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Facebook's redesigned VR avatars look more like you
The avatars in Facebook's social VR environment, Spaces, could use some work: they have a flat, cartoonish look, and you'll be hard-pressed to find one that really reflects your look. Accordingly, Facebook is giving these avatars a makeover. The new designs are much more three-dimensional (they're somewhat reminiscent of The Sims) with more realistic lighting and materials, and they now offer "hundreds" of additional customizations. You can finally adjust your body type, for starters. You'll also find new head shapes, hair styles and facial features, and you can fine-tune these features in an editor.
Facebook opens up social VR app Spaces to Groups
Facebook Spaces is no longer just a place for you to hang out with friends and family in your list: you can also use it to form bonds with people in the Groups you're in. You can now host or join a VR Space with up to four people from a Group, so you can discuss shared interests in virtual reality. The social VR app allows you to connect with new people in a deeper way: you could, for instance, conduct practice sessions together using VR props if you're all part of a music or a stand-up comedy group. You could perform in one Space as a band and livestream your performance to friends. You could also watch videos together or just chat and get to know one another at a deeper level in a VR environment.
Facebook brings its social VR 'Spaces' to the HTC Vive
Earlier this year, Facebook unveiled Spaces, its inaugural attempt at bringing the social network to VR. And, seeing as Facebook also owns Oculus, it's no surprise that Spaces was a Rift-exclusive at launch. But, just as Facebook is on every platform and device imaginable, the plan for Spaces was always to have it spread far and wide as well. That's why starting today, Facebook is making Spaces available for the HTC Vive, marking the first time the app is going cross-platform.
Facebook adds more viewing options to its 360 app for Gear VR
Facebook launched its Facebook 360 app for Gear VR in March and today the company announces some new features. Facebook says that because people want more than just 360 videos in VR, it's adding a slew of new video types to the app's available options.
'Bait!' brings an ice fishing expedition to Facebook's social VR
Facebook launched its social VR Spaces beta last April, finally showing us a compelling experience that helped put the social media company's acquisition of Oculus in the first place. Recently, Oculus showed off a little ice fishing game from casual game studio Resolution Games at the Oculus Connect 4 conference. Now, the game -- dubbed Bait! Arctic Open -- is ready to take you and a friend into Spaces VR together.
Mark Zuckerberg uses Facebook to visit Puerto Rico in VR
More than three years have passed since Facebook purchased virtual reality headset-maker Oculus VR for $2 billion. Now, with its fourth annual Oculus Connect event fast approaching, Mark Zuckerberg is demonstrating the unique ways he uses VR. While the rest of us goof around with friends, take selfies, and go live on the social network's virtual reality experience (known as Facebook Spaces), the company's CEO plugs in to coordinate his humanitarian endeavours. In the course of his latest virtual livestream, Zuckerberg met up with Facebook's head of social VR Rachel Dwyer. They then set course for Puerto Rico to explain how the tech giant is utilizing machine learning as part of its relief efforts on the island.
I don't want to live inside Facebook's vision for social VR
Over the last few decades, there have been several attempts to merge the mundane aspects of the real world with the digital. All of these, while catering to a niche, have failed to conquer the world in the way that Mark Zuckerberg hopes that Facebook's social-VR efforts will.
Watch Facebook's F8 keynote in under 10 minutes
If there was still any question why Facebook paid all of that money for Oculus, today's F8 keynote provided some extra explanation. From AR to social VR and more, the company laid out its plan for the immediate future that involves blending the virtual world with real life. If you missed the hour-long talk earlier today, don't fret: We've compiled all the big news in a 10-minute clip. Click here to catch up on the latest news from F8 2017!
Facebook Spaces VR parties are available for Rift owners today
Facebook teased how it would create social experiences in virtual reality, and now it's ready to take things one step further. It just launched a Facebook Spaces beta that lets Oculus Rift owners hang out together (up to four at once) in VR. The experience will be familiar if you saw Facebook's preview at Oculus Connect, but it's clearly more refined with its actual launch. You can create an avatar that's as realistic or fanciful as you want, draw 3D objects and show off your personal videos and use 360-degree video backgrounds to liven up your chats. There's even a selfie stick to take virtual self-portraits. And if a friend can't use VR, you can bring them into the conversation using Facebook Messenger video calls.
