Meta unveils new virtual reality headset Quest Pro

SAN FRANCISCO, United States - A year after it rebranded itself in the name of building a metaverse, Meta unveiled a new version of its virtual reality headset tailored for working professionals.

The $1,500 Meta Quest Pro features a number of new features that are meant to improve users' perception of truly being in the presence of other people.

The headset makes it possible to view not only virtual worlds but also the real environment of the user, thanks to high-resolution outward-facing cameras.

"The moment that they begin to break into a smile or when they raise their eyebrow... your avatar should be able to express all of that and more," Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg said at Meta Connect, the company's giant's annual conference focused on virtual reality.

Customers can begin ordering the Quest Pro starting Tuesday, and the device will ship at the end of the month.

Meta said it is partnering with Microsoft and others to tune popular business and productivity software to virtual worlds using Quest Pro. 

Capabilities being worked on include using Quest Pro during virtual meetings on the Microsoft Teams platform, according to the two companies.

"At Microsoft, we're incredibly excited about the metaverse and how digital and physical worlds are coming together," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during the presentation.

Facebook renamed itself Meta in October 2021 to signal a pivot to building its vision for an interactive virtual and augmented reality world that it sees as the future.

The move came as the company was facing a backlash after a whistleblower leaked documents suggesting the social media giant put profits over safety.

Meta is undergoing a difficult period financially due to dropping advertising revenues and fierce competition from other platforms such as TikTok, whose popularity has exploded.

About a third of the apps in the Quest app store brought in millions of dollars in revenue since launching there, according to Meta chief technology officer Andrew "Boz" Bosworth.

Some $1.5 billion has been spent overall on games and apps in the Quest store, and titles on the way to its virtual shelves include an "Iron Man" game set for release in November by Marvel Entertainment and Sony Interactive Entertainment, according to Meta executives.

Agence France-Presse

UAE's latest bet on tech: a ministry in the metaverse

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The United Arab Emirates, which already boasts the world's tallest skyscraper and has launched a bold Mars mission, now hopes to become a pioneer in the depths of the metaverse.

In a project launched at Dubai's gleaming Museum of the Future, it announced that the UAE's economy ministry was setting up shop inside the immersive virtual world that is now taking shape. 

Those who don their virtual reality goggles or use other means to venture within will find a ministry open for business with companies and even ready to sign bilateral agreements with foreign governments, officials said.

The metaverse is an online world where users will eventually be able to game, work and study, its proponents say -- although it is still in a "test" phase, the UAE's economy minister conceded.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri was speaking at the inaugural Dubai Metaverse Assembly, held at the museum whose innovative ring shape decorated with Arabic calligraphy flanks the city's main thoroughfare.

Representatives of tech giants mingled with entrepreneurs and developers exploring the potential of the metaverse, a network of digital spaces intended as an extension of the physical world.

"In the last couple of years we've seen investments, we've seen companies move in, and with the changes of the (visa) regime... we see talent coming in," Al Marri told AFP in an interview.

"We trained our employees to really immerse themselves in the metaverse, use the metaverse and engage with the Generation Z that is going to come," he added. 

The UAE, which has a history of bold projects including the 830-meter (2,723-foot) Burj Khalifa, hopes the metaverse can add $4 billion to annual GDP and 40,000 jobs to its workforce by 2030.

In its bid to become one of the world's top-10 metaverse economies, Dubai wants to attract 1,000 companies specializing in blockchain and related technologies, helped by eased visa rules for freelancers, entrepreneurs and creatives.

As the coronavirus pandemic pushed more people into the online world, "Covid really accelerated" the trend, Al Marri added. 

"We thought the metaverse is a phase technology" that might take 10 to 20 years to emerge," he said. "Covid-19 really immersed us so fast and expedited the use of the metaverse."

Virtual Mars trips 

Unlike the UAE's oil-rich capital, Abu Dhabi, crude represents just five percent of Dubai's economy which has pivoted towards business, tourism, real estate and new technologies.

The UAE has already introduced a law governing virtual assets and a regulatory body for cryptocurrencies, while welcoming major crypto exchange platforms.

One of the UAE's early private-sector metaverse projects is called 2117, named after the dream of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to colonize Mars a century from now.

Metaverse users can now buy tickets to join a virtual shuttle carrying settlers to the red planet.

"A lot of us won't live long enough to see this mission with our own eyes," said Amin Al Zarouni, founder of the Bedu start-up behind the virtual Mars trip.

"We'll try to replicate this experience in the metaverse."

Until now, use of the metaverse is niche and even its architects say widespread adoption is years away. How it will develop is unknown.

According to Meta, which owns Facebook and other social media titans, Analysis Group research has shown that the metaverse could add $360 billion to GDP in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey in 10 years, if it follows the growth pattern of mobile technology.

"We also know that when policy supports innovation, it accelerates the adoption of new technologies," the company said, when asked about Dubai's prospects of becoming a metaverse hub.

"If we look at the context of Dubai, there's already a clear strategy and goals to accelerate metaverse adoption and investments in the building blocks of the metaverse."

, Agence France-Presse

Dyson delivers virtual reality in new twist to home shopping

LONDON - Dyson, best known for its revolutionary bagless vacuum cleaners, will enable customers to test its hairdryers, straighteners and stylers from the comfort of their home through virtual reality.

The Dyson Demo VR has been built with the same visualization and simulation technology used by the British firm's engineers to prototype, test and develop new products and software.

James Dyson, company founder and chief engineer, said VR was a way to improve people's understanding of Dyson products.

"We have been harnessing powerful virtual reality technologies to engineer new products in our labs for many years, now we are applying those same technologies to re-invent how people explore our products," he said.

Consumer goods companies are testing new online and virtual ways to interact with customers in anticipation of the creation of the metaverse, a VR concept that entered the mainstream last month when Facebook rebranded itself "Meta".

Dyson said in a statement that its virtual-reality showroom was an extension of selling direct to consumers through its 318 stores and website and would be available through VR headset Oculus' headset store from Friday.

E-commerce director Sean Newmarch said the demonstration was an important part of showing how products worked and the Dyson Demo VR would in the future incorporate a fully integrated e-commerce solution and the ability to talk to a real salesperson.

Newmarch said it would launch with Dyson's hair care products, with its floor care range set to follow.

-reuters-

Pandemic fuels travel boom -- in virtual reality

Jem Jenkins Jones was stuck at home in Wales for much of the past year amid pandemic lockdowns but managed to fulfill a promise to her 10-year-old daughter to see the northern lights from Iceland and South Africa's game reserves -- in virtual reality.

"She was amazed," she said, calling the VR travel experiences "a lifesaver for us."

Strict lockdowns and travel limitations during the pandemic have sparked fresh interest in immersive virtual travel experiences, which have become more accessible and affordable with new apps and VR hardware.

Even those confined to their homes can take a virtual jaunt to Machu Picchu, the rainforests of Borneo or a road trip across the United States in a convertible.

Data on VR travel usage is limited but developers have seen surging interest since the pandemic hit.

"It has been skyrocketing," said Cezara Windrem, creator of the Alcove VR platform at AARP Innovation Labs. "We're getting more adoption every month."

Alcove enables users to visit exotic locales such as Australia's coral reef or the island of Malta, while adding a "shared" experience which enables people to interact and even "lead" a family member without the technical skills to navigate in a VR headset.

"We’ve heard from a lot of people who discovered Alcove and decided buy a headset for their elderly family members," Windrem said. 

This allows for shared travel even during a lockdown and other kinds of experiences such as "playing chess with someone on the other side of the planet."

- Travel substitute, complement -

With the tourism industry largely obliterated by the coronavirus outbreak, virtual reality has emerged as both a substitute for real-world travel and a complement to help people plan their next trip.

App developers have created a range of travel experiences: touring the pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, the savannahs of Kenya or the Antarctic from a kayak. These come from commercial operators or organizations such as National Geographic or World Wildlife Fund.

Users can opt for hardware from Facebook's Oculus, Sony's PlayStation or the inexpensive Google Cardboard, among others. Some gear costs as little as $300 and many apps are free.

"I have traveled every week since the pandemic, from the comfort of my home," said Rafael Cortes, a San Antonio computer professional who uses Alcove and YouTube VR.

"I've been to London, the glass bridge in China, Angel Falls in Venezuela, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, a helicopter tour of New York."

Amy Erdt lives in Portland, Oregon, but with VR, "I like to walk around my sister’s town in Wallingford, England, occasionally because I can’t be there."

Erdt, who administers a Facebook group of VR users, said there are "some great travel experiences" in virtual reality, which can be remarkably realistic.

"I once sat at VR poker table at 1 am with a guy in Australia who was eating KFC (chicken), she said. "I could hear his KFC crunch. It was a trip."

- Gaming and beyond -

Virtual reality's most popular applications are in gaming and fantasy worlds, but travel is seen as a new growth vector.

"During the pandemic when everyone is socially isolated it may seem strange to isolate yourself further to transport yourself somewhere else but it does allow us to experience things we can’t experience today," said Avi Greengart, analyst with the consultancy Techsponential.

Greengart said VR travel has some advantages but can't be compared with the real thing.

"With VR travel you're not getting the food unique to the area, you're missing a lot of the sensory experiences and serendipitous meetings with locals," he said.

On the other hand, "you can browse a museum and have it all to yourself," which may be impossible in the physical world.

A report by research firm GlobalData shows that virtual and augmented reality had already been gaining momentum from travel operators and tourism boards before the pandemic to enable people to get a taste of a destination before going there.

GlobalData analyst Ralph Hollister said the pandemic may be giving the sector a lift that will endure even after the pandemic.

"Spending considerably more time indoors with an abundance of spare time, combined with an urge to travel, has meant that aspiring travelers have been turning to VR to fill a void that travel restrictions have left," Hollister said.

Hollister said he sees VR becoming an important part of the process of travelers viewing and selecting a travel destination.

"The widespread adoption of VR for this kind of purpose could be the next step for this technology and help it permanently move away from its ‘gimmick’ label,” he said.

Agence France-Presse

 

S.Korean mother 'reunites' with dead daughter in virtual reality show

SEOUL - A tearful reunion between a mother and her dead daughter via advanced virtual reality for a South Korean television has become an online hit, triggering fierce debate about voyeurism and exploitation.

The footage began with the girl -- who died of leukaemia in 2016 -- emerging from behind a pile of wood in a park, as if playing hide-and-seek.

"Mum, where have you been?" she asks. "I've missed you a lot. Have you missed me?"

Tears streaming down her face, Jang Ji-sung reached out towards her, wracked with emotion.

"I have missed you Na-yeon," she told the computer-generated 6-year-old, her hands moving to stroke her hair.

But in the real world, Jang was standing in front of a studio green screen, wearing a virtual reality headset and touch-sensitive gloves, her daughter's ashes in a locket around her neck.

At times the camera cut to Jang's watching husband and their three surviving children, wiping away tears of their own.

A 9-minute clip of the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) documentary "I met you" has been watched more than 13 million times in a week on Youtube.

Many viewers offered Jang their sympathy and support for the concept.

"My mother unexpectedly passed away two years ago and I wish I could meet her through virtual reality," said one.

But media columnist Park Sang-hyun said the documentary amounted to exploitation of personal pain.

"It's understandable a grief-stricken mother would wish to meet her late daughter. I would do the same," he told AFP.

"The problem lies in that the broadcaster has taken advantage of a vulnerable mother who lost a child for sake of the viewer ratings."

"If the mother had been counselled before the filming," he added, "I wonder what kind of a psychiatrist would approve this."

'Happy birthday'

It took eight months of filming and programming to create the virtual Na-yeon, but the makers of the documentary insisted the broadcast was intended to "console the family" rather than promote virtual reality in ultra-wired South Korea.

The technology presented a "new way to keep loved ones in memory," one of the producers told reporters.

Jang herself -- who has her daughter's name and date of birth tattooed on her arm in memory -- hoped the program could "console" others who had lost loved ones.

"Even though it was very brief... I was really happy in the moment," she wrote on her blog, which she has since turned private.

During the broadcast the two sat at a table to celebrate Na-yeon's missing birthdays, singing "happy birthday" together.

Before blowing out the candles, Na-yeon made a birthday wish: "I want my mother to stop crying."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Facebook unveils virtual social space for its Oculus users

SAN FRANCISCO - Facebook said Wednesday it will launch a virtual social community where users of its Oculus headgear can "explore new places" and "create their own new experiences."

The Horizon virtual world set for a beta launch in 2020 represents a new initiative for the Oculus virtual reality unit of the leading social network.

Oculus users will be able to choose an avatar and interact with others in the virtual social community, Facebook said as it opened its Oculus Connect 6 conference.

"Our goal is to put people at the center of computing, not just with great hardware, but with amazing software experiences as well," Facebook said in a statement.

Facebook Horizon will be "a new social experience in VR where you can build your own worlds with easy-to-use tools (no coding skills required)," the company said.

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told the conference, "Because everyone is going to be able to create their own spaces and experiences within it, Horizon is going to have this property where it just grows and expands and gets better and better over time."

Horizon will replace earlier versions of the social VR community Facebook Spaces and Oculus Rooms.

Oculus remains a small part of Facebook's services, with its core social network and other platforms reaching more than two billion people worldwide.

Analysts expect sales of 1.3 million units in 2019 of the Oculus Quest, the headset unveiled last year.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Facebook unveils new VR headset 'Oculus Quest' for $399

Facebook Inc unveiled its new wireless virtual reality headset at a conference on Wednesday and said it plans to start shipping it in spring next year.

Oculus Quest, which comes with touch controllers and does not need a PC to operate, will be priced at $399, according to the company. 

The company also plans to launch more than 50 games for the new headset.

Facebook has invested heavily in VR hardware in hopes the technology, which offers a 360-degree panoramic view of faraway or imaginary spaces, will move from a niche interest to a widely used platform for gaming, communication and business applications.

The social media giant, which bought Oculus in 2014 for $3 billion, had released the Oculus Go VR headset earlier in May, and had priced it at $199. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Japanese engineers develop headset-less VR system

TOKYO - A virtual reality "space ride" in which viewers feel as if they are flying through the air inside a giant glass ball has been developed in Japan.

Unlike conventional VR systems, the "8K:VR Ride" -- which resembles a cross between a theme park ride and a miniature IMAX theater -- does not require users to wear any headgear.

Instead they are placed on two swiveling, elevated chairs just in front of a semi-spherical screen which entirely engulfs their field of vision.

"Unlike the conventional flat screen, you can see images coming closer to you physically in this dome screen," said Makoto Nakahira, an engineer at Wonder Vision Techno Laboratory.

"This is a system in which you can experience visuals that you have never seen before."

The experimental technology was unveiled to Japanese media for the first time on Tuesday before a scheduled showing at Japan's Digital Content Expo 2017 in October.

Its name refers to the screen's super-high definition 8K technology, which is 16 times more detailed than most current HD images.

Wonder Vision co-developed the system with Japan-based NHK Enterprises and NHK Media Technology -- both affiliated with public broadcaster NHK -- and RecoChoku Labo.

The space ride was first showcased at SXSW 2017, a major conference on convergence in the interactive, film and music industries, in Austin, Texas in March.

The system features a hemispherical theater known as Sphere 5.2 -- a screen 5.2 meters (17 feet) wide, 3.4 meters tall and 2.6 meters deep.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Five trends from world's largest mobile phone fair

The phone industry's largest annual trade fair, the Mobile World Congress which wrapped up in Barcelona on Thursday, was dominated by fast-charging phone batteries, virtual reality and connected objects, from toothbrushes to cars.

LONGER LASTING BATTERIES AND FAST CHARGING

 Several phonemakers unveiled new smartphones with batteries that can last longer and be charger faster.

Huawei, the world's third-largest phone maker after Apple and Samsung, said its new flagship device, the P10, features a 40 percent boost in battery life.

The battery also features "super charge" technology that promises a full day charge in just 20 minutes.

Blackberry's new devices, which bring back the brand's iconic physical keyboard, have the brand's biggest-ever batteries. They also feature a "boost mode" that allow you to get a a 50 percent charge in roughly 36 minutes.

DRONES AND ROBOTS

Drones and robots were everywhere at this year's trade show. At Korea Telecom's stand, two robotic arms played the drums, varying the songs throughout the day. Japanese firm Softbank drew crowds with its human-like robot Pepper which can be employed in shops to greet customers and demonstrate products, while Barcelona-based Pal Robotics displayed two humanoid robot models.

The fair set up a special "drone zone" for the first time to demonstrate their use in the delivery of goods to remote areas or aid to farmers by surveying crop growth.

VIRTUAL REALITY

 Virtual reality (VR) headsets were front and centre, in a sign of the importance placed on the technology by the sector.

Samsung unveiled several new innovations including a 360-degree virtual travel app designed to allow people to reminisce about past experiences.

Lithuanian mobile app developers TeleSoftas showcased an app which allows business meetings to be held in virtual reality with avatars representing people in different parts of the globe.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Following on the heels of the success of Amazon.com's Echo, a hands-free speaker with AI-powered virtual assistant Alexa, several firms showcased their own version of the technology.

Sony unveiled a new version of its Xperia Ear earphones which includes a virtual assistant called the Sony Agent.

Both LG and Motorola presented new flagship smartphones that integrated a virtual assistant while Samsung announced that its new high-end phone which will be presented in New York at the end of the month will also have one.

Research firm Garner predicts that by 2019, 20 percent of all our interactions with a smartphone will be carried out via such assistants.

CONNECTED DEVICES

Companies rolled out products based on a future centred on the "internet of things", a network of devices, vehicles and building sensors that collect and exchange data.

Several driverless cars were on display while a small French firm called Kolibree showcased a smart toothbrush that measures how well you brush your teeth and sends the statistics to your smartphone.

An Indian start-up, Lechal, displayed shoes with smart soles which vibrate to guide users to their destination. They work by connecting to the GPS tracker of a user's smartphone.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Virtual assistants expected to top virtual reality in holiday sales

Virtual assistants are set to pummel virtual reality headsets in the fight for consumer dollars this holiday season, while smartwatches drive wearable sales. Drones may fly under the radar, though.

Interviews with nearly two dozen analysts indicate high hopes for holiday electronics sales, but estimates of what will be the hit have changed.

VIRTUAL REALITY

After dubbing virtual reality as the "next mega tech theme" in a May 2015 industry report, brokerage Piper Jaffray will cut its 2016 estimate for sales of VR headsets by 65 percent to 2.2 million units in an as yet unpublished report.

Sales of high-end VR headsets including Facebook Inc's $599 Oculus Rift and Sony Corp.'s $399 PlayStation VR headset altogether will be about 300,000, reflecting supply constraints at Sony and the technological reality of Oculus and HTC Corp's $799 Vive: only about 6 million to 7 million computers globally can run the software, said Paul Lee of Deloitte UK.

"With high-end VR for a family of four one might be looking at $10,000," said Lee.

Samsung Electronics Co.'s under $100 Gear VR headset, which turns a phone into a VR device, will be the volume winner, because it will be given away with phones.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
Two years after Amazon.com Inc introduced the Echo, a $179.99 hands free speaker with AI-powered virtual assistant Alexa, the virtual home assistant category is poised to beat out virtual reality and possibly a few other high tech competitors, according to the Consumer Technology Association.

Oppenheimer analyst Andrew Uerkwitz estimated nearly 10 million to 12 million Amazon Echo and Google Home virtual assistants could sell during the holidays.

"Personal assistants are going to blow VR out of the water," he said.

Google launched its $129 Home assistant in time for the holidays, but the $39.99 price of the Echo Dot-a miniaturized version of the original- and a list of features two years in the making give the Echo the edge this year, said Tractica analyst Mark Beccue.

"I saw one feature in a hackathon where you list items in the fridge then Alexa tells you here's what you can make for dinner tonight," he said.

WEARABLES

The Pebble smartwatch is folding and selling its intellectual property to market leader Fitbit Inc. -- which recently cut its holiday revenue forecast.

Still, the Consumer Technology Association forecasts 12.6 million wearables will be sold this holiday season, thanks largely to Apple Inc.'s Watch, which the industry group expects to chalk up 5.5 million sales.

Fitness devices are losing ground, in market share terms, to multipurpose watches, said Forrester analyst Julie Ask.

DRONES

GoPro Inc. recalled its highly anticipated Karma Drone in November, and industry sales for the year are expected to be 1.2 million, according to the CTA. That is more than double 2015, helped by a wide range of prices, but drones have not broken beyond being a niche product.

"There are plenty of drones that are $100, $150, that would be more in competition with virtual reality than anything else in terms of appeal for the same age groups," said Atherton Research analyst Jean Baptiste Su.

Oppenheimer's Uerkwitz put drones in the same basket as virtual reality, given price and limited use: "probably going to underperform" the competition.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Facebook's Oculus pushes virtual reality with new gear

SAN JOSE - Facebook on Thursday worked to ramp up enthusiasm for its virtual reality line, unveiling new gear including a lower-end wireless headset prototype.

The company's Oculus virtual reality division is set to release in coming months a new "Touch" controller and a more affordable computer for powering virtual experiences using Rift headsets.

"We are here to make virtual reality the next major computing platform," Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg said at the third annual Oculus Connect developers conference in San Jose, California.

Oculus has been dealing with a series of setbacks in the rollout of its VR headgear, including shipping mishaps and a higher-than-anticipated price.

To boost excitement for the headsets Zuckerberg donned one while on stage, virtually traveling with a pair of colleagues to the bottom of a sea and the surface of Mars, pausing in the middle to take a Messenger video call from his wife Priscilla.

The CEO snapped a "selfie" with his wife in the virtual world and posted it in real time to his page at the social network.

Zuckerberg said that Oculus VR -- which Facebook snapped up in 2014 for $2 billion -- has a prototype of a wireless version of Rift that would not need to be plugged into a computer, though he said it was far from consumer-ready.

'BULLISH ON STAND-ALONE'

The mobile VR market currently offers headsets that act as frames into which smartphones can be mounted to serve as screens, available for less than $100.

Rift headgear meanwhile sells for $599, a price that does not include the cost of a computer that can handle the processing and graphics demands of the technology.

Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe did demonstrate an AMD-powered desktop from Cyberpower that can run Rift for $499, half the price of the other high-powered computers needed to handle virtual reality.

But according to Max Cohen, Oculus's head of mobile, wireless is the future. He told AFP that the company sees developing a lower-end wireless headset as integral to expanding virtual reality's availability.

"In the long run, we are bullish on stand-alone," Cohen said.

"There are limitations to mobile, and there will be some people who don't want to buy a PC for virtual reality, no matter how cheap."

Other companies have also announced the development of more affordable headsets that are compatible with smartphones, including Daydream View from Alphabet Inc's Google division.

NOT FEELING LUCKEY

Oculus announced the long-anticipated Oculus Touch controllers -- which will give users "hands" to use in virtual worlds -- will ship worldwide on December 6, going for $199.

The VR company also said it would invest millions of dollars to fund education content, promote diversity in its developer community, and broaden virtual reality content far beyond games.

Zuckerberg said Facebook would invest $250 million in developing content for Oculus VR gear, on top of the $250 million the company has already spent.

Noticeably absent from the OC3 keynote was Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey, who has played a starring role at company events in the past.

Luckey came under fire after he said he donated $10,000 to a political group backing Republican candidate Donald Trump. The organization had claimed responsibility for creating negative social media posts about Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

After word spread, some high-profile video game studios went on record saying that they would not create content for Oculus over the rift.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Facebook adds 360-degree photos to newsfeed

Facebook Inc. on Thursday launched a feature that allows users to upload photos with 360-degree views.

Apart from photos taken from 360-degree cameras, panoramic photos taken on a mobile phone can be converted to a 360-degree view on the newsfeed, the company said on Thursday.

The photos can also be seen in virtual reality compatible devices, Facebook said.

Facebook rolled out a similar service for video last September.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

First in Southeast Asia: ZipMatch makes home buying a virtual reality

MANILA, Philippines - Online real estate marketplace ZipMatch has launched its 360 Virtual Reality service aimed at making the home buying process easier for property seekers and sellers.

As property viewing is an integral step in the home buying process and the use of the Internet and mobile devices is on the rise, ZipMatch decided to launch the 360 Virtual Reality service to give real estate sellers the ability to conduct on-demand viewing of residential projects or model units for interested buyers without having to visit the actual location of the property.

The new technology makes it easier for home buyers to check out real estate projects they are interested in, through the use of a computer or mobile device, as well as a pair of 360 Virtual Reality goggles.

The service is being made available by the startup as a subscription feature under ZipMatch Pro, a full-service technology-based toolbox for brokers, sales agents, developers and real estate sellers.

Using the subscription feature, ZipMatch Pro subscribers can browse, select, and showcase the clear, video-quality moving images of properties in 360 degrees, using a desktop or mobile device by accessing the company’s website ZipMatch.com or mobile app ZipMatch Pro.

To enhance the viewing experience and make home buyers feel as if they are inside the property for sale, brokers can set up the virtual reality access by making use of the ZipMatch 360 Virtual Reality goggles.


ZipMatch co-founder Chow Paredes said during the launch of the virtual reality service the technology not only helps home buyers in their selection of the property, but also caters to real estate professionals seeking to improve their service to customers.

“The mission of ZipMatch is to empower home buyers, right? In the same way, we also aim to empower the seller side of the real estate industry, more specifically our real estate professionals. We believe that our real estate professionals play a pivotal role in creating a healthy, open, sustainable marketplace of well-informed, savvy home seekers. If we raise the bar in terms of service, knowledge, and education, I believe we will be indirectly helping the home buyers by connecting them with well-rounded, real estate sellers who will address their needs and wants,” she said.

ZipMatch is the first company in Southeast Asia to offer virtual reality images of real estate projects for sale.

Following the launch of the new service in the Philippines, ZipMatch is looking to bring the technology to Indonesia within the year.

Founded in 2012, ZipMatch provides property listings and develops technology tools to help speed up the home selling or home buying process.

The startup has received support from Monk’s Hill Ventures, 500 Startups, IMJ Fenox, 500 Startups, Ideaspace Foundation and Hatchd Digital.

Among the startup’s clients are Ayala Land, Anchor Land and Crown Asia Properties.

source: philstar.com

Now in PH: Google-accredited 360-degree camera

With the availability of the virtual reality headsets, experts are predicting that the 360-degree cameras will gain more popularity.

One of the 360-degree cameras that has captured the heart of tech lovers is the Ricoh Theta S, a device which takes both 360-degree videos and images.

First unveiled at an electronics show in Berlin in September 2015, Ricoh Theta S is already available in the Philippines through its local distributor, Super East Asia Enterprises Inc.

Ricoh Theta S is the only 360-degree camera accredited by Google to produce Street View images.

Its features include a 14-megapixel camera with autofocus function and a very bright aperture of F2. It also has 8 gigabytes of internal storage, allowing it to record 37 minutes of video at 1080P. It retails for P19,990.

For more of what Ricoh Theta S offers, a representative of Super East Asia Enterprises Inc. brought one in ANC's "Future Perfect" for review.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Virtual reality app brings crisis zones closer to home

Bombed-out buildings tower overhead, and rubble is piled high in the deserted streets of Syria's onetime economic hub Aleppo. Gunshots can be heard in the distance.

The destruction of four years of civil war is overwhelming -- and then you switch your phone off.

"Welcome to Aleppo" is one of more than a dozen virtual reality videos available on a mobile app launched this month by Los Angeles-based media company RYOT.

The project offers a 360-degree window into the war-torn city, captured with a camera made up of six GoPros, then stitched together to create a full panoramic view of the scene. A Syrian woman narrates a three-minute tour.

Users -- watching on a mobile device or wearing a virtual reality headset -- can shift their viewpoint at will -- looking up, down and even behind them to take in collapsing buildings and ruined streets by moving or tilting their device.

"I've always struggled to show the scale of devastation after a disaster. With virtual reality, you get an opportunity to really see scale and scope," said co-founder Bryn Mooser.

"It brings people directly to far-off places or places in crisis so they can experience firsthand what that looks like."

RYOT's virtual reality app offer viewers a variety of immersive experiences, from post-earthquake Nepal to the US-Mexico border fence, and most recently an up-close look at a migrant camp in Calais, northern France.

Mooser and co-founder David Darg say they hope their virtual reality films will increase awareness and generate money for aid groups working on the ground.

The films include a call for the audience to take action. The Syria film directs users to RYOT.org/Syria, where they can donate to humanitarian organizations.

Oliver Money with the International Rescue Committee, one of the groups linked to the Syria project, said virtual reality could "bridge that divide" between crises and donors.

For IRC and other aid groups, it is a "huge challenge" to keep crises like Syria in the public consciousness, Money said.

"Something that can help bring that home to people in a more immersive way has the potential to be very powerful," Money told AFP.

- VR: fad or here to stay? -

Big-name companies are buying into the power of virtual reality.

Last year, Facebook bought Oculus VR in a deal valued at $2 billion. And the New York Times has released its own virtual reality mobile app, sending more than one million Google Cardboard headsets to subscribers earlier this month.

For a full virtual reality experience, users of VR apps can pair their smartphone with a headset, an option that is more available and affordable than many might think. The Google Cardboard viewers cost as little as $4, and the higher-end Samsung Gear VR is on sale for $99.

RYOT is embracing the technology full-on. Their first effort came six months ago in Nepal. Darg arrived in the country to film less than 48 hours after the quake hit on April 25, with a grapefruit-sized 360-degree camera in his bag.

The resulting four-minute "Nepal Quake Project" was shown at film festivals across the country and helped raise more than $100,000 for humanitarian aid.

"A lot of people took the headset off and were in tears," Darg said.

Darg, who has been responding to disasters for over a decade as a journalist and aid worker, said he thinks virtual reality technology will revolutionize non-fiction storytelling.

"We're able to create that connection in a deeper way, and that is the most exciting thing," Darg said. "Being able to transport someone there -- it's a game-changer."

John Trybus, director of Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communication, says while virtual reality has a lot of potential to enhance storytelling, it may not be ready to go mainstream.

"Sight and sound are some of the most powerful human senses, and this technology activates those like nothing else," Trybus said.

"But it's not ready for prime time as a sustainable engagement strategy just yet. For most organizations, the cost is still prohibitive. It takes a lot of power to do it effectively."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New York Times turns to virtual reality

NEW YORK, United States - The New York Times has taken its first step into virtual reality, launching a new app and distributing a Google cardboard viewer that offers "a new form of story telling."

Subscribers can download the mobile app and use it alone, or enhance the experience by using headphones and the special virtual-reality viewer, which "simulates richly immersive scenes" and offers a 360-degree view.

"This new filmmaking technology enables an uncanny feeling of connection with people whose lives are far from our own," wrote Jake Silverstein, editor of The Times Magazine.

To launch the app, the magazine has profiled three children displaced by war and persecution -- Oleg, 11, from eastern Ukraine, Hana, 12, from Syria and Chuol, 9, from South Sudan. A multimedia documentary includes photos essays, text, and the virtual-reality film.

The Times has produced another virtual-reality film, "Walking New York" in conjunction with French artist JR.

The newspaper said US-based subscribers of its Sunday edition would receive free Google Cardboard VR viewers by November 8, which otherwise can cost around $30.

The app is available for download on iPhone and Android phones.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Self-driving cars headline Tokyo motorshow

Agaw-eksena sa Tokyo motor show ang mga concept cars na eco-friendly at self-driving. Virtual reality naman ang ipinakitang mauuso sa Paris Games Week. Si Lebron James, magkakaroon ng bagong game show. Ang bagong James Bond movie na "Spectre," tumabo agad sa takilya sa opening day sa London. Bandila, October 29, 2015, Huwebes

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Virtual reality to get real at E3 video game show

An attendee tries on the Oculus VR Inc. Rift Development Kit 2 headset at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California, in this file photo. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Files/Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO -- Virtual reality and the battle to stream play online will take center stage at an Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game extravaganza kicking off in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Blockbuster video games will once again be the main event at the industry's biggest trade show, but in the wings attention will go to the promise of stepping into the games virtually and streaming them as spectator sport.

"Like every year, E3 will be about the marquee video game titles that will take the world by storm," TechSavvy analyst Scott Steinberg told AFP on Saturday.

"But, there are side battles going on. YouTube is making a play to be the absolute destination for gamers, but Twitch has a strong position. Of course, you have virtual reality."

Analysts expect this E3 to be a coming-of-age of sorts for virtual reality, which has been around for decades but remained an unfulfilled promise for gamers eager to immerse themselves in fantasy worlds.

Facebook-owned virtual reality firm Oculus has promised hands-on demonstrations of games at E3.

Oculus aimed squarely at video game lovers on Thursday as it unveiled Rift headsets that it will begin selling early next year. However, it did not disclose pricing for Rift, which will come with an Xbox controller due to an alliance with console maker Microsoft.

"There was always this distance between players and the game," said Oculus Studios head Jason Rubin. "Virtual reality lets you step through that window."

Sony's big presence at E3 will include demonstrations on Project Morpheus virtual reality headgear it is readying for market.

"Immersive technologies have a lot more to offer than video games, but it is a great place to start," said Gartner analyst Brian Blau.

"Game developers know how to get people immersed in graphical simulations better than anybody; it is natural to think they will be first in line to create content."

Blau expected the virtual reality market to be fiercely competitive.

YouTube takes on Twitch

Meanwhile Google-owned YouTube will be facing off with Twitch at E3, where it will preview a version of its video-sharing platform tailored for gamers.

YouTube is creating an online arena devoted to video game play, jumping onto a hot "e-sports" trend and challenging leading video game play broadcasting platform Twitch.

YouTube Gaming will debut in Britain and the United States in the coming months, according to product manager Alan Joyce.

"YouTube Gaming is built to be all about your favorite games and gamers, with more videos than anywhere else," Joyce said in a blog post.

Similarly, Amazon-owned Twitch will have a strong presence at E3, with plans to live-stream press conferences, demos and interviews.

Twitch, which was acquired by Amazon last year for $970 million in cash, will augment its English-language broadcast with regionalized shows from partners including Rocket Beans TV in German and Jeuxvideo in French.

San Francisco-based Twitch streams games being played for non-playing viewers to watch and hosts gaming events. It also allows viewers to chat with the players and others, lending it some of the qualities of social networking websites.

Twitch capabilities are built into new-generation Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.

'More ambitious than ever'
US video game titan Bethesda is holding its first-ever major media event late Sunday in the Dolby Theater, best known as the home of the Academy Awards.

Bethesda has promised to show off a keenly-anticipated new installment to the "Fallout" post-apocalyptic action game franchise.

"We know what this game means to everyone," game director Todd Howard said in a release. "The time and technology have allowed us to be more ambitious than ever."

In keeping with years past, the day before E3 officially opens will be packed with theatrical media events revealing scenes from new versions of much-loved games on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or Wii U consoles.

Winning game franchises getting new installments will include Batman, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect and Call of Duty.

"You are going to see more of the same, only better," Steinberg said of game makers' trend towards safe bets on franchises with strong followings.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Technology replacing schmoozing?

ZURICH - No longer is schmoozing over long lunches and fine wines enough; Swiss private bankers are turning to video games and virtual reality to attract a new generation of skeptical clients and see off digital rivals.

Technology is likely to appeal to multi-tasking millionaires with little time to spare. However, wealth managers must also win the trust of younger investors who have experienced two downturns during their formative years plus a furore over Swiss banks' involvement in tax evasion.

In a fifth floor office just off Zurich's main shopping street, researchers at UBS are testing dozens of technologies to see what could make the world's biggest wealth manager more appealing as fortunes pass to the next generation.

"How do you get under the skin of clients today, because they often work on their mobiles and they manage their wealth in their spare time," said Dave Bruno, head of UBS's innovation lab. "It might be in the bathroom, it might be waiting for a flight."

Bruno and his team are designing video games, including a prototype puzzle for iPads and smartphones, and looking at virtual reality simulations to help people visualise what are often complex investment portfolios.

They are also working on technologies that allow clients to log into their accounts using their voice patterns and facial features, doing away with the time consuming and frustrating need to answer security questions.

UBS has opened a second research lab in London and plans another for Singapore later this year. It is also exchanging ideas with financial technology start-ups as well as Google and Amazon.

FACEBOOK, NOT FERRARI

UBS Chief Operating Officer for wealth management Dirk Klee said clients need investment advice and performance. "It's not just being a 'concierge service'," he said.

Many millionaire and billionaire customers, whose ages average more than 65, still welcome the concierge service - such as sorting out the paperwork on their new Ferrari.

But in the next few years private banks must deal increasingly with clients who are perhaps 30 years younger as what is often family wealth passes down to the next generation. These people grew up with the tech bubble bursting around the turn of the century, followed by the 2008 financial crisis.

This is shaking things up at Switzerland's private banks, which are already reeling from a U.S.-led campaign against tax cheats. This has effectively ended the industry's secrecy rules and encouraged publicity-shy customers to withdraw hundreds of billions of francs from Swiss accounts.

Meetings are increasingly held over video links instead of in banks' wood-panelled rooms overlooking Lake Geneva, while clients will look to social networks for investment advice and to compare portfolio performance.

Some of the technology being investigated is less familiar than simple video conferencing. It includes Facebook-owned virtual reality goggles Oculus Rift, which can present clients' portfolios as a city.

"Which pieces of your city are missing? You don't have a water system in place, which might be your investments into a certain area in the alternates market," UBS's Bruno said.

"Your skyscrapers are too tall, you're invested too high here. There are ways to use the new technology to do things in finance that are quite cool and interesting for our business model."

DIGITAL RIVALS

Cool technology notwithstanding, banks still need to get the basics right, according to Felix Wenger, a director at the Zurich office of the McKinsey consulting firm.

"The industry is still in the process of making sure things run smoothly and don't break down," said Wenger, who compared the technology wave in private banking today with the motor industry in the 1950s when it needed to ensure cars ran safely and reliably.

New digital wealth managers, such as British-based Nutmeg and U.S.-based Wealthfront, are keen to play up the trust issue. "Almost universally, every study is showing that investors under 35 have grave mistrust of existing banks and brokerages, and are seeking a solution from the technology industry," Wealthfront Chief Executive Adam Nash said.

Sometimes called "robo advisers", these online services ask customers questions about who they are and what they are saving for, just like conventional advisers, but then they use an algorithm to devise an investment strategy.

Wealthfront, which was launched in 2011, has over $2.4 billion in client assets but it is dwarfed by established private banks where managed assets can top $1 trillion.

While the robo advisers can target people with a minimum to invest of $5,000, many wealthier individuals still want a tailor-made service with a well-established name.

"Trust is the fundamental problem for online players," McKinsey's Wenger said. "You don't wire $1 million to 'onlinewealthmanager.com', but you would to a well-known banking brand."

Ultimately, Klee believes banks which offer added value to clients will survive, just as Internet pages full of medical advice did not make doctors redundant.

"That's what's happening in banking. You need a highly qualified adviser who navigates you through all the data that is available," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LOOK: This GoPro device has 16 cameras

SAN FRANCISCO - Action camera maker GoPro Inc and Google Inc introduced a virtual reality system using 16 cameras and Google software, sending GoPro shares up nearly 7 percent on Thursday.

GoPro's helmet- and body-mounted video cameras are popular with adventure sports enthusiasts, and the new GoPro system will use Google’s new Jump technology to help create a 360 degree view.

Google showed off the GoPro system at its developer conference in San Francisco. It did not say when the system will go on sale.

Google also announced a new Photos app that helps users store and organize their images. Set to be released on Thursday, the app will let users back up and store unlimited photos and videos for free, said Anil Sabharwal, Google’s director of product management.

The app also makes it easy for users to post their photos through social media and messaging services such as Twitter and WhatsApp.

“We firmly believe you should be able to share photos and videos any way you want,” Sabharwal said.

Available on Apple’s iOS system, Google’s Android system and the web, the app automatically organizes photos by the people, places and things depicted and also helps users create collages and movies.

Google shares were nearly unchanged, down 7 cents to $554.18, while GoPro shares rose 6.6 percent to $56.81.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com