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HTC's Vive Ultimate Trackers have cameras to improve full-body tracking
HTC released the Vive Ultimate Tracker, which delivers multi-point body tracking.
Vive XR Elite hands-on: HTC’s more portable answer to the Meta Quest Pro
Late last year, Meta expanded the limits of consumer mixed reality when it released the Quest Pro. And now at CES 2023, HTC is hitting back with its own take on a flagship headset with the Vive XR Elite.
HTC builds a standalone VR / AR headset to rival the Meta Quest Pro
HTC has a new standalone VR headset, but it's more a competitor to the expensive Meta Quest Pro than to the budget-friendly Quest 2.
Vive's Mars CamTrack promises virtual set technology on an indie budget
HTC Vive has unveiled the Mars CamTrack, a system designed to put real-world actors into virtual environments Mandalorian-style.
HTC Vive's metaverse vision includes safeguards for children
HTC has unveiled its vision of a metaverse, including parental controls to keep kids out of trouble in VR.
HTC's Vive Focus 3 headset update unlocks a larger VR area, WiFi 6e and more
HTC has updated its excellent but expensive Vive Focus 3 business-focused headset with a much larger play area, WiFi 6E and more.
Soccer training in VR is quite a workout
You'd be surprised how hard VR soccer training can be.
HTC's Vive XR Suite lets people work together even if they're not all in VR
Today’s announcement is all about Vive XR Suite, which is an upcoming subscription package consisting of five VR applications that cater to various work and social needs. More importantly, these apps can also be viewed on a PC monitor and even a modern smartphone.
HTC will sell its Cosmos Elite headset and faceplate tracker separately
If you've already got a HTC Vive, you might be in two minds about forking out for the complete Cosmos Elite bundle. If you've got base stations and controllers already, why drop dollars on more? But HTC has you covered. In the coming weeks, it will be launching a headset-only version of the Cosmos Elite and the external tracking faceplate as standalone products. And as is the case for the complete Cosmos Elite package, both purchases will come with a redemption code for Half-Life: Alyx.
Every HTC Vive Cosmos Elite will come with a copy of 'Half-Life: Alyx'
If you're waiting to take delivery of the new VIVE Cosmos Elite which ships today, you're in for a heck of a surprise. HTC has announced that the new headset will come with a free copy of Valve's hotly-anticipated VR exclusive Half-Life: Alyx. You'll receive a redemption code in-box that will unlock the game when it launches on March 23rd.
HTC's Project Proton is a preview of its next-gen VR headsets
While HTC is betting its VR future on the modular Vive Cosmos for now, it's also been working on next-gen lightweight headsets, under the title "Project Proton," that CEO Yves Maitre said will resemble "really, really close to normal glasses." Well, judging by the renders we received, this is debatable, but these wearables certainly seem more compact than the current crop of VR devices. In a statement sent to Engadget, a company rep said "Project Proton is a prototype of a future XR glasses-style device from HTC Vive that we hope to hear feedback on from the community as we continue to work on the product." We have absolutely no info on specs, but Project Proton does confirm HTC's intention to shift focus to mixed reality use cases, as well as adding 5G connectivity -- be it internal or external -- to its future headsets.
HTC's expanded Vive Cosmos family may help lure more VR users
HTC's Vive Cosmos is positioned as a high-end VR kit that's easier to use, and we liked it, but one concern we had was its $699 price -- a notable jump from Oculus' $400 offerings, tethered or otherwise. The good news is that according to Engadget Chinese, the company plans to release a more affordable version dubbed Cosmos Play, along with the more advanced Cosmos Elite and the experimental Cosmos XR. Best of all, these variants share the same core headset, meaning Cosmos Play owners can later upgrade with other faceplates to suit their needs.
Samsung discounts its SteamVR-compatible headset to $230
For those new to VR, pricing can be an obstacle, especially if you're not sure you'll get on with the tech. Perhaps with this in mind, Samsung is now directly offering its HMD Odyssey+ headset for just $230, instead of the usual $500. Sure, it's billed as a Windows Mixed Reality device, but it's also compatible with Steam VR and HTC Vive. Its 90Hz refresh rate isn't top of the line, but it is solid, and its resolution and quality are strong thanks to its anti-screen-door effect technology and improved, adjustable lens design. One of its downsides of the Odyssey range in general, as mentioned in our review of its predecessor (which scored 85 points) is how much it costs. That's considering the Rift S normally retails for $400 and is a slightly stronger VR headset overall. However, this redemptive 54 percent discount makes it a very affordable way to get involved in VR ahead of Half-Life: Alyx.
Valve is definitely not working on 'Left 4 Dead 3'
An HTC executive is learning first-hand about the dangers of making unsupported statements in your presentations. Valve has rejected speculation that it's working on a third Left 4 Dead game after Alvin Wang Graylin, HTC's president for Vive in China, posted a slide claiming that "LFD3" (along with Half-Life: Alyx) would spur demand for VR in 2020. The developer's staff are "absolutely not working on anything L4D related now, and haven't for years," according to a statement to IGN. While Valve did "briefly" look at a next-gen version of the co-op shooter a few years prior, there's nothing in the works now.
2020 is VR's make-or-break year
In the nearly four years since the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive hit retail shelves, VR has gone from being the most exciting new computing medium around -- something that could be as transformational as the internet itself -- to a niche accessory for gamers with too much money. New headsets have come and gone, cheap mobile VR was briefly popular (before going extinct) and standalone virtual reality devices have finally arrived. It'd be wrong to say there's been no progress in the world of VR, but it still feels as if we're waiting for it to truly take off as a medium. Where's the killer app? Where's the affordable hardware that everyone can buy (that doesn't deliver a dumbed down experience)? How, exactly, will developers make money without releasing yet another zombie game? There's still so much left up in the air for a medium that arrived amid a torrent of hype. Looking ahead to 2020, though, there are signs that things could shape up. Valve's upcoming Half-Life: Alyx is exactly the sort of VR exclusive that could push gamers to pick up a headset. There's already an uproar among Half-Life fans about the game being available only in VR, with no way to play it on a traditional monitor. Clearly, Valve is leaving money on the table by doing that, but it's also a sign that it's dedicated to the new medium. And if it's a success, Half-Life: Alyx will also prove to other developers that it's worth taking a risk on VR.
HTC recreated the 'Mona Lisa' in 3D for the Louvre's da Vinci exhibition
HTC created Vive Arts back in 2017 to bring museums and the public together in VR, but you may not have thought about it since then. It's definitely grabbed our attention now, though, with its latest, very high-profile experience, Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass. It launches at the Louvre on October 24th in conjunction with Leonardo Da Vinci, the largest exhibition of the great master's works ever assembled.
HTC Vive Cosmos review: Too late, too expensive
The battle for at-home virtual reality started with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive -- but these days things are getting complicated. The Oculus Quest proves solid standalone VR is possible, and Valve is pushing the limits of high-end VR with the Index. Now here comes the Vive Cosmos, HTC's first true successor to the Vive and business-focused Vive Pro. Technically, the Cosmos is an upgrade in just about every way, but there's just one problem: It costs $699, which makes it far more expensive than the Oculus Quest ($400) and Rift S ($400). The Cosmos's price is a baffling strategic decision by HTC when the competition is so strong.
Add eye tracking to your HTC Vive headset for $149
VR companies have been hyping up eye tracking for years, yet even today, options are limited when it comes to VR headsets with integrated eye-tracking -- namely the HTC Vive Pro Eye we first saw back at CES. Thankfully, a Chinese company dubbed 7invensun is soon offering a $149 upgrade kit that will let existing HTC headsets gain the same feature. Not bad considering the Vive Pro Eye costs $1,599. Pre-orders will commence in mid-November, followed by shipment in December.
HTC Vive Cosmos hands-on: VR never looked so good
In 2016, HTC revealed the Vive VR headset to the world. In the years since, HTC has released several versions, like the Vive Pro, Vive Pro Eye and the standalone Vive Focus and Vive Focus Plus (for developers and businesses). Now it's ready to launch a brand-new headset aimed at consumers: the Vive Cosmos. It costs $699, which includes a trial subscription to Viveport Infinity; you'll get a 12-month trial if you pre-order before October 3rd, and a six-month one thereafter (The VR game service is usually $99 a year).
HTC's standalone VR kit will stream PC content via WiFi
We're still some way away from getting compact VR headsets that tap into cloud VR services via 5G, but for now, HTC has cooked up something that will let standalone 6DoF kits take advantage of a PC's processing power. In early Q4 this year, the Vive Focus Plus will gain a new feature dubbed Viveport Streaming, which gives it access to all Viveport content on a PC over a 5GHz WiFi connection. This means with that free update, the Vive Focus Plus will effectively double as a wireless headset for any VR-ready PC. The catch? You'll need to be a Viveport Infinity subscriber to enjoy such convenience.
