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Verizon partners with AR hardware maker Vuzix for some reason
Vuzix is partnering with Verizon to develop and commercialize AR technologies.
Vuzix's M400 is another AR device built for enterprise, not you
Today, augmented reality glasses company Vuzix announced the M400 Smart Glasses, which will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. They will be one of the first headsets powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform when they hit the market later this year. Vuzix will announce pricing and availability this spring.
After Math: Love is in the AR
While most of us are still recovering from the frenzied orgy of capitalist affection that is Valentine's Day, companies from all over the industry continue to fly forth like arrows fired from Cupid's bow. Google announced it will be spreading some of its "computer love" to nearly half the US by year's end, while Activision isn't showing its now ex-employees any. Oh yeah, and Benedict Cumberbatch is Satan.
Vuzix’s smart glasses still aren’t ready for prime time
After years of development, Vuzix is now ready to ship the Blade, its first pair of consumer-ready smart glasses. I had a good look at it last month, but at the time, it was lacking a few core features like Alexa integration and step-by-step directions. Over the past week however, Vuzix shipped a couple of big software updates and I was finally able to test them out. The features certainly make the Blade a lot more functional than before, but they're still not enough for me to recommend these $1,000 pair of glasses.
Vuzix Blade $1,000 smart glasses are ready to meet your face
Vuzix has been making smart glasses for well over a decade, primarily for enterprise use such as medical applications or stocking shelves in warehouses. Last year, Vuzix teased a prototype of the Blade, a smaller, slimmer pair made for consumers. Not only does it come with a floating display a la Google Glass, it's also compatible with Alexa (and, eventually, Google Assistant). Now the company says it's ready to ship the Blade for $1,000 as it attempts to pick up where Google Glass left off.
Magic Leap’s lackluster AR demo proves hardware is still hard
Magic Leap announced last week that its mixed reality glasses -- which have been shrouded in mystery and hype for almost four years -- will be available later this summer. What should've been exciting news unfortunately fell flat. In a developer chat on Twitch that same day, the company showed off a less-than-impressive prerecorded demo of a small rock golem throwing some rubble around. Compared to earlier videos of a crashing whale in the middle of a gym and a floating solar system, this just came off as disappointing. Was this all there was?
Putting Alexa inside a pair of smartglasses makes a lot of sense
Vuzix has been a regular at CES for years, crafting head-mounted displays and smartglasses often aimed at businesses -- or very enthused wearable fans. The Vuzix Blade, its latest pair of augmented reality spectacles, tries to balance that B2B / consumer sales pitch by adding a voice assistant. Amazon Alexa's newest home is a pair of smartglasses.
Vuzix is launching the first Alexa-enabled AR glasses at CES
Vuzix has been making smartglasses for years, but one upcoming model will apparently be extra special. According to Bloomberg, the New York-based company is debuting the first Alexa-enabled augmented reality glasses at CES 2018. You'll be able to ask Alexa questions the way you usually do, and the glasses will show the results on the display à la Google Glass. If you ask Alexa for directions, for instance, the glasses can show a map on the AR screen, as long as you have an Amazon account. The company told the publication that it's excited about the device's "ability to bring Alexa to customers in a new way."
Vuzix's VR headset adds earphones and supports multiple devices
Yet another VR headset? We wouldn't be surprised if that's what you're thinking after all the VR headset news these past few days. This one is the latest device out of Vuzix's headquarters called the IWear 720, which can do more than just block the world and immerse you into pure virtual reality. The headset covers more of your head, because it comes equipped with its own headphones -- even better, it supports almost any device that has an HDMI-out port. And yes, that means you can use it to watch both 2D and 3D videos, as well as play games from computers, consoles, Blu-ray players and even smartphones.
Intel is betting $25 million on smart eyewear-maker Vuzix (updated)
Intel clearly sees big potential in the smart eyewear market. In addition to putting its processors in Google Glass and teaming up with Luxottica to create high-tech glasses, it has now invested major cash in internet-connected eyewear-maker Vuzix. According to Vuzix, Intel has just bought $24.8 million of its stocks making up 30 percent of the company. The chipmaker hasn't replied to our request for a statement yet, but the companies' press release says Intel will have "the right to vote with the holders of Common Stock on an as-converted basis, and has the right to appoint two members to Vuzix' Board of Directors, in addition to the Company's current five members. "
Vuzix's smart glasses now talk to your iPhone
Vuzix's M100 Smart Glasses may be Android-powered, but that doesn't mean you have to use its hands-free features with other Android devices. The company has rolled out an OS 2.0 update that lets you use the wearable with most iOS gear. So long as you have the companion app (due very shortly), you can take full advantage of the M100's augmented reality apps, hands-free calling and other features that keep your hands free. If you've been looking for a head-mounted computer that will play nicely with your iPhone (and isn't as pricey as Google Glass), your search might be over.
Vuzix brings offline Nuance voice control to its smart glasses
If the only news you're waiting to hear from Vuzix is the smart sunglasses the company announced in January, well, this story isn't for you. But if you have one of the company's M100 smart glasses, then read on, because Vuzix has just released a big software update (version 2.0) with significant changes to the Android-based platform. Most significant, perhaps, is OS 2.0's offline Nuance integration for voice control -- and yes, that means it doesn't need the internet, at all, to work. The upgraded platform also promises longer battery life and faster performance, comes with redesigned user interface and desktop launcher, and supports Bluetooth Low Energy for music streaming and phone calls. As a nice plus, you can now download future updates over the air, while devs get a new SDK. All M100s from here on out will come preloaded with OS 2.0, but if you already dropped a grand to get one long ago, you can download the updated software from the Vuzix website.
Drone inspectors: UK airline easyJet looks to tech to cut costs
Virgin's the kind of brand we're not shocked to see playing with the latest tech -- after all, Richard Branson's got a space plane. Experiments with Google Glass, smartwatches and iBeacon for Virgin have all focused on boosting customer experience, as long as you're in Upper Class, anyway. European airline easyJet, however, is known for its no-frills, low-cost approach, which is why we're curious to see the company investing in an "innovation" arm that looks at how new technologies can be applied to aviation, with no immediate return. easyJet sees it differently, though, as the long-term goal is to save money by reducing technical delays, or hopefully avoiding them all together. This has a knock-on effect of improving customer service by minimizing disruptions, of course, but make no mistake: easyJet's motivated to explore emerging tech because a grounded plane might as well be a money pit.
Vuzix plans to make smart sunglasses you'd actually like to wear
Although smart sunglasses exist (like Recon's above), they're seldom pretty by the usual standards -- you won't impress many people at the beach. If Vuzix has its way, though, these shades will be as fashionable as the eyewear from your favorite label. It has just reached a deal with an unnamed major electronics company that could lead to smart glasses that look just as good as "designer sunglasses;" see-through waveguide optics would keep the display relatively subtle. Just don't hold off on buying any traditional gear in the meantime. Vuzix doesn't expect to build prototypes before 2015, let alone a finished product. Still, it's good to know that smart sunglasses and style won't be mutually exclusive at some point in the future.
Vuzix's Android-powered M100 Smart Glasses now available to pre-order for $1,000
If you want Android-powered eyewear that's readily available, you won't have to wait for Glass' commercial launch next year; Vuzix has already beaten Google to the punch. The company's M100 Smart Glasses have started shipping to developers, and the general public can now pre-order the eyepiece ahead of its expected December release date. Do be prepared to pay for the privilege of seeing your Android and iOS apps on a heads-up display, however. The M100 will officially sell for $1,000 -- about twice as much as Vuzix predicted in January.
AR firm's prototype Glass app makes you an amateur car mechanic (video)
Developer Metaio knows a thing or two about augmented reality, and building on the magic of its Audi eKurzinfo app, it's created some prototype software for Google Glass that straps a car's instruction manual to your face. Instead of relying on markers, GPS or point-cloud processing, the Glass app uses reference CAD models to identify what you're looking at and overlay directions on a 3D plane. As useful as it may be for walking you through a washer fluid refill (video after the jump), Metaio has created the app to showcase its updated AR platform that's intended to work with wearables like Epson's Moverio and the Vuzix M100, as well as Mountain View's monocle. The firm's Glass app may never progress beyond proof of concept, but those attending Metaio's annual InsideAR conference in Munich this October can look forward to a live demo.
Visualized: a history of augmented and virtual reality eyewear
We've seen the prototypes that led Google to Glass, but there are many devices that predate Mountain View's smart specs, and Augmented World Expo in Santa Clara, California was able to gather and display a historic number of such headsets this week. From Steve Mann's handmade WearComp 1 and EyeTap prototypes to Glass-like precursors from Optinvent and Vuzix, it's quite the comprehensive collection -- over thirty devices in all. While they may make their way into a museum some day, we're bringing pictures of them all to your screen right now. Enjoy.
Vuzix's Wrap 1200AR glasses do 3D augmented reality for $1,499
We saw Vuzix shift to a more Google Glass-esque set of smart glasses at CES in January, but it looks like it's not about to abandon the more traditional wrap-around headsets it's been churning out year after year. The company's latest is the Wrap 1200AR, which is a lot like its Wrap 1200VR headset, but with a focus on augmented reality instead of virtual reality. That means you'll get two (VGA) cameras mounted on the front to capture stereoscopic video of your surroundings, along with a pair of displays (852 x 480 each) to view that video -- augmented or otherwise -- in 3D. As with the Wrap 1200VR, the glasses also come equipped with head-tracking technology, but they don't come cheap. These will set you back a hefty $1,499, and are available to order now.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Vuzix's Paul Travers (update: video embedded)
Wearable domination at this year's show? Vuzix certainly had quite a presence at CES with those Smart Glasses we've been hearing so much about. We'll be discussing the product and the state of wearables with the company's CEO, Wearable domination at this year's show? Vuzix certainly had quite a presence at CES with those Smart Glasses we've been hearing so much about. We'll be discussing the product and the state of wearables with the company's CEO, Paul Travers. January 10, 2013 4:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: Unfortunately Paul was unable to join us.
Vuzix Smart Glasses M100 hands-on at CES 2013 (update: now with video!)
The wearables market is becoming a growing obsession here at CES 2013 -- and it's been the first chance we've got to handle the Vuzix M100 -- its new lightweight set of smartglasses. It'll have some stiff competition from Google's incoming effort, although the premise is a little different -- less augmented reality, more a wearable smart screen that pairs to your tablet or smartphone. We've got a brief video and our first impressions after the break.
