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Steam VR update lets low-end PCs run games more smoothly
Steam VR has introduced a feature for Beta called "Motion Smoothing," which will give PCs with hardware that aren't quite top of the line the power to deliver VR experiences more smoothly. It functions like Motion Smoothing for TV and Asynchronous Spacewarp for Oculus devices, which are frame-rate smoothing techniques that generate synthetic frames between two real ones in order to avoid a stuttery experience.
Can Jesus save virtual reality?
Vive Studios just debuted its first "feature-length" virtual reality movie at the Raindance Film Festival in London. It's neither sci-fi nor twee endearing animation, however: it's a Christian film based on Jesus' seven miracles, captured in 360-degree video, and it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Best Immersive Story. The majority of the tale is told in wrap-around 8K video, with each of the miracles taking roughly 10 minutes. The episodic structure makes sense: Virtual reality is still tiring, both because you're wearing the mask and because you have a screen so close to your eyes. It's not the only issue with virtual reality, especially when it's used on lengthy media.
HTC's U12 Life has a slick half-and-half texture finish
Smartphones have become so commoditized, especially in the mid-range, that it can be hard to tell them apart. HTC is making sure that doesn't happen with U12 Life. It has an attractive dual-finish design with a matted, striped lower section and "metal-like" finish on top (it's actually acrylic glass). It should also please photographers on a budget, thanks to the dual rear cameras that let you create blur behind your subject and a front selfie camera with a flash and beautification features.
HTC's Vive Wireless Adapter will cost $300
14 months after HTC and Intel first showed off their wireless VR prototype, the two are finally ready to ship the product. According to HTC's announcement today, the Intel WiGig-based Vive Wireless Adapter is priced at $300 and works with both Vive and Vive Pro, though the latter requires an additional $60 for a "compatibility pack" -- it includes a connection cable, foam padding and an attachment device. For those who have been longing for this upgrade, they can pre-order it at Amazon, Best Buy, Microsoft, NewEgg and HTC's very own Vive.com starting from September 5th. This will be followed by the official launch on the 24th.
Oculus Rift support is coming to HTC's Viveport VR store
The Oculus Rift is finally welcome in Viveport, HTC's VR store. When it launched in 2016, Viveport seemed a bit redundant, since it wasn't hard for Vive owners to find VR experiences on Steam. But it turned into a truly great deal last year with the addition of a subscription plan, allowing you to snag five VR titles monthly for a low fee (it was originally $6.99, now it's $8.99). For most gamers, that's a smarter option than blind buying games. Starting on September 4th, Oculus Rift owners will also be able to take part in everything Viveport has to offer -- even the subscription.
Adorable VR game 'Moss' now supports Windows Mixed Reality
Launched earlier this year as a PSVR exclusive and eventually released for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive last month, adorable adventure game Moss is getting an update to support Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
HTC hints at multi-room VR using Steam
You may know that VR in large rooms is becoming a reality, but what about venturing between rooms? It might happen sooner than you think, albeit with a few caveats. HTC has shown off an experience that used a SteamVR beta, a Vive Pro and 16 base stations to allow VR between multiple rooms. A tester successfully wandered between rooms finding tracked objects as he wandered through a complex but connected space. Don't expect to play VR games that span your entire home, though, as there are some limitations.
The Mario Kart VR experience is coming to London
Last year, Engadget Senior Editor Richard Lai tried out the Bandai Namco VR arcade in Japan, and he had great things to say. But the experience was limited to Tokyo -- that is, until now. Today, Bandai Namco announced that the company will bring its Mario Kart VR arcade experience to London.
HTC's blockchain 'Exodus' phone launches this fall
In May HTC announced plans for a blockchain-focused mobile device and now development is far enough along to say that its Exodus will arrive in Q3 of this year. A website is active and taking signups for more information, promising "the first cold wallet phone with key recovery." We still don't have a ton of details (although we're expecting to hear more today at the company's Rise event in Hong Kong) but it's all about decentralized internet, apps and the ability to hold your data on the device instead of in the cloud. HTC also announced it's partnering with CryptoKitties, the "world's biggest game to be built on blockchain technology." Instead of cryptocurrency, it uses the technology to create unique digital creatures that players can trade or breed, with billions of possible combinations. You won't have to wait for the Exodus to get in on the action either, since the app is coming to other HTC handsets starting with its U12+ flagship. These are the first Android devices with the app, and represent the companies first push into creating a decentralized app store.
HTC's June sales highlight the need for its recent layoffs
HTC can't catch a break. The company has announced that in June its sales fell "nearly 68 percent," according to Reuters. Earlier this week, the company revealed it would cull some 1,500 employees from its Taiwan manufacturing division in its chase for profitability. The last several years haven't been kind to the company, rife with reorganizations (including one earlier this year), key staff members resigning and desperate efforts to put money in the bank by seemingly any means possible -- including selling its Pixel team to Google for $1.1 billion. Recently, the company combined its virtual reality and mobile divisions in an effort to refocus. Given this week's news, and the Pixel sale as evidence, it wouldn't be surprising if, in a last-ditch effort to return to profitability, HTC sold its Vive team to Valve. The two worked closely on the device, and it's not like Valve's coffers will run dry anytime soon. Where would that leave HTC though, like BlackBerry? Vive is the company's last stand, from the looks of it, and selling it off sounds like a Hail Mary. More than that, pulling a BlackBerry only works if the handsets HTC produces capture the market, something that hasn't happened in years. And unlike BlackBerry's keyboards, HTC doesn't have one defining feature, let alone two (a reputation for enterprise-grade security). The new reduction in headcount probably won't have the same financial benefits of the Pixel sale, but we'll have to wait for HTC's next earnings report to know for sure.
HTC will lay off 1,500 employees in search of profit
HTC has announced that it will lay off another 1,500 employees from its Taiwanese manufacturing division in a bid to restore its profitability. In a statement, the company says that it will reorganize itself (again) to better take advantage of efficiency savings as well as help cushion its non-existent bottom line. Officials have, however, pledged to work with the Bureau of Labor and help all of those affected.
HTC prepares Vive VR for the 5G future in China
A lot more people might buy standalone VR headsets like HTC's Vive Focus if they have access to faster and stronger mobile internet connection. That's why HTC has teamed up with China Mobile (CMCC) to launch the "5G Devices Forerunner Initiative," which aims to conduct large scale tests of pre-commercial 5G devices. HTC Chairperson Cher Wang said: "With the coming advancements in next-generation mobile technologies, the proliferation of 5G networks will facilitate new classes of use cases for VR/AR not possible in the past, leading to more rapid mass adoption and more natural interaction models for immersive technologies..."
'Digital Key' standard uses your phone to unlock your car
You can already use your smartphone as a car key if you own the right vehicle (just ask Tesla Model 3 owners). There hasn't really been a common standard for it, though, and that has hurt adoption -- you can't guarantee that you'll have phone access if you switch brands, or even individual models. You might soon have a solution. The Car Connectivity Consortium, a mix of major smartphone and automotive brands, has posted a Digital Key 1.0 standard (PDF) that will let you download (what else?) a virtual key that can unlock your vehicle, start the engine and even share access with other drivers.
HTC U12+ review: Fundamentally flawed
Once a big player in smartphones, HTC is now better known for its Vive VR headsets than anything else. The firm offloaded the team responsible for the Pixel phones to Google earlier this year, shortly before the chief of its smartphone division resigned. Another round of layoffs later, as HTC merged its VR and phone arms together in North America, and you'd think it was kissing the industry goodbye. But according to the company, that's far from the case, though we imagine there'll be a keen eye on the success of the new U12+, the HTC flagship of this year. With plenty of top-tier competition recently unleashed on the public, though, can HTC still hold its own?
VR puzzler 'Moss' and its adorable mouse are coming to PC
Enchanting adventure Moss might have launched as a PlayStation VR exclusive, but developer Polyarc has confirmed it won't be tethered to Sony's console any longer. It's finally available on both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive for $30.
HTC brings multiplayer VR games to Dave & Busters this month
Playing games in virtual reality can feel kinda anti-social, even when your buddies are in the same room. You're probably locked into a world only you can see properly, and you'll likely be wearing headphones for true immersion. But, if you want to jump into a virtual experience with your buddies in the same place, you'll get to do so at Dave & Buster's arcades very soon.
Seagate's hard drive/battery fanny pack is made for VR
In addition to the major software update for the Vive Focus standalone VR headset yesterday, HTC also unveiled the Seagate VR Power Drive which, as the name suggests, is a hybrid of a power bank and a portable hard drive. This isn't an entirely new idea, of course, but it's the first of such kind designed with VR usage in mind. Specifically, this device packs 5,000 mAh of battery juice -- almost doubling that of the Vive Focus -- plus 1TB of storage space (but no speed specs yet), and it has a detachable belt clip which can be locked at every 90 degrees.
Vive Focus VR update lets you take calls from the real world
Even though the Vive Focus won't be available outside of China until later this year, it's already getting a major update which will make it a lot more versatile. At the annual Vive Ecosystem Conference in Shenzhen just now, HTC announced that as of today, its standalone 6DoF (6 degrees of freedom) VR headset can install a "System Update 2.0" which adds a handful of notable features. One of the main highlights here is the added ability to receive calls, social notifications and messages from a paired HTC smartphone, with the recently unveiled U12+ being the first model to take advantage of this immersive feature. This is nothing new for existing Vive users, of course, as the Vive companion mobile app already supports the PC-powered headset on this end.
HTC rejoins the dual camera fray with the U12+
There's no better Android underdog than HTC. Long before Samsung cemented itself as the high-end Android leader, HTC was pumping out innovative devices like the One X and One S in 2012. It followed up with the flagship One (M7), which featured a sleek aluminum unibody design that left a lasting impact on the smartphone world (even Apple took a few notes). Since then, though, HTC's story has been one of significant ups and downs. We liked last year's U11, and the follow-up U11+ was even better. But the company sold its team behind the Pixel phones to Google earlier this year, which strongly hinted that HTC would be more focused on the Vive headset than smartphones. Perhaps that's why its flagship for this year, the U12+, isn't a huge upgrade.
HTC leaks the flagship U12+ on its own website
Although HTC's U12+ will be officially unveiled tomorrow, the company has accidentally jumped the gun by revealing a bunch of expected features on one of its own websites. On a test domain visible to the public -- which has since been killed -- WinFuture.de writer Roland Quandt noticed previously rumored specs detailing the device's processor, display, RAM size and some undisclosed extras.
