Tag Archives: microsoft

The Oculus Rift, Facebook’s PC-based VR system, has great controllers but it lacks the stand-up camera sensors it needs to work in a full room like a holodeck, like its rival the HTC Vive. That sounds like it’s changing next year with a “Santa Cruz” Rift model that will leave those sensors behind. It was announced in …

Are you going to buy a virtual reality headset? Seriously. Are you? I’m not the only one who wants to know. The VR industry is having an awkward moment. Though headset makers have spent years and billions of dollars promising world-changing technology, relatively few of us have actually lined up to buy them. That sales problem is likely to be …

Bill Gates has given up his Windows phone. HP is pulling production of its flagship Windows handset. Now Microsoft has finally seen the writing on the wall — there aren’t enough people using Windows 10 Mobile or enough apps to make it viable. Corporate vice president of Windows 10 and head of Microsoft’s “PC-Tablet-Phone” division, Joe Belfiore, said on Twitter Sunday …

Trying to get tickets for a sell-out production at London’s National Theatre is difficult enough at the best of times, but if you’re hard of hearing, it’s trickier still. Not only must you book tickets for one of a small handful of “captioned” shows, but you must also try to secure the seats in the part of the auditorium that …

Apple‘s new phone software means your photos take up half the space they used to, and that’s great. But it also can bring some complications.  Good news: New tools are emerging to help you avoid the hassles — and to take better advantage of the change. The new photo compression technology comes with the HEIC image format Apple built into …

If you’re a Windows PC user looking for a new browser for your iOS or Android device, you might give the new mobile version of Microsoft‘s Edge browser a try. Available today in preview for Windows Insiders — enroll here — the new version of Edge promises some quality of life benefits if you also use Edge on your PC. Among the …

You know Galaxy. Now, meet Odyssey: This image is official, unlike the product page images that leaked this morning. Microsoft Samsung has a new VR headset, but it’s designed for your Windows PC. It could, however, be the best hardware of the holidays, if you’re okay with using Windows Mixed Reality (Microsoft’s name for its upcoming Windows VR platform) as …

Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that’s taken over our lives. So very modern. A lot of hand sanitizer. screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET It’s been a source of torture for some time now. Yes, just like watching Derek Jeter’s smuggish expression when the New York Yankees used to win. Wait, what I am talking about? Whether …

Let’s have a moment of silence for Groove, the music service that Microsoft just announced will go silent at the end of 2017. Now let’s get practical. If you purchased any songs or albums from Groove, you’ll want to download them before Microsoft pulls the plug. You’ve got plenty of time, obviously, but you might as well get the job …

It’s been a crazy summer for fans of AltspaceVR, the social network that lets you hang out and watch events in virtual reality. The company behind the service first announced its closure in July, its revival in August and, now, a new owner in Microsoft in a deal announced Tuesday. The service has previously hosted events including presidential debates and concerts, and …