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Dispatches from MWC: Six things that don't fold
Did you hear? They're making foldable phones now! Yes, it's the unavoidable bendy trend of the show for sure, but there's plenty more going on here in Barcelona, and we've summed it all up here to provide some respite from our foldable future.
HTC's Vive Focus Plus is a business-ready VR bundle
Oculus Quest is coming. The all-in-one VR headset, which is due this spring for $399, represents a major threat to HTC and its expanding Vive business. So how is the company responding? With a new headset bundle, of course. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, I was able to try a brief demo with the newly-announced Vive Focus Plus. The headset is near-identical to the Vive Focus that came out in 2017, however the controllers are much improved and promise similar immersion to the Vive Pro.
HTC's blockchain phone can now be bought with real money
HTC is taking its blockchain phone a little more mainstream. Today, the company has announced that the Exodus 1 can be purchased for 750 US dollars. That's right, traditional money. The kind that can be used in any store across the United States. Until now, the beleaguered phone manufacturer has only accepted Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC) as tender. Presumably, that was a choice (and not just a lame marketing stunt) to ensure early adopters were open-minded crypto enthusiasts. In addition to USD, the company is adding the Ethereum-powered Binance Coin (BNB) as a way to acquire the niche handset.
HTC and Sprint's latest 5G product is a hub-tablet hybrid
HTC might not be making very many phones anymore, but that doesn't mean it can't trot out 5G mobile devices here at MWC 2019. Following up on its 5G hotspot from a continuing collaboration with Sprint, the company has unveiled the HTC 5G Hub. It's not just a connectivity hub that lets you link to 5G networks, but also has a 5-inch Android tablet built in. Though you can speak to Google Assistant on the Hub, it's not designed to be a smart display. Rather, its screen is meant more for accessing quick controls than actually watching videos on.
We're live from MWC 2019 in Barcelona!
The show floor at Barcelona's Fira Gran Via may not officially open until Monday, but there's plenty happening at Mobile World Congress this weekend. We're on the ground in Spain to bring you all of the news as it happens, including live coverage of a Microsoft event tomorrow (February 24th) at 12PM ET/6PM CET. In addition what's expected to be the reveal of HoloLens 2, we're counting on huge announcements from the likes of Google, LG, Sony, Huawei, Nokia and more. Keep it locked here for all of the details, and follow along at our event hub, via the link below. In the meantime, check out what you can expect this week in our preview of MWC 2019.
What to expect at MWC 2019
There's always plenty of news from MWC, and it's either entirely expected or word gets out early. This year is shaping up to be slightly different, though, as companies are preparing their version of the future of smartphones. From foldable designs to 5G and more, this year's Mobile World Congress won't only be jam-packed with news, but it should also be exciting once again.
The Vive Focus Plus is HTC’s answer to the Oculus Quest
Back in October, HTC offered a dual 6DoF controller dev kit for its Vive Focus standalone headset, in the hopes of offering a truly untethered and more immersive VR experience -- something which the original single 3DoF joystick couldn't fully simulate. As such, it comes as no surprise that the company is soon releasing a new Vive Focus Plus bundled with two 6DoF controllers, meaning you'll be able to naturally wave around -- as you do with the controllers for the PC-powered Vive headsets -- without having to regularly recalibrate.
HTC shows off Vive Cosmos VR controllers in a new video
HTC is slowly but surely sharing more information about the Vive Cosmos after the company showed the system off at CES earlier this year. The official HTC Vive Twitter account has posted a short video giving us a glimpse of how the Cosmos controllers work and what they can offer. In the 23-second video, HTC explains that the controllers' lights track your every move and even every flick of your wrist. The company also says that its joystick and button placements are more ergonomic and better for your fingers and thumbs, presumably compared to other virtual reality controllers.
Chromebook to Android instant tethering expands beyond Google devices
There were hints Google was expanding its Internet Tethering feature to third-party devices, and now it's official. The simple cellular hotspot connection is available on 15 additional Chromebooks and 31 further Android phones, making it that much easier to get online when you're away from WiFi. You can read the full lists for both below, but the Chromebook list includes models from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung, while the phones include relatively recent hardware from HTC, Huawei, LG, Motorola, OnePlus and Samsung. There's a good chance you're covered.
HTC Vive Pro Eye hands-on: Everything is prettier with gaze-tracking
HTC's newest Vive Pro headset adds just one feature to the existing hardware, but it's a doozy -- integrated eye-tracking. Using Tobii technology, the Vive Pro Eye is able to follow users' eyeballs in real-time, letting developers gather data on exactly where they're looking and when, and opening the door for new, more immersive experiences. But eye-tracking isn't just a clever input method. Its existence also enables foveated rendering, a technique that essentially means VR is about to get a lot prettier.
HTC's next VR headset is the Vive Cosmos
The Vive Cosmos exists and it's built for folks who may have hesitated to buy a VR headset in the past. With this device, HTC is emphasizing comfort, simplicity and ease-of-access. Just like the Vive and Vive Pro, the Vive Cosmos needs a processing source (such as a PC) to function. However, HTC executives suggested it will be able to run on a PC or a smartphone, rather than just one of those devices. It has two front-facing cameras, two side-facing cameras, and uses two motion-tracking controllers.
HTC's Viveport Infinity subscription offers unlimited access to VR
Last year, HTC unveiled Viveport VR subscriptions, which let you download and play with up to five titles a month for around $9 a month. Today, at CES, the company is taking the VivePort subscription a step further. It announced a new VivePort Infinity plan, which it says is the world's first "infinite VR subscription." So instead of just five or so titles a month, you'll get unlimited access. Think of it as the Netflix of VR. Viveport Infinity will be available not just on Vive hardware like the Focus, but also all Wave VR partners. It'll be launching on April 5th, which is also HTC's "Vive Day." There's no word on pricing just yet. According to HTC, the number of Viveport subscriptions went up three times since last CES, and it also has three times the amount of content as before. Over 1,000 new games have been introduced to the platform since then. Just like the regular Viveport subscription, there's a free trial period and you can cancel at anytime. The service works on both Vive hardware as well as the Oculus Rift.
The Vive Pro Eye adds eyeball-tracking to HTC's VR headset line
The Vive Pro Eye is the next evolution of HTC's virtual reality headset line, and its shiniest new feature is integrated eye-tracking. HTC America General Manager Dan O'Brien revealed the Vive Pro Eye at CES, explaining how built-in eye-tracking can benefit industries from auto technology to fitness and gaming.
Greetings from CES 2019!
It feels like CES only just ended, but we're back in Las Vegas for the 2019 edition and we couldn't be more excited. Just like always, there will be plenty of cars, TVs and smart appliances. But, we're here to separate the wheat from the chaff and bring you only the best (or at least the most interesting) tech from CES 2019. The show floor hasn't even opened yet and already several companies have made a splash -- including Apple, which continues to skip the event in any official capacity. But that hasn't stopped it from grabbing some attention. Of course, you don't want to miss out on all our liveblogs, our three epic days of live stage shows which all culminates with the official Best of CES awards on Thursday at 8pm ET / 5pm PT.
Sprint and HTC will release a 5G hotspot in 2019
Sprint isn't pinning all its 5G hopes on a single LG smartphone. The carrier has announced plans to release an HTC-made 5G "mobile smart hub" sometime in the first half of 2019. The two are saying precious little about the hotspot device, but it'll use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X50 modem to provide gigabit-class data speeds (including 'legacy' LTE) to multiple gadgets. In other words, Sprint is following the classic network rollout strategy: it's using a portable router as an interim solution until there are more phones, tablets and PCs with the technology built-in.
HTC Vive Pro McLaren Edition is made for Formula One fans
When HTC and McLaren announced their multi-year partnership back in May, the two had already teased an upcoming limited edition Vive headset along with some special VR content. Well, the wait is finally over for hardcore Formula One fans. As announced at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, said hardware turns out to be based on the Vive Pro full kit (not to be confused with the cheaper starter kit), which makes sense given that the Vive Pro is the official VR device for McLaren's eSports competition, Shadow Project. The Vive Pro McLaren Limited Edition is accented with the racing team's signature orange around the headset's front cameras, as well as on the menu button and strap on the controllers (2018 version, to go with the bundled Base Station 2.0 units). Naturally, this package comes with its very own box artwork. The damage for all of this is $1,549, which is a tad more than the standard full kit's $1,199 holiday offer.
Shadow VR is the latest rival to the Oculus Quest
This new Vive Wave-based 6DoF headset comes with the company's self-developed 6DoF controllers.
HTC’s standalone VR is available in the US, starts at $599
Almost a year after it was released in China, the HTC Vive Focus is finally available in the US and Europe, making it a total of 37 markets (including Japan recently). There is a catch, however, in that these headsets are geared more towards enterprise customers on this side of the world. The kit will sell for $599, and by paying an extra $150, it'll come with the Vive Enterprise Advantage service package, which includes commercial licensing, dedicated support, tailored hardware warranties, batch configuration feature and more.
HTC's blockchain phone can only be bought with cryptocurrency
If the idea of a HTC blockchain phone drives you wild, we've got good news: the "Exodus 1" is now available to pre-order -- it ships in December. But you can only buy it online for 0.15 bitcoins or 4.78 ether tokens, or roughly $960. (Not exactly cheap for an extremely niche device.)
HTC's standalone Vive Focus will soon get 6DoF VR controllers
While Facebook's Oculus Quest won't arrive until the spring of 2019, its seemingly beefier inside-out tracking plus 6DoF controllers may already pose a threat to HTC's Vive Focus, as well as to other Vive Wave-based standalone VR headsets -- including Pico's Neo (whose ultrasound-based 6DoF controllers are still missing) and the more recent G2. As such, HTC's first order of business is to release a developer kit for adding not one, but two 6DoF controllers to substitute the Vive Focus' single 3DoF controller -- one that relies on software to simulate a 6DoF feel, but also often requires re-centering.
