Tag Archives: augmented-reality

Augmented reality and virtual reality have suddenly become more relevant in a world where people can’t meet in person as easily. Devices such as Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 would seem to be in prime position for a key role. Microsoft’s mixed-reality news at its now-virtual annual Build developer conference is, not surprisingly, HoloLens-focused. While the company …

We were late to a Houseparty with my mom, my sister, my niece and nephews. We were all going to talk and play trivia and Pictionary, or whatever the app calls it. We huddled in on the sofa, taking turns. The kids wanted Fortnite trivia, which I was terrible at. I liked the sketching game better. We played rounds of …

Virtual reality got a little more real Thursday, with news that Apple bought the VR streaming sports company NextVR. The California startup is mostly known for partnerships with the NBA and Wimbledon to stream live sports from specialized cameras set up courtside to people’s headsets at home. The effect is meant to make people feel as though they’re sitting in premium seats, …

I never expected that so many people would care about AR animals. Google’s searchable 3D animals, which launched last summer, ended up being being something that tons of people wanted to hear about. I understand why: They’re adorable.  The animals were part of a Google push to make its search engine become an extension of augmented reality. I expected Google …

For the past few years, Google Lens has been expanding its features in an attempt to be the computation camera for your phone. Sometimes it feels like an extension of Google’s camera-based AR applications, but it’s often more practical.  Google’s new Lens update, which works on iOS and Android via the Lens app, can be used to scan text and …

I missed a chance to travel to Disney for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where I was also hoping to get a chance to ride Disney’s new Mickey rollercoaster at Hollywood Studios. My family was planning a trip this year, and it probably won’t happen. With Disney parks still closed and vacations largely abandoned, Disney’s new AR experience within the company’s …

A future world of augmented reality might still be on the horizon, but companies exploring its possibilities have been hit with some challenges in the meantime. Magic Leap, a company that had big consumer aspirations and pivoted to a more business-focused approach last year, has announced a number of layoffs today due to financial strains amid the coronavirus. “To better …

While few actual AR headsets exist at the moment, the race to scan and map the world using AR technology is already heating up. Niantic, maker of Pokemon Go and collaborator with Qualcomm on a future AR headset design, has just acquired a company that enables collaborative AR world maps to be shared. 6D.ai is a company that specializes in …

Some companies are already using Microsoft’s HoloLens headset to video chat with workers in oil fields and on factory floors. Now, Microsoft hopes to expand that by working with another headset company to bring Teams to their devices too. Microsoft said sometime this spring, its Teams software will begin working with devices made by RealWear, a company whose headsets are …

Apple stores outside of China may be closed, while employees work from home as part of self-distancing efforts to stem the coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped the world’s largest consumer electronics company from releasing new products. On Wednesday, Apple introduced an updated iPad Pro tablet and a MacBook Air laptop, both of which are available to order online starting …