Sure, here’s my take on it:
So, uh, welcome back! Here we go again with this week’s rollercoaster of AR/VR tidbits. And hold on a sec, there’s a little freebie nugget at the end, so maybe worth sticking around. Side note, if you missed my chat with the minds behind Animal Company, you should catch it… or don’t, whatever makes you tick. They sprinkle some trade secrets and drop hints about a new game mode. Intriguing, right? Or maybe not.
This Week’s Juicy Headlines
First up, Pico. Yeah, those guys are crafting this new mixed reality gizmo. It’s not the Pico 5—we can forget that. It’s some super light thing called "Swan," linked up to a puck (imagine dragging that around, fun times!). Rumor mill says it’s feather-light—like 100 grams. Toss in hand and eye controls—fancy! And, there’s a chip inside because, well, everything’s got a chip now.
It’s like they peeked at Meta’s game plan because, surprise surprise, Meta’s stirring their own brew with a similar headset ‘n’ puck combo. A Pico move like this is hardly breaking character; they always play tag with Meta. Imagine this slim headset making mixed reality the next big bang. Not holding my breath on this puck thing though—sounds like a drag every time I fiddle with Vision Pro. Anyway, let’s see where this experiment takes us.
Other Stuff You Might Want to Know
Meta’s in the mix, strutting their XR stuff at SIGGRAPH. They’re showcasing these headsets with super-wide FOV. They’ve juiced up some tech-speak with "high-curvature reflective polarizers"—say wha? It’s mind-boggling but cool, I guess. Oh, and they slap on some ridiculous front cameras giving you this mondo view. But like with most R&D theatrics, not sure if this thing’ll ever grace store shelves. Or we’ll just be waiting forever.
And HTC Vive’s up to something shady—cryptic social media post pointing at Taipei 101. Probably their new toy, but who knows? Fingers crossed it’s not another disappointment.
Worth a Quick Mention
So, Brazen Blaze, that 3v3 VR rumble? It just went free-to-play. Nice move to snag more kiddos, but I’m kinda skeptical. Great way to ramp up your fanbase, and by extension, costs. Makes me wonder if it’s sustainable unless Meta props them up. Someone needs to, or it’ll crash and burn.
Alex And The Jets jumped into VR land. It’s about time since Quest 2’s mixed reality, well, kinda flops.
Then there’s Coray Air2 glasses, showing off with this fancy Silicon Carbide tech—what even is that? Weirdly, it’s a Chinese brainchild despite, you know, the US export bans. Ironic, isn’t it?
In the Hands-On Zone
ZD Net mused about Oakley Meta smartglasses. More comfy than Ray-Ban Meta, they say. Take that as you will.
Then, topping off our hot tech concoction, Bigscreen tickled VRChat fans with their purple-flavored headset—comes with virtual goodies too if that’s your jam.
Also, let’s nerd out. Gaussian Splats in VRChat! Not officially supported, but hobbyists fiddled a way in. Love the creativity: people crafting what companies should have already thought of.
Meta’s Cool Gadgetry
Meta’s dropped this ‘Meta Runtime Optimizer,’ a lifeline for Unity devs. Good stuff for squashing bugs in your apps. Compatible with OpenXR, so not just a Meta treasure. Pretty nifty.
And the Venice Immersive lineup is out! 69 projects spanning 27 countries. If XR art is your thing, you’ll want to peek at that.
A Snag from the Military World
Yup, VR is cozying up to military uses. Recent blog post dove into that. Raises eyebrows or insights? You decide.
Game Over? Not Yet! PlayStation’s Summer Bash
PlayStation’s dishing out VR game discounts ‘til July 29th. Deals, folks! Have at it.
And Some Random Slices of Content News
Got concepts from TMNT’s VR game, new additions to Hidden Memories, and a heap of other VR splashes and expansions flung your way. Keep an eye out—some of these pop up pretty soon.
Reviews Roundup
Clone Drone’s throwing a new roguelike twist. Fun, if you got patience.
On a less cheerful note, World War Z VR didn’t wow the critics. Sounds like playing with a bunch of numbskulls and weak zombies.
Jungle Man’s charmingly transforming rooms into jungles. Cute, right?
Table Troopers slaps a modern coat on the Worms formula. Grab a buddy, it’s fun stuff.
Extra Bits & Bobs
Meta’s eyeing the medical scene. Shoes for VR are kicking up funding dust on Kickstarter. And some thought pieces on AI and loneliness. Worth a read? Maybe.
Friends’ News Corner
Guess what? Got a key to Squishies! Dive into wacky puzzle adventures, and yes, it’s free—unless someone beats you to it, then it’s back to the buying board. If you’re in for some XR skill sharpening, check out Dilmer’s now-free courses.
Plus, peep at FM DUO’s camera wizardry. Seriously, 12K filming! That makes reality look boring.
Some Quirky XR Fun
Random funny links. Because why not?
Help Out, If You Can
Before signing off, urging donations for a real cause—help folks affected by the war in Ukraine. Support the Red Cross if you’re able. I’m grateful for everyone supporting my little blog corner, but it’d mean the world if you spare a thought, or a coin, for those in need.
And that’s all spaghetti I’ve got!
