VR - SlashGear

Researchers say watching VR scenes of the Arctic can ease burning pain

Shane McGlaun | Nov 12, 2019

Scientists from Imperial College London have announced that they have found that using VR headsets can combat increased sensitivity to pain. Specifically, the researchers say that immersing people in scenes of icebergs, frigid oceans, and icescape can help reduce pain. A team conducted a small proof-of-concept study where they used VR to reduce the score of perceived pain as well as sensitivity to painful stimuli.

Apple smart glasses roadmap leaks and there’s good news and bad

Chris Davies | Nov 11, 2019

You may have to wait longer than rumored for Apple's augmented reality headset, according to the latest leaks, with the AR wearable said to be unlikely to debut until 2022 at the earliest. Even then, sources familiar with the Cupertino company's plans suggest, you may want to wait until version two the following year before you open your wallet.

Google Cardboard is now open source to keep the mobile VR daydream alive

JC Torres | Nov 6, 2019

In 2015, Google launched its formal entry into the world of mobile-powered virtual reality. Cardboard was revolutionary in the way it empowered VR experiences with nothing but, well, a makeshift cardboard headset with special lenses. But while headsets were relatively easy to make, the software behind Cardboard stagnated to the point of being forgotten. Now Google seems to be stirring things up a bit by trying to breathe new life into Google Cardboard, mostly be handing off its upkeep to the open source community.

Chrome 79 Beta lays the foundation for VR and AR on the Web

JC Torres | Oct 31, 2019

Virtual reality and even augmented reality seem to have taken a backseat to other tech news of late but that may be partly due to the growing maturity of the technologies. In other words, they're no longer as groundbreaking or as odd as they were at the start. That said, VR and especially AR are still pretty much out of reach of the majority of users and even developers, which is why Google is heavily pushing for the wide adoption of WebXR standards that are coming to Chrome starting with version 79 beta.

Google Daydream View VR headset has officially been discontinued

Brittany A. Roston | Oct 15, 2019

Google has officially discontinued support for its Daydream View virtual reality headset, the company has revealed, and its new Pixel 4 handset won't support the existing products. This effectively marks the end of Google's Daydream efforts, putting the entire VR system out to pasture. The discontinuation isn't surprising, however -- the company didn't include support for its previous Pixel 3a model, either.

Marvel’s Iron Man VR for PS VR revealed ahead of 2020 launch

Brittany A. Roston | Oct 4, 2019

Sony has announced that Marvel's Iron Man VR game will arrive on its PlayStation Virtual Reality platform in 2020. The company released a game trailer to go alongside the announcement, as well as a couple of screenshots showing the title's quality on the PlayStation 4 Pro console. The game is the result of three years of effort by video game developer Camouflaj.

Oculus Quest update finally makes the VR headset worth its salt

JC Torres | Oct 2, 2019

Oculus may have its Rift S as its premiere VR headset but that requires users to be tethered to powerful and immovable PCs. It did launch the Oculus Go and later the Oculus Quest this year but while the latter is designed to be independent and capable, it was far less useful because of its software. As promised last month, Facebook-owned Oculus is rolling out a new firmware that brings a ton of new features that finally make its premiere standalone VR headset.

Fandango brings movies and TV shows to Oculus Go and Quest

Brittany A. Roston | Sep 25, 2019

Fandango is bringing its FandangoNOW on-demand video service to the Oculus Go and Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets, the company announced on Wednesday. The arrival will enable headset owners to access their favorite shows and movie news through the headset, essentially offering viewers their own private entertainment room -- one literally strapped to their face.

Oculus Link, Passthrough+ head to Oculus Quest this year

Eric Abent | Sep 25, 2019

Today, Facebook took the stage at Oculus Connect 6 and made some big announcements about Oculus Quest. The biggest was unquestionably Quest's incoming hand tracking mode, but it's being joined by plenty of other new features in the coming months. One that's sure to get some attention from the Quest-owning public is a new feature called Oculus Link.

Sign-up for the next Facebook just opened

Chris Burns | Sep 25, 2019

The waiting line outside the next social network just started, taking the form of a Beta sign-up for what's called Facebook Horizon. This social network experience was announced this morning at Oculus Connect, and detailed soon after initial announcement as a virtual reality project aimed at the year 2020. This isn't like your average social media brand launch - this social network is in VR, and lets you fly an airplane.

Oculus Quest ditches controllers with hand tracking next year

Eric Abent | Sep 25, 2019

Oculus Connect 6 is underway, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had a lot to say about the company's newest VR headset, the standalone Oculus Quest. In addition to touting the Quest's success thus far, Zuckerberg also revealed that Oculus Quest will soon be capable of hand tracking. That, importantly, means that users will soon be able to leave the controllers behind and use their Quest with only their hands.

Hulu for Android loses Google Daydream VR headset support

Brittany A. Roston | Sep 12, 2019

Virtual reality headsets have largely been split into two categories: the expensive gaming models and the inexpensive phone-based headsets. The latter are used as novelties for simple mobile gaming and, more often than not, as personal entertainment devices, enabling users to watch a movie in their own private VR theater. This niche use for the devices resulted in a number of video services adding VR headset support to their apps, but things have changed for Google's Daydream model.