virtual reality

The update the game was destined for was released today: Microsoft Flight Simulator now works in virtual reality. This update brings the game out a brand new door, allowing users to transport not just a rectangle of their reality into flight, but their entire audio/visual experience. This update works with a wide variety of VR headsets, starting with (but not limited to) Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

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Oculus's latest standalone VR system should be no-brainer upgrade to the Quest line but its existence has sadly been marred by some controversies. Some of it isn't the Oculus Quest 2's fault, to be fair, as Facebook's takeover has been anything but smooth. There are, however, some complaints about the device itself as well as its official accessories, notably the Elite Strap and the Elite Strap with Battery that are now finally available again after the quality of the straps were put into question.

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The fact that the Oculus Quest 2 requires a Facebook account to use has been a point of contention for a lot of VR fans out there, and now it seems that governments are beginning to take notice. Today, Germany's Bundeskartellamt (Federal Cartel Office), which is responsible for investigating and enforcing matters of competition law, announced that it has "initiated abuse proceedings against Facebook to examine the linkage between Oculus virtual reality products and the social network and Facebook platform."

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The Wacom VR Pen was revealed here at the tail end of 2020 with creative intent. This piece of equipment was created to work in a virtual reality environment, but also works on 2D surfaces, as it's made with much of the same tech as an otherwise non-VR Wacom stylus. This pen works with its own "independent tracking system that works with major Head-Mounted Displays."

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Oculus Virtual Reality Checks (VRCs) is a set of technical recommendations "designed to help developers create more accessible VR software." The company suggested today that this set of recommendations will allow developers to make their VR apps more compelling to more people. Areas of focus include audio, visuals, interactions, locomotion/movement, and "other aspects of accessible design."

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Since the PlayStation 5 was confirmed, Sony has been fairly quiet about virtual reality except when it comes to whether or not current-gen PlayStation VR headsets would be forward compatible with PlayStation 5 hardware. We've been told since the the PlayStation 5 was first announced that it will indeed be possible to play PlayStation VR on PlayStation 5, but up until recently, we didn't really know how that would work.

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When it comes to virtual reality displays, the screen door effect is a very real concern for manufacturers. The screen door effect gives certain displays a mesh-like appearance that's particularly noticeable when lower resolution displays are viewed up close, so while it can happen with any display, it's most prevalent in the world of VR. Stanford researchers have announced new tech that could result in OLED displays with pixel densities as high as 10,000 pixels per inch, thereby eliminating the screen door effect even when the display is viewed up close.

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The Oculus Quest 2 is an admittedly impressive kit as far as standalone VR systems go. Its otherwise positive debut, however, has been marred by controversy, confusion, and consternation over the requirement to have and use a Facebook account to even use the previously independent product. Unsurprisingly, there have been attempts to circumvent that requirement but the most successful one so far is also asking for trouble by jailbreaking the Quest 2 that will surely force Facebook to respond in kind.

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From a purely business point of view, it's no surprise really that Facebook wants to unify all its platforms under a single account. While it can't really force that on Instagram and WhatsApp, especially not while under intense scrutiny, it was able to put its hand down on the relatively younger Oculus ecosystem. Whether Facebook and Oculus really thought about it or not, it is only now that users are coming across the fine print regarding the Facebook account requirement for using Oculus devices and they're not good discoveries at all.

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It was inevitable that Facebook would eventually leave a more tangible mark on its Oculus VR business but it still ruffled some feathers when it was revealed that to even use an Oculus headset, one would need to have a Facebook account. Facebook probably presumed everyone these days has one and that Oculus users, both present and future, also do. That's apparently not the case and now Oculus Quest 2 buyers are left with a temporary paperweight while waiting for their new Facebook accounts to be unblocked after being banned for practically no real reason at all.

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It's no secret that exposure to nature, such as a walk at an orchard or a hike at the nearest park, offers mental health benefits, as well as some other potential benefits, including reduced cortisol hormone levels and decreased blood pressure. What about during winter when the trees are barren or during a global pandemic requiring social distancing, though? That's where television and VR come in.

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Just last month, Facebook made a big splash in the VR and AR scenes with new products and a new direction for Oculus. Discontinuing its original standalone VR headset, the social media giant launched the Oculus Quest 2, boasted to be lighter both in size and price but also more powerful and more capable. Now that headset and its accompanying parts are available for anyone to buy and use. All they need is a Facebook account to get started.

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