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Photo of Magic Leap AR prototype leaks out, backpack and all
In December, a report by The Information indicated that well-funded startup Magic Leap wasn't nearly as close to producing its vaunted augmented reality headset as demo reels had suggested. CEO Rony Abovitz responded by claiming it had completed a "PEQ (Product Equivalent) build of our target form factor," and now Business Insider has what it says is "the first public photo" of the device. Delivered by an unnamed source, it shows a person wearing not only a headset, but also a backpack-like setup with an exposed circuit board and processor, and apparently holding the battery pack.
Magic Leap CEO responds to 'grumpy mouse tech blogger writers'
After yesterday's report by The Information blew away some of the smoke surrounding Magic Leap, its CEO has responded. In a series of tweets over the last day and a blog post, Rony Abovitz still didn't directly counter the article, or provide technical details on his company's upcoming product. He did say that its first "PEQ (Product Equivalent) build of our target form factor" has been completed and that it's about to begin a larger production run.
'Reality' of Magic Leap could be further away than we thought
Over the last couple of years, we've repeatedly heard a lot about Magic Leap's supposedly advanced augmented reality tech, but have seen very little. In 2014, a half-billion dollar round of investment that included Google ratcheted up the hype and it has not slowed down since. Now, The Information is reporting, based on sources and a hands-on demonstration, that the reality hasn't lived up to all of the promises yet.
Magic Leap will soon test its technology in the real world
We might be getting closer to finally finding out what Magic Leap's mixed-reality headset looks like. The ultra-secretive company has posted a job listing on Glassdoor for a Field Engineer, who'll actually have to drive around with its devices and collect data in real world locations. "Work will entail setting up and using high precision equipment to capture both environments and user behavior in home settings," the listing reads. Magic Leap announced a Star Wars and a Twilio partnership this year, but its technology is still shrouded in mystery even now.
Magic Leap teams with Lucasfilm for 'Star Wars' AR experiences
Magic Leap, the mysterious augmented reality company, is teaming up with Lucasfilm and its ILMxLAB to create immersive Star Wars experiences, the companies announced today at Wired's Business Conference. As part of the news, they also revealed our closest look yet at Magic Leap's technology in action with a demo video featuring everyone's favorite droids, C-3PO and R2-D2, projected in a typical office environment. It was shot on actual Magic Leap hardware, according to ILMxLAB's John Gaeta (best known for his work on the Matrix films), using a standard digital camera. One look, and you'll see why Magic Leap has amassed an astounding $1.39 billion in funding without shipping an actual product.
Magic Leap offers a glimpse into its headset design process
Magic Leap is an enigmatic augmented reality firm that's worth $4.5 billion on the basis of some very limited demonstrations. Now the firm has been awarded a design patent for a "virtual reality headset" that offers us some idea of what it's thinking. The company's Andy Fouché has already shot down the idea that this is what the finished device will look like, but there's plenty to glean. In a distinct contrast to Microsoft's slender Hololens, the sketch features a shell that covers the top half of the user's face. Robocop comparisons aside, the headset is then held on with a solid strap running over the top of their head.
Magic Leap partners with messaging startup Twilio
We still don't know all that much about super-secret mixed-reality startup Magic Leap. But today we learned that it will be partnering with communications company Twilio to make chatting with holographic-looking versions of your friends and family eventually happen.
Magic Leap reveals more about its 'mixed reality' tech
Despite billions in funding and board members like Peter Jackson and Sundar Pichai, there's still a lot of mystery around Magic Leap's augmented reality (AR) tech. We know that it's making a self-contained, high-resolution AR headset that seamlessly inserts digital elements into the real world, much like Microsoft's Hololens. We've also seen a patent application and a spectacular gaming concept video. However, the company has revealed a bit more new information about its vision for Magic Leap via a new demo video (below) and a feature article from Wired.
The next big thing in smartphones is uncertainty
You've probably noticed something about smartphones. They haven't been exciting lately. Chances are, your current smartphone looks and works a lot like your last one. Your next will probably seem pretty familiar, too. But there are signs that smartphones, and the ways we use them, could be about to significantly change -- even if no one can quite agree on exactly how.
Magic Leap is a computing platform where the real world is your screen
Magic Leap, an augmented reality startup that's kept its project under wraps for over a year, has finally revealed a few more details about its mysterious technology. In an interview at WSJD Live, Magic Leap CEO and founder Rony Abovitz and Chief Content Officer Rio Caraeff has said that Magic Leap is essentially a computing platform where the real world is your screen. "Anything that you can do on your smartphone, on your computer; you'll be able to do on Magic Leap," said Caraeff. Though he won't say what the device would be like, Abovitz said that the goal is to make the device mobile, small, light and basically something you can wear anywhere. "It'll be self-contained; a complete computer," said Abovitz. He also hinted that it'll be something that you won't be shy to wear in public and that it will maintain "normal relationships with people."
Magic Leap is moving into Motorola's old campus
We don't specifically know what Magic Leap is doing, but we do know where all of this unknown stuff is going to happen. The augmented reality / VR startup is renovating a 260,000 square foot building on Florida's West Sunrise Boulevard. It's not the first time that the location will serve as the home to a tech firm with ties to Google -- since it was Motorola's campus until earlier this year. Magic Leap, which has raised around half a billion dollars for its HoloLens/Minority Report/Neal Stephenson-style endeavors, is seen as the next big thing in merging the real and virtual worlds. According to the Miami Herald, the firm will begin moving in towards the end of the year, so be prepared for plenty of stories about how enterprising journalists tried, and failed, to gain access to its secrets.
Magic Leap adds former Vevo CEO to its mysterious team
Magic Leap is as mysterious as it's ambitious. Ever since the Google-backed startup raised a whopping $542 million, it's been pegged as the next big thing in mixed reality. But apart from it being a platform that incorporates digital lightfield technology, little is known about the experience or the headset so far. What's known is that the company is building a rather unorthodox yet stellar team for its "techno-biology" mission. After appointing acclaimed sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson as the company's Chief Futurist late last year, the company has brought on Rio Caraeff, former CEO of Vevo, as its Chief Content Officer.
Magic Leap opens its augmented reality platform to developers
Magic Leap's vision for the future of augmented reality is mind-blowing. However, the mysterious startup, which Google backed with a hefty cash investment, knows this won't be possible without support from third-party developers. That's why it plans to open up its AR platform to content creators, including those who make games, films and more. Today's announcement took place at MIT's EmTech Digital conference, where CEO Rony Abovitz and other members of Magic Leap's team took the stage to reveal their intentions. The SDK is expected to support both the Unreal and Unity gaming engines, which signals a good start. If you're a developer interested in gaining access to these tools, you can register now via the company's website.
Jaw-dropping Magic Leap demo shows off our augmented future
Google's multi-million dollar investment in augmented reality startup Magic Leap appears to be paying off if this demo reel is any indication. In it, the fledgling AR firm shows off what a year and half a billion dollars can accomplish. That includes productivity functions like being able to access both websites and desktop apps from airborne virtual icons. There's also the promise of an immersive shooter game using physical weapons as its controllers and the world around you as the environment. Do want.
Here's what we know about Magic Leap so far
Google made a big splash when it threw its support behind Magic Leap with a $542 million investment last year. Immediately people began wondering what exactly Mountain View was so excited about that it was willing to drop half a billion dollars as pure investment -- not even an acquisition. Unfortunately, the startup continues to guard its secrets closely. All we know is that Magic Leap has some sort of wearable that blends augmented reality and virtual reality. We know that whatever its building is not meant to be used while stationary... but that's about it. We still don't have specs or a complete features list. We do have some information though, that was revealed during CEO Rony Abovitz's recent Reddit AMA. We know we weren't entirely accurate when we called its product an "augmented reality" headset. But it's still not entirely clear what it is. We've compiled the tidbits of info we've heard and read about Magic Leap. Hopefully, it can tide the curious over until Abovitz and his cohorts finally give us all a glimpse of their mysterious device.
A Google-backed startup wants to change VR as we know it
What do you do when a good idea fails? You invest in a better version of it. We've known about Google's huge bet on startup Magic Leap for months, but a recent patent application explains why Mountain View has thrown over $540 million at an unknown entity. We don't know exactly what Magic Leap will offer, but by piecing together various patent applications we can surmise it relates to a wearable display system that will supposedly enable a super-realistic type of VR it calls "cinematic reality".
The author of 'Snow Crash' is working for an augmented reality company
Neal Stephenson's immersive swordfighting game might not have panned out, but that isn't deterring him from diving head-first into new technology ventures. The Snow Crash writer is now the Chief Futurist for Magic Leap, the secretive augmented reality startup that sparked a lot of buzz in October. He'll be finding ways to make practical use of the company's technology. He came onboard after the company bowled him over with a demo -- its "synthesized light field" can fool your brain into perceiving virtual depth without resorting to basic tricks like stereoscopy, he says.
Google backs Magic Leap, a mysterious augmented reality startup (updated)
Google has just thrown its weight behind an augmented reality startup shrouded in mystery. Along with Qualcomm and film production Legendary Entertainment (among many other companies), Mountain View has funded Magic Leap to the tune of $542 million. According to The New York Times, that puts the startup's value at a whopping $2 billion, even though we still don't know much about the product it's developing. Here's what we do know about Magic Leap, though: it's not making a chunky headset like the now Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, and while company CEO Rony Abovitz wouldn't tell TechCrunch specifics, he said his team is working on a "lightweight wearable" solution, presumably powered by a mobile device.
