Virtual reality (VR) is all about total immersion. The thing is, this is usually limited to sound and vision. However, ZephVR adds another physical dimension.

This new accessory adds dynamic wind to VR. Imagine that when you fly, fall, accelerate — or whenever there’s wind in a game — you’ll actually feel it.

ZephVR

VR gamers will soon feel like they’re actually in their virtual worlds. The ZephVR creates wind synchronised with events in virtual reality.

The ZephVR is a first-of-its-kind accessory that attaches to popular headsets like the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR, and automatically adds wind to any game.

Using machine learning, it recognises events in games’ audio tracks and activates the fans at the right moment.

So, when you’re climbing a mountain, or fleeing ghosts. The ZephVR is great for action, racing, and horror games, and almost everything else.

Furthermore, this will open up physical effects beyond wind. This technology will enable all sorts of peripherals and physical effects: temperature, vibration, rain, or anything else people can think up. Naturally, this will work with all VR content, automatically.

Words

Sean Spielberg, the company’s cofounder and CEO says

The ZephVR transforms any VR experience into a multi-sensory, physically immersive adventure. Wind is one of the most critical elements in turning a game into a reality. Until now, experiences that incorporate wind have only been available at theme parks and exhibitions.”

Paige Pruitt, cofounder and CTO, thought of the idea while playing a car game on her PlayStation VR. When she leaned out the virtual car’s window, she accidentally put her head in front of her window fan.

It felt so real, and I couldn’t stop giggling. I immediately started thinking about recreating moments like this for other games.”

Price and availability

The crowdfunding campaign will go live on November 2nd, 2017 and last for 30 days, with a funding goal of $30,000.

Pricing for the ZephVR will start at $49 for early backers on Kickstarter. For more information, visit zephvr.co.

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Microsoft has announced that pre-orders are now open for their new mixed reality headsets, including the Samsung HMD Odyssey.

Microsoft has been busy putting its mixed reality concept through its paces since early 2015 and the HoloLens reveal.

Over two years later, and a hook-up with Samsung, they may have a product that you might buy. Moreover, a headset that you can actually afford.

Samsung HMD Odyssey

On October 3rd, Microsoft revealed the Samsung HMD Odyssey at an event covering its Windows Mixed Reality platform and the Window 10 Fall Creators Update.

The new headset looks a lot like others, such as the HTC Vive, and Facebook’s Oculus Rift but, according to Microsoft, it’s easier to use.

Additionally, Microsoft states that it also has a few other big advantages too.

Power

The Samsung HMD Odyssey works with any computer running the Window 10 Falls Creators Update. This software update will be released on October 17th.

That appears to be the only real requirement. This is a lot different to the Vives, Rifts, etc that need a puter with plenty of poke.

Samsung’s headset boasts dual AMOLED screens pushing out a higher resolution than either of those headsets too.

Furthermore, Microsoft says it only takes minutes to set up, whereas the Vive and Rift can take an hour plus to install.

The HMD Odyssey also features built-in camera. This enables you to walk around in virtual reality without setting up a bunch of cameras in the room first.

Finally, there’s the built-in AKG headphones and a microphone so you can talk to Microsoft’s AI assistant Cortana.

New software and apps

As with all tech these days, you need that killer app to make people get aboard.

It appears that Microsoft may have a solution for that, too.

As of October 17th, Windows Mixed Reality will offer 20,000 apps through the Microsoft Store. I will just let that sink in for a second.

Gaming

You will get popular titles such as; Minecraft, Fantastic Contraption, Superhot and a brand new mixed reality Halo experience called Halo Recruit. By the sounds of things the latter is pretty much just a demo.

Microsoft is also working with gaming giant Valve to add support for SteamVR, its library of virtual reality games.

I am nit currently able to say when this will be happening. However, what I can say is that there should be some sort of preview available later this year.

Other Windows headsets

If you cannot wait until November and the Samsung kit, further headsets were also announced at the event.

These will all be available with the software, on October 17th.

Acer Windows Mixed Reality headset

Acer will offer their Windows Mixed Reality Headset with motion controllers.

Once the headset is paired with the controllers, you can take advantage of the full position and rotational tracking in the headset to easily create content or play games.

Dell Visor Windows Mixed Reality headset

The Dell Visor features high resolution 1440 x 1440 LCD panels for a sharp and smooth 360° panoramic experience.

It’s thoughtfully engineered for comfort and convenience with well-cushioned head and face padding that allow for comfortable wear, even for people who wear glasses.

HP Windows Mixed Reality headset

The HP Windows Mixed Reality headset will also be bundled with motion controllers to provide great Mixed Reality experiences.

Lenovo Explorer Windows Mixed Reality headset

The Lenovo Explorer headset is ergonomically designed and optimised for comfort so you can immerse yourself in mixed reality experiences for long periods.

It tracks your movements with superior fidelity and spatial awareness so you can move around naturally in an area of 3.5 by 3.5 meters (about 11.5 by 11.5 feet) without constantly reorienting yourself.

Price and availability

All the headsets are available to pre-order now.

The Samsung HMD Odyssey will be released on November 6th, whilst the others will be available on October 17th.

Prices

• Samsung HMD Odyssey – $499
• Lenovo Explorer – $399
• HP Windows MR Headset – $449
• Dell Visor – $449
• Acer Windows MR Headset – $399

Check out the full range at Microsoft.com

The post Samsung HMD Odyssey plus Microsoft MR headsets you’d actually want appeared first on GadgetyNews.

I fell back in love with HTC’s hardware back with the One M8. It seems that Google loves it too, to the tune of $1.1 billion.

HTC has announced that its “Powered by HTC” R&D division, those behind Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, will be bought by Google for $1.1 billion.

This is seemingly part of the search giant’s new hardware strategy. Remember when it acquired then seperated from Motorola?

According to HTC’s CFO Peter Shen, this will mean about half of the 4,000 people in his company’s R&D team will be joining Google. That’s quite a migration.

However, Shen did say that that HTC will continue developing its own range of smartphones, including its next flagship product.

Agreement

The agreement also grants Google a non-exclusive license for a large part of HTC’s intellectual property. The deal is expected to be approved and closed by early 2018.

The Taiwanese company has focused increasingly on its emerging VR business, which includes the awesome HTC Vive headset. Additionally, it still cobbles its own smartphones too. Most recently, the U11 has received much praise.

Google HTC deal

The deal between Google and HTC will see the latter company retain its branding, but Google will take over some of its hardware engineering resources. This should help it own even more of its device-making process.

Google had stepped back from in-house hardware after selling its Motorola unit to Lenovo. However, it has recently re-engaged on that front with a different approach focused on premium smartphones, as well as accessories and smart home and connectivity devices like Google WiFi, and Google Home.

The post Google buys half of HTC RnD for 1.1billion USD appeared first on GadgetyNews.

We broke the news that the Sony Xperia XZ Premium was up for pre-order back in March. The release date was set for June. Well, it’s now August and we’ve been living with one.

It has been quite a while since I’ve played with a Sony phone. In fact, it was 5 years ago. Although, it was the same phone that James Bond had.

Things have moved on quite a bit since then. The XZ Premium boasts a 4K display, the latest high-end processor in the engine-room and all the cleverness that Sony’s imaging heritage can muster, including super slow motion. It is also dust and water resistant.

On paper, it certainly looks like a premium phone. How does it handle in reality though?

Sony Xperia XZ Premium design

Curvy is pervy! Well, that’s what I’d like to think was the chant at the Sony Xperia design centre.

The XZ Premium (which I will shorten to XZP from time-to-time) is literally a slab. A very slender slab, but a slab nonetheless.

The front and rear of the XZP is covered in Gorilla Glass 5.

This should afford it some decent protection. It also means that this is a very shiny phone.

The top and bottom edges of the XZ Premium are metal.

The curved sides appear to be plastic. The unfortunate thing is that this is the bit your fingers touch most.

On one side you get the power button which also includes a fingerprint scanner. Nice.

Here you’ll also find the volume rocker as well as dedicated camera button.

Over on the other side, you get a SIM/microSD card slot with special powers! More about that later.

On the base of the handset there’s a USB-C port while, on top, there’s a headphone jack.

The front is mostly taken up by the 5.46-inch 4K display.

The XZ Premium measures 156 x 77 x 7.9mm, which means the screen could’ve been even larger. Instead, those somewhat oversized bezels are home to front firing stereo speakers.

I approve of the speaker placement but I still think there is still room for more screen / less bezel.

It certainly looks good, in any case.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium performance

As there’s the latest Snapdragon 835 chip under the hood mated with 4GB of RAM, it is not lacking power.

In fact, that line-up matches the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6 in a drag race.

[youtube id=”wlboZNEP6bs”]

Benchmarks

I ran the Geekbench 4 app on the XZ Premium and it averaged a multi-core score of 6,438.

That’s an excellent result and puts it close to the Samsung Galaxy S8 which averaged 6,630 and above the Huawei P10 which scored 5,888.

In the AnTuTu benchmarking app it shares the top 10 with some particularly high-end smartphones.

Yes, my testing may have resulted in it placing at number 10 but look at number 8, above the iPhone 7

Furthermore, my sample still actually wins some points against the Samsung Galaxy S8.

This is all very well, but what does it actually mean in real life though?

Well, Android runs very smoothly, and apps are open swiftly. The Xperia XZ Premium will happily run multiple apps at the same time. You can even jump between those open apps without stuttering or lag.

Hardware

The power button on the right of the handset falls nicely under thumb when held in your right hand, or finger of your left.

I am digging the novel placement of the fingerprint scanner here too. No separate button or sensor. Also, no entering a pin, pattern, or password either. Pins and patterns are still options, however.

On the whole, unlocking the XZP using the button was fast and first time most of the time. As with all scanners, it might need a second pass every now and then.

The Xperia XZ Premium has been awarded an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

This means it’ll survive a dip in the bath and heavy rain. The IP protection only affords the phone protection up to depths of 1 meter in fresh water. It should stay out of the pool.

One of the things that enables the XZP’s IP68 rating is also something that I’m a bit in two minds about. The SIM and microSD flap and tray.

The plastic insert feels a little fragile compared with the rest of the phone’s build. This is where you slip in your microSD card. The separate SIM tray, which also resides beneath this protective flap, needs to be coaxed out with a fingernail.

Granted, there should be no real reason for you to be constantly opening this and fiddling with your SIM, but if you want to keep that water resistance, I’d recommend keeping this shut once SIM and microSD card are in place.

Camera

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has an excellent camera. It comes with a 19MP Sony-made rear sensor. No dual lens trickery here!

The single sensor and software still ticks all the boxes: HDR, face detection, EIS (electronic image stabilisation), predictive phase detection and laser autofocus.

OK, OIS (optical image stabilisation) would have been preferable as EIS can degrade the image. But this is still an impressive snapper.

This is all before we get to the XZ Premium’s real party piece – super slow motion.

Slow mo videos

This impressive offering can capture footage at a staggering 960fps. In comparison, the slow motion modes on the iPhone 7 (and 7 Plus) and Samsung Galaxy S8 (and S8 Plus) record at 240fps.

That means the XZ Premium gives you even slower footage. However, there is a definite knack in capturing those moments and it certainly helps to have great light.

[youtube id=”GgW7LD6dS64″]

My humble offering gives a flavour of what can be achieved but those who have had more time to play with it have much better results.

There are three different slow motion modes to choose from.

The entry-level Slow Motion option records at just 120fps, but gives you the added benefit of applying the slow motion effect after recording your video.

This means you can pinpoint the exact moment you want to slow down after filming, without having get the timing just right when shooting live.

Slow mo modes

The two super modes, Super Slow (one-shot) and Super Slow Motion, require you to capture your snippet of 960fps footage while recording. However, you can’t edit the slow motion section of your video afterwards.

As you probably noticed in the clip above, when you go slo mo there’s no audio.

• Super Slow (one-shot) makes things easier. All you have to do is tap the shutter key once and the XZ Premium will capture a five-second clip at 960fps. This does mean you don’t get any normal-speed video either side of your clip, but you’re likely to get a better slow motion result.
• The Super Slow Motion mode is the full package. Select it and hit record and you’ll be filming at 720p, but an extra button appears on-screen. Tap it at any point while you’re recording and the XZ Premium will grab a quick super-slow-motion clip before immediately resuming normal-speed recording. It can be difficult to get the timing right, but when you do you a rewarded with pro-looking Super Slow Motion footage.

What I found was that, as the slow-motion footage is recorded at 720p, clarity can suffer a little. This is especially so in some low light or indoors situations. This results in grainy footage. Get a good day outside or a well lit indoor environment though, and the Xperia XZ Premium produces arguably the best slow-motion footage of any smartphone currently out there.

Stills

Moving to the more day-to-day snaps, the XZP is a great performer.

Sony’s default Intelligent Auto mode is handy and is able to adapt to the lighting environment you’re in. Most shots are well-exposed, and with the laser autofocus you generally get high detail with minimal blurring.

[youtube id=”W-5Z7USTBcg”]

Moving objects are also handled with ease thanks to Sony’s predictive phase detection, which can follow targets to ensure they’re always in focus.

I do like that you get a dedicated physical camera button. Its two-stage operation allows you to focus your shot by pressing the button half way down, and then take the snap when fully pressed. Just like a DSLR.

Most days when I had the XZP were a bit overcast, hopefully these show what average shots look like.

Click image to go large

[supsystic-gallery id=2 position=center]

You can always go manual though. This allows you to fine tune the focus, exposure, white balance and shutter speed.

The focus control is especially useful, and easy to use. Simply by adjusting the slider on the side of the display.

There is a selection of camera choices hidden away in the menu, this is where you will discover the option for capturing 4K video. Whilst here you will find panorama and the bonkers AR Effect.

The latter overlays volcanoes, dinosaurs, equips you with laser eyes, that kind of thing. Fun for the short term.

I have no doubt if you have time to spend your shots will look much better than my hasty snaps. Sony’s post production skills produces nice and natural images. They might not pop as those from the latest Samsungs do, but I prefer realism.

My one minor gripe is that it sometimes over sharpens images, especially if you go for shallow depth of field shots. In Bokeh, you don’t really need the blurred background images sharpened, but the XZP really wants to. Check out the background of the rose, above.

Display

If you’re going to use the Xperia XZ Premium to capture 4K video, you should have a decent screen to watch it on. Fortunately, the XZP is loaded with a 5.46-inch 4K HDR display.

That equates to a resolution of 3840 x 2160. So, when stretched over 5.46-inches, this gives you a peeper-pleasing pixel per inch density of 807.

To put that in perspective, the Infinity Display on the Galaxy S8 manages 570ppi, while the LG G6 gives up 564ppi. It really does look good.

I challenge you to find a sharper non-OLED screen on another smartphone.

Watching 4K content on the Xperia XZ Premium is possibly one of the best visual experiences you can get from a smartphone. You might, however, spend more time tracking 4K content down than watching it though.

Sony will argue that the XZ Premium is future-proofed, as 4K content will only increase in availability – which could be true I guess.

My only question is that, on a screen this size, would Quad HD be just as good? I would be interested in seeing this side-by-side with a Samsung S8.

Audio

The front-facing stereo speakers hint at the XZP’s audio skills.

The XZ Premium’s speakers use S-Force:

S-Force Front Surround gives you the experience of a natural three-dimensional sound field – so you can enjoy virtual surround sound with your two front speakers.”

I think that might be pushing it slightly. Although, the speakers are capable of kicking out decent audio, albeit not at room-filling volume.

Headphones

However, plug in a set of headphones and the XZ Premium treats your lugholes to some loving. This is thanks to audio-enhancing technology and Automatic Headphone Optimisation. The latter adjusts the sound output to suit the type of headphones you’ve plugged in.

[youtube id=”N8IsMDW2Iz8″]

You also get the Digital Sound Enhancement Engine HX (DESS HX). Sony says that even those compressed files in your playlist will sound better, as

DSEE HX lifts them up so they’re closer to studio quality.”

Again, not totally convinced by this promise. But, music through my Oppo PM-3, some Noble Trident IEMs (review to follow) as well as some iFrogz Dual Driver Wireless earphones (also an upcoming review) sounded pretty great.

On-board is LDAC for when you go wireless. LDAC apparently transfers three times more audio data than normal Bluetooth, so every note is crystal-clear. I didn’t notice three-times more data coming though, but it does sound good.

Interface

This was always a weak spot as far as me and Sony phones were concerned. I applaud the fact that it has tidied up its Android overlay.

Now what you get is not that far removed from vanilla Android, and it is so much better for it.

Under this new, slick Sony coating is Android 7 Nougat.

Sony still adds a number of its own apps alongside the expected suite of Android ones though.

Some are useful, such as the Livelog app and video-editing Movie Creator. However, the Email, Music, Album and Video ones basically duplicate the core functions of their Android counterparts.

Then there are Sony’s What’s New and Xperia Lounge apps. These push content, downloads, apps and games, as well as a competitions and news to you.

On the plus side, you can disable most of these apps if you decide you don’t want them.

The user experience is pretty much exemplary. Flicking around, in and out of apps, and trying to confuse its screen rotation, hardly had the XZP missing a beat.

Battery life

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium comes with a 3230mAh non-removable battery packed inside its 7.9mm-thick body.

It is by no way the largest cell out there, but it does beat phones such as the Galaxy S8 that’s equipped with just a 3000mAh power pack.

As the saying goes though, it’s not what you’ve got, it’s how you use it. The XZ Premium saw me through a ‘normal’ day of use on a single charge. I am ignoring the days when I was benchmarking, taking and deleting video and photos, and all that kind of malarkey.

On a day with a couple of hours of music playback, some general social updates, calls, texts, browsing, and a couple of snaps, there would still be around 15% charge left as I placed it on my bedside table. My days are long, too.

Naturally, spanking it with hi res video is going to dramatically lower its stamina. Thankfully the XZ Premium has a few tricks up its sleeve to help you out.

Emergencies

Firstly it supports Quick Charge 3.0. As the name suggests, it will replenish the battery faster than a standard charger. Actually four times faster. Handy if you’re about to head out the door but notice your phone is lacking.

Unlike some brands, Sony does equip you with the necessary charging block in order for you to take advantage of the speedy top-up.

Of course, there’s Stamina Mode too. This extends battery life by reducing background data and screen brightness, as well as disabling some functions. It’s set to activate when your battery hits 15% by default, but you can manually override this.

If you’re really struggling, however, you can call upon Ultra Stamina Mode. This basically turns your smartphone in to a feature phone. Here you’ll be restricted to nine core apps and a simplified interface. In return, you get long enough to call a taxi or finish off that killer response on Facebook.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium review conclusion

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium is an impressive handset. You get an excellent 4K display, as well as plenty of power to drive it. There is also a great camera and solid battery life. All these come together to make a suitably amazing top-level smartphone.

However, it also comes with a suitably top-level smartphone price tag too.

This puts it amongst some very tough competition. Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6, HTC U11 and iPhone 7, kind of competition.

Its bezels, no matter how handy they are when playing games ot taking photos, might knock it back a bit.

I do like how the XZP looks. But, this is down to personal taste at the end of the day.

The shiny finish loves your fingerprints so much it will hold on to them. Thanks to a good oleophobic surface, they wipe off easily.

The 4K HDR screen is incredible – when you find some 4K content to play on it. Until then, at least it might still score you bragging points down the local.

The camera is a definite strong point, as is the super slow motion video capture – put in a little work and you should get some amazing results.

The XZ Premium delivers large on display, camera, power and battery life. It is definitely the best Sony smartphone you can lay your hands on.

You do get plenty of bang for your buck if you’re a Sony fan or dare not to follow the herd.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium price and availability

You can buy the XZP outright direct from Sony for £649. It comes in Deep Sea Black (a rather nice dark blue), Luminous Chrome (practically a mirror finish), and Bronze Pink.

Amazon UK has it unlocked for £643 with free next day delivery if you have Prime.

On Vodafone for £30 upfront and £58 per month you get 32GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts, as well as 24 months free subscription to Spotify, Sky Sports or Now TV.

The post Sony Xperia XZ Premium 4K phone review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Goodwood is synonymous for fast cars and bikes. But, flying cars, electric planes and a driverless racing car capable of speeds of up to 200mph? Well, that’s what’s instore for anyone visiting the Festival of Speed Future Lab feature from June 29^th to July 2^nd.

The 200,000 plus visitors to the sell-out Goodwood event will be able to interact with a stunning showcase of what the future of transport might be like., alongside cutting-edge technologies used beyond the automotive world. The exhibit positions the Festival, which has become known as the new British Motor Show, firmly at the heart of discussions on the future of travel and technological innovation.

These amazing vehicles are displayed alongside cutting-edge technologies used beyond the automotive world. The exhibit positions the Festival, which has become known as the new British Motor Show, firmly at the heart of discussions on the future of travel and technological innovation.

The exhibit positions the Festival, which has become known as the new British Motor Show, firmly at the heart of discussions on the future of travel and technological innovation.

Robocar

The star of the show is Robocar– the world’s first driverless electric racing car.

The racer has been designed by Daniel Simon (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion, Captain America).

These astonishingly beautiful cars are designed to take part in Roborace. As you probably have already worked out, this is a motorsport championship for autonomously driving, electrically powered vehicles on Formula E circuit.

Fast and sleek, there is no space for driver to sit anywhere, which is mind-blowing to see in action. The technology behind making these cars work on the track is a story in itself.

The technology behind making these cars work on the track is a story in itself.

Future of flight

Alongside the cars will be exhibits from the future of flight. This includes Flying cars from NeoXCraft, a British designed product, engineered and built (Derby) by VRCO.

This concept is for a future private, luxury flying road vehicle, in the quadcopter style. It is a leading example of the hot topic of VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) craft, which are strongly influencing the future of private land-to-air transport solutions today.

It is a leading example of the hot topic of VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) craft. These are strongly influencing the future of private land-to-air transport solutions today.

PAL-V One

[youtube id=”GfMNtCPChxo”]

PAL-V ONE (Personal Air and Land Vehicle), a vehicle design which combines a gyrocopter with tricycle undercarriage (already available to order) will be on display.

Boom

Alongside the PAL-V One are Solar and supersonic planes from Boom Supersonic.

Boom Technology is making a supersonic airliner faster than Concorde, yet so efficient tickets will be affordable to the average airplane passenger.

The plane will fly at a speed of 2.2 Mach – so has the potential to take you from New York to London in three and-a-quarter hours.

A new 8ft model of the passenger craft will be on show with a VR experience so visitors can ‘walk through’ the future plane interior.

Solar Impulse 2

Solar Impulse 2 made history after completing the first round-the-world flight by a solar-powered aeroplane, last July.

A 4.8 wing-span model of the aircraft will be exhibited at FoS.

Extra 330LE

The Extra 330LE is a record-breaking electric plane holding two performance world records – fastest speed for an electric plane and fastest climb (3,000 metres in 4m22s).

Powered by a Siemens motor, itself a record-breaker for power-to-weight ratio.

Much more…

Furthermore. there will be the HTC Vive x BBC Space Walk. This is the award winning VR experience commissioned by the BBC that allows you to float around outside the International Space Station (ISS).

There is more virtual reality with the HTC Vive x Tilt Brush. Here you control a three-dimensional drawing tool, in VR. This allows you to draw in beams of light within the app environment. and Stratasys – 3D printing experts who will be staging a live project where globally-renowned sculptor, Nick Ervinck, will be ‘reimagining’ the Goodwood

Finally, Stratasys, the 3D printing experts, will be staging a live project with globally-renowned sculptor, Nick Ervinck. They will be ‘reimagining’ the Goodwood trophy during the event, using these exceptional technologies.

The post Goodwood Festival of Speed Future Lab – robot racers, flying cars, e-Planes appeared first on GadgetyNews.

VR has been needing to break free of its tethers. HTC has just revealed its stand-alone VR headset. No phone. No cables.

At Google’s I/O developer conference HTC has announced a new VR headset.

This is not a sequel to the popular Vive but a stand-alone VR device that requires no external hardware or docked devices to deliver an exciting VR experience.

This headset will be part of Google Daydream VR platform and come with an affordable price tag when compared to premium VR offerings.

Google partnership

Google has announced that it has partnered to develop two virtual reality headsets that will work as standalone devices.

That means they will not have to be plugged into a powerful gaming PC, console or smartphone.

Nor will they require that users mount or stand sensors in their rooms. Instead, the headsets will incorporate tech that allows them to trace their position as they move in 3D space.

[youtube id=”O9SUd1Q5G6s”]

HTC Vive

HTC developed this headset to provide “a deeper and more immersive portable VR experience than ever before”.

Vive added:

We have been working closely with developers and consumers to define the best VR experiences over the past few years, and are perfectly positioned to deliver the most premium standalone headset and user experience.

HTC says that this new device will be released later this year, though there’s no pricing information or detailed specification been announced as yet.

The post HTC has new stand-alone VR headset – video appeared first on GadgetyNews.

MSI launched the Trident 3 Gaming PC at the beginning of this year. It won accolades aplenty but now they’ve added a limited edition twist – and it’s very cool.

The Trident 3 has been highly praised by media. It also was awarded with an IF Design award.

Now, MSI is announcing a chilled limited edition of their award-winning gaming PC, the Trident 3 Arctic.

I have to say, and it has nothing to do with my current battlestation being white, this looks awesome.

This impressive gaming PC only measures 13.6 x 2.8 x 9.2-inches (34.5 x 7.1 x 23.4 cm).

Trident 3 Artic specs

It’s not only skin-deep though. The Trident 3 Arctic also gets a big performance under the hood.

It houses a customised GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card in ITX format. MSI reckons that this will take on any other reference GPU in a similarly-sized machine.

It also utilises the latest Intel Kaby Lake processor to get performance levels far above its console counterparts.

This hardware duo means that you can expect a smooth display of VR content on your VR headset, such as the HTC Vive.

MSI made it super easy to connect a VR headset by implementing VR Link, an HDMI-port on the front side of the system. This is supported by MSI’s One-click to VR software that automatically optimises both system performance and prevents any software from impacting the VR experience.

Silent Storm Cooling 2

MSI crafted a unique way to keep things frosty as well as quiet as possible. They have accomplished this by individually cooling the most important heat-generating hardware in the system using separated chambers.

When performance really matters, Trident 3 Arctic is up to the task and delivers powerful gameplay without annoying you with a noisy fan or overheating hardware.

RGB Mystic Light

For those who like to add a little personal touch to their system, MSI Trident 3 Arctic features RGB Mystic Light.

By using the Mystic Light App or MSI’s Gaming Center software, gamers can instantly change the colour and effects of the front LED lights on the system to show their mood.

MSI Trident 3 Artic price and availability

The MSI Trident 3 Arctic will be available at the beginning of April at Newegg, Amazon, Microsoft.com and Fry’s for $1,499.99.

Trident 3 VR7RD-048US Specifications

• Processor:
  
   Intel® 7th gen Core™ i7-7700 @3.6GHz

• Chipset:
  
   Intel® H110

• Graphics:
  
   MSI GeForce® GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5

• Memory:
  
   16GB (2x SO-DIMMs DDR4 2400Mhz) Max up to 32GB

• Storage:
  
   1x 256GB M.2 SSD + 1x 1TB 7200RPM HDD

• Power supply:
  
   330W Power Adapter

• I/O:

  FRONT: 1x Earphone, 1 x Microphone jack, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (one supports super charger 2), 1x VR-Link (HDMI Out)

  REAR:1 x Microphone / Line-in / Line-out, 1x RJ45 LAN, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 4x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x HDMI out, 1 x DC jack, 1 x VR-Link (connect front VR-Link and graphic card)

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Looking for something tiny yet potent? Well, HP has just taken the wrappers of its Z2 Mini. This mini PC packs an Intel Xeon CPU, NVIDIA Quadro mobile M620 graphics and M.2 SSD tech. This is shoehorned in to a 2.3-inch-high case that’s “90% smaller than a traditional business-class tower.”

The Z2 Mini, according to HP, in its top configuration is twice as powerful as any mini PC on the market. This pint-sized PC can run up to six displays in stock configuration.

Thanks to its custom cooling system the octagonal Z2 Mini is 63% quieter than HP’s business-class mini PCs.

HP is targeting CAD, design, graphics and 3D users, though I’m thinking it’d make a great compact gaming rig depending on the options you choose.

HP Z2 Mini specs

The Z2 Mini comes packing up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and an HP Z Turbo Drive. The M.2 SSD reads at speeds over 1GB/s with a capacity up to 1.5TB.

You can get one with an Intel Core i7, i5, or i3 CPU. Or you could pay more (chances are, a lot more) for Intel’s Xeon E3-1200v5 family – that’s workstation and server-type power.

Graphics options include NVIDIA’s mobile M620 Quadro GPU with 2GB of VRAM, also geared toward workstations and officially approved for pro apps like Autocad and 3DS max.

However, it doesn’t meet NVIDIA’s “VR Ready” criteria, so it’s not certified with the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. I am taking this to mean that it would probably allow middling gaming performance, at best.

What’s missing

The new machine is equipped with USB-C but there’s no Thunderbolt 3 port. It does have three DisplayPort slots, but it lacks an HDMI port.

Are these deal-breakers? Well, as USB-C can be adapted for HDMI that’s not a biggy. I’m guessing the lack of Thunderbolt 3 ports might have implications for video editors and their chosen drives.

HP Z2 Mini price and availability

This latest compact PC starts at $699. For that I am getting you get the Core i3 configuration without discrete graphics.

Funnily enough, HP doesn’t mention how much a Xeon/NVIDIA setup will be. I reckon you can easily double the $700 price tag for the top range kit.

The HP Z2 Mini should land in December. More info and to register your interest, head over to the UK site.

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Last week I was kindly invited to test some pre-production kit ahead of MVR’s Kickstarter campaign that starts tomorrow.

Virtual Reality (VR) is currently *the* hot thing right now for gamers, as well as other artists and training facilities.

The main drawback, if you already have the PC or gaming console that can power the kit, is that you need to be cabled in to the source. Both the headphones and the optics need to be plugged in to something like the PCs available from Maingear and the like or your PS 4 or Xbone.

Another important thing to factor in is the cost of these headsets. With the PlayStation VR going for £350, the Rift £550 and, what I consider to be the current benchmark, the HTC Vive £800.

So, if you have to upgrade to get in to VR and then buy a headset, I can see a very poorly bank account in your future.

VR is currently limited

I think we can take the fact that VR is not exactly cheap to get in to as read.

Yes, there is quite an investment to make if you want to give it a go but that is always the way with the latest tech. Unfortunately, not all cutting-edge tech makes the grade. Mini Discs, Laser Discs, 3D TV… all had much promise but are now cast aside.

Coughing up a whole lot of money for something that currently has limited support can be scary. We have all seen decent smartphones fall by the wayside because of the lack of apps. The PS Vita (PSP) had a very difficult time because of the slow uptake of games.

The range of tailor-made VR titles, at the moment is pretty thin on the ground. Dropping the wrong side of £500, as a PC gamer, is not something I’d do lightly.

MVR Ascend – different VR

I went to investigate what promises to be a new approach to VR. This not only promised to be more affordable, but also gives the user greater freedom thanks to wireless operation.

[youtube id=”Rgug1LxnSDQ”]

The way MVR has managed to accomplish this is through using a smartphone in the visor. Before you start shouting about Gear VR and other Google Cardboard-based viewers such as those from ViewMaster and even Brian May, stay with me.

Yes, they all use your smart device but the MVR Ascend utilises this tech in a different way.

MVR Ascend – how it works

Use your Sony Xperia Android phone with the free Remote Play app to stream the PS4 to your phone and you are ready to go or, if you’re on the Xbox One, this version comes with a device so you can stream your favourite Xbox One game to your MVR Screen using Windows 10 streaming technology.

PC owners can use either the PS4 or Xbone versions. All we have to do is download the free Moonlight App on our smartphone.

This hands us a wireless screen for our PC. The app implements Nvidia GTX’s proprietary GameStream technology which meansu low latency wireless game play. Both the P1 and X1 controllers are compatible with the PC.

It’s also a great deal more compact than the MSI VR One backpack.

MVR Ascend – the H1 headset

The first thing I noticed about the headset was that you can flip up the visor and see the real world. Handy when you want to grab a cuppa, select another game or just give your eyes a rest without having to take the headset off.

The H1 has interchangeable lens adaptors. These give you the option of both 2D and 3D experiences, augmented and virtual reality scenarios.

Naturally, the headset offers a dial to adjust the Inter Pupillary Distance (IPD) to optimise your visual comfort.

The biggest thing for me is that the H1 is designed for comfortable use by spectacle and non-spectacle wearers alike. Very handy for all those like me who need glasses and don’t wear contact lenses.

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MSI have just announced their VR backpack. The MSI VR One promises to be the thinnest and lightest out there.

MSI have had a close relationship with the HTC VIVE team and this has birthed the MSI VR One.

After bouncing the concept around for a while but MSI have finally brought this concept to becoming reality.

One of the main drawbacks of virtual reality gaming is that you are tethered to a PC.

Thanks to the MSI VR One, this lightweight backpack PC system means that everything moves with you.

MSI VR One specifications

The MSI VR One weighs just 3.6kg. It comes with 2 battery packs and is able to deliver 1.5 hours full speed gameplay.

Powered by overclocked CPU and GeForce GTX 10 series graphics card, MSI VR One is able to deliver full throttle gaming performance under noise of 40dBA.

As you would expect given the relationship between MSI and HTC VIVE, the VR One has been optimised for use with the VIVE VR headset and controllers.

The pack is equipped with a HDMI port, Mini DisplayPort and an ultra-speed Thunderbolt by Type-C port. All these ports support smoother VR experience with over 90FPS for any high level VR devices. Moreover, there are 4x USB 3.0 ports for more external devices for some VR set requests.

Cooling

Keeping confined kit cool is always tricky. This VR backpack utilises dual 9cm ultra blade fans and 9 heat pipes.

Working together, the cooling system easily keeps the VR One silent under 41dBA. The only sound you will hear, therefore, is from your VR headsets.

MSI VR One design

There is no mistaking the VR One’s futuristic style. The pair of battery packs live at the bottom of the backpack.

Without those batteries the backpack only weighs 2.2 kg. As a stand alone PC system, MSI VR One is even lighter than some performance gaming notebooks.

Hot swappable batteries

For none-stop action you get two hot-swappable batteries.

The battery indicators shows each battery’s life through four white lights located next to the mount.

Four lights illuminated means the battery life is 75%~100%; three lights means it’s 50%~75%; two lights means it’s 25%~50%; and one light means it’s under 25%. The last light will be flashing to remind users that the battery may run out of power within a short time.

When users want to hot-swap a battery they can swap one at a time without using an adaptor. However, if users plug in the adaptor, they can remove both batteries simultaneously while VR One will still keep the same high performance for VR experience or other type of heavy loading gaming as an ultra slim PC.

1 Click to VR and SHIFT – MSI Dragon Center

The VR One is equipped with ‘MSI Dragon Center’ software.

This software not only permits users to monitor the hardware status in details from their cell phone. This also allows adjustments and managements of unique MSI gaming features.

SHIFT Technology grants users the power to boost the performance and the fan speed to the extreme for the best VR experience.

MSI VR READY: http://vr.msi.comMSI GAMING

Products: http://gaming.msi.comMSI

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