models like the Gear VR and Google's DayDream) on the market for well over a year now, it's safe to say that VR is here to stay. The state of augmented reality, however, is far murkier. While much has been said about products like Microsoft's HoloLens headset and the mysterious Magic Leap, consumer-friendly AR still seems years away. But a recent demo from a Bay Area startup has given me hope that the future of augmented reality could actually be a lot closer than we thought.
Engadget giveaway: Win a Glyph video headset courtesy of Avegant!
If you enjoy the movie theater, but can't stand crowds, Avegant's Glyph could be your saving grace. This rechargeable audio/video headset projects a 720p private screening experience onto each of your eyeballs via compatible devices and a microHDMI connection. We'd have to say it's a viewing rig first and foremost, but it can double as standard headphones when flipped up. Not only is it great for movie viewing, but it's also a capable drone companion, letting you enjoy first-person perspectives and even leverage its 9-axis head tracking for flight control. You can also enjoy a variety of 3D PC games, as well as 360 video experiences. This week, Avegant has provided a Glyph headset for one lucky reader, but that's not all. Anyone can enjoy a $100 discount at the company's website with the code ENGADGET through April 27th. To enter, all you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget and get up to three chances at winning a free Glyph video headset. Winner: Congratulations to Frank M.
Focus is key to blending virtual objects with the real world
You might remember Avegant for its unusual take on the video headset. The Glyph looked like (and doubled up as) headphone cans but worked pretty well. We called it "a wearable cinema for serious movie fans." Now, the startup is taking on a bigger challenge with Light Field, its "mixed reality platform" that can visualize objects "at multiple focal planes". That means that it can offer variably focused virtual objects in the real world. Until now, the inability to change focus has meant virtual objects appear out of place in the real world. Take a look at the image above: The Mars Rover in the hand is in the same position (and focus) as the hand, while Mars and the corridor behind are out of focus until that focus shifts. (Milanese Apple Watch band optional. We hope.)
Avegant's wearable cinema gets more game-friendly features
Avegant's wearable cinema is getting a software update that makes it an even more tempting purchase, especially for gamers. The new firmware adds plug-and-play 3D support, enabling you to enjoy 3D content on the PlayStation 4. In addition, the gear now works with any PC game that's compatible with NVIDIA's 3D Vision, and all units now get head tracking, which you can activate by holding the bottom left button in video mode. As Polygon explains, it's this latter feature that has the most potential, since users can control their PC's mouse pointer with their head.
Avegant Glyph review: A wearable cinema for serious movie fans
The idea behind the Avegant Glyph is pretty simple. It's a $699 portable, wearable movie theater. And if you're thinking it looks more like a pair of Beats than a cinema screen, there's good reason: It moonlights as a pair of regular headphones, of course, though video viewing is why you'd want to buy one. Inside the headband are two eye holes, behind which is some clever micromirror projection technology that beams 720p video directly into your eyes. Wear the Glyph like a VR headset, and plug in an HDMI source and you're good to go. If all this sounds familiar, it's because the Glyph has been in development for a few years now. This right here, however, is the version that's about to ship. I've spent some time with my head in one, and it's pretty neat. And, yes, a little weird.
ICYMI: Theater headset, robot plumbing snake and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-124413{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-124413, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-124413{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-124413").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A new visor headset that can be worn on the go yet replicate watching your favorite show in a movie theater is out for about $700. The only downside: Looking like you don't know how to wear headphones. MIT has a new microscope to show chemical processes in real-time video, on an atomic scale. Meanwhile your resident plumbing expert will want to know about the new laser-wielding robot snake from OC Robotics.
Avegant's Glyph video headset will start shipping next month
Nearly two years after Avegant first launched its Glyph video headset on Kickstarter in January 2014, and it's finally ready to go into mass production. Today, the company announced that it's about to start manufacturing the first batch of its VISOR lookalike, with an initial order of 10,000 devices to start shipping early next month. Avegant CEO Joerg Tewes tells me that over 3,000 units will be sent to Kickstarter backers first -- custom engraved Founder's Edition versions at that -- and the rest will go toward website pre-orders, with more to come. I had a chance to try out an almost-final version of the Glyph and it's clear that, at long last, it's ready for public consumption.
Avegant's Glyph video headset will change how you see movies
Some products have a hard time ever getting to market. Some (seem to) come out of nowhere. Then there's the Avegant Glyph video headset. It initially launched on Kickstarter back in January 2014 (raising a cool $1.5-million). Along the way we've seen a ropey prototype. And then a less ropey one. And an even less ropey one. Today, we got to try out the nearest thing to the consumer product we're likely to see before it finally launches later this year.
We flew over the Nevada desert with Avegant's 'Jellyfish' video glasses
Avegant's video headsets are like buses. You wait all year for one, and then two suddenly turn up at once. That thing you see above might look a million miles away from the headphone-inspired Glyph, but it is in fact a very close relative. Codenamed "Jellyfish" the video headset/wearable display has a wider field of view than the Glyph (65 degrees compared to 45), which makes it better for things like simulators, VR and (as seen here) point-of-view drone flying. The Jellyfish is something of a side project right now; Avegant's priority remains the Glyph. But, the company told us that devices with a wider field of view are something on its developmental roadmap; just don't expect to see a consumer-ready product anytime soon.
Avegant's personal theater headset looks like a pair of premium headphones
At long last, Avegant unveiled the final design for its Glyph personal theater headset at CES 2015, and it looks even more like a pair of headphones than earlier prototypes suggested. Crafted out of high-grade plastic, it has a soft-touch exterior, shiny aluminum accents on the earpads and luxurious leather padding on the cups. The fact that it looks like a pair of premium headphones is no accident either: Chief Strategy Officer Edward Tang told us that the company really wanted its headset to offer very high-quality sound.
Avegant's headphone-like wearable display arrives this fall
Avegant's Glyph headset has been long in the making, but it finally looks to be ready for action... well, almost. The unique mash-up of headphone and wearable display is now poised to ship in fall 2015 for $599, or $499 if you pre-order before January 15th. That's both a long time to wait and more expensive than you might have expected from the Kickstarter campaign, but that patience may just pay off. Avegant has unveiled the finished design for the Glyph (shown here), and it's much sleeker than earlier concepts and prototypes would suggest -- you'd be hard-pressed to tell that there are eyepieces tucked into the headband. We'll give the finished design a try as soon as we can, so watch this space if you're looking for a video headset that could liven up your commute.
Avegant Glyph personal theater headset gets closer to market
When we first saw the Avegant Glyph earlier this year, it was still in its alpha stage. The home theater headset that literally looks like a pair of chunky headphones for your eyes did impress us with its stunning visuals, but the overall thing was still very rough around the edges as far as fit and components go. Now, after a successful Kickstarter campaign and a move to California, Avegant is confident that it's homed in on the last few adjustments it needs to get the finished product out the door, and I was able to get a sneak peek at just what those updates are.
Daily Roundup: Garmin Vivofit review, Amazon raises the price of Prime, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Snoop Dogg gives us a tour of his SXSW 'man cave'
What better way to wrap up SXSW 2014 than with a picnic with Snoop Dogg? We stepped inside Snoop's own mini-apartment, which he designed in partnership with Airbnb, to talk about his favorite gadgets. He's apparently a huge fan of the Avegant Glyph virtual-reality headset, though his temporary pad also includes essentials like a Samsung flat-screen and an Xbox One. One other must-have, which you won't see in our video tour: Snoop's special breakfast sandwich, with Texas toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese and grape jelly. (It's surprisingly good!)
Avegant's Glyph headset live on Kickstarter for $500
We've been telling you about the Avegant Glyph for awhile, but now you can finally plunk down some bills to get one yourself. Thanks to Kickstarter, beta-testing the device for its designer isn't without its own set of perks. For instance, 500 of the earliest backers at the $500 tier can snag a unit with their choice of colors for the device's LED ring and HDMI cable. If you miss that limited window, however, you'll still have your choice of three colors for the headset itself at the same price -- just not the accessories. Unlike the versions we've demoed up to this point, Avegant promises that the unit you receive will be lighter and more comfortable overall. Sadly, the battery life is still pegged at around three hours.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: Avegant
Avegant's Glyph headset is certainly one of the cooler wearables we've seen at a show jam-packed with them. The company's CEO Edward Tang and CTO Allan Evans will be joining us to discuss what sets their headset apart from the competition. January 10, 2014 5:30:00 PM EST
Avegant Glyph home theater headset isn't competing with Oculus Rift (hands-on)
We've spent gobs of time with variations of Oculus VR's Rift headset -- the original duct-tape prototype, the first dev kit and even an updated HD version. We've spoken to creator Palmer Luckey several times, and company reps have graced Engadget stages at both CES 2013 and last March's first-ever Expand event in San Francisco. Avegant's Glyph, however? We've only just begun. The home theater headset just got a name, and the first prototype looked an awful lot like what you'd see underneath a Terminator cyborg's smooth visage. As Oculus did before, the scrappy eight-person team at Avegant is taking its impressive proof-of-concept to Kickstarter in hopes of funding a beta unit: $500 is the base level for a Glyph, and the project is set to go live on January 22nd. And this sentence -- right here! -- is where we're gonna stop speaking about the Glyph as if it's competing with the Oculus Rift. As Avegant's CEO Ed Tang told us late last week: "We're not trying to compete with Oculus."
