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So, here I am, writing this thing while everyone else is chilling out for the 1st of May. Yeah, a day for workers, and I’m… working. Go figure. Normally, I’d send this newsletter earlier, but life happens—or procrastination, hard to tell sometimes. Anyway, let’s dive into the updates. If you’re among the lucky ones with some downtime, congrats, enjoy it! Oh, and if you’re gaming, snag a free Harpagun copy from today’s giveaway. Just sayin’.
Big Headlines this Week
Meta’s Still Tinkering with Ray-Ban Glasses
Meta’s on a mission with those Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Seriously, they’ve got a flurry of updates:
- Now you can get live translations in English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Clearly, French and Italian are in the mix ‘cause Essilor-Luxottica’s involved. Makes sense, right?
- Meta’s AI is making waves in the UK and Europe too. Privacy issues? Pfft, all sorted now. Europe’s getting the whole kit and caboodle.
- Soon, these glasses will do Instagram calls. What’s next, cooking?
- Oh, and they’ve tweaked the Skyler design—like three new versions. Seems they’re going global, popping up in places like Mexico and the UAE.
Meta’s betting big on these glasses. We’ll see if they catch on or just fade like last season’s fad.
Other Noteworthy Tidbits
Scooping Up Refurbished Quest 3S – Bargain Alert
So, Meta’s dishing out refurbished Quest 3S headsets for just $270. That’s a steal, even if the Batman game isn’t bundled. Reliable gadgets, same warranty, minus some extras—it’s the trade-off. People are likely to snap those up fast.
BigScreen’s Delay Drama
BigScreen Beyond 2 shipments are on hold till June. And why? Well, they made a snafu with some PCBs. Instead of tossing glitchy gear, they’re remaking everything. Kudos for prioritizing quality, though. They’ve gotta be burning money like crazy, but hey, sometimes ya gotta take one for the team.
Wait, Italy’s Into the Metaverse Now?
My homeland’s apparently strategizing AR/VR tech. Honored, right? Well, read their doc, and it feels like ChatGPT did the writing after too much espresso. Claims about AR/VR starting in ‘92? Hilarious! Pretty sure I saw folks dabbling in the 80s. Maybe it’s all been a dream, or I’m deep in Matrix territory. It’s comedic gold, trust me.
Quick Hits
Windows Gets a Spacetop Twist
Remember Spacetop, those AR glasses? Well, now they’re pivoting to software. Compatible with Windows tablets (with fancy chipsets). Could get interesting if it overcomes AR’s limited field of view. I’m kinda curious how it’ll pan out.
Varjo Upgrades Teleport
Varjo spiced up its Teleport feature. Now, any camera—drones or smartphones—can create stunning virtual landscapes. Plus, they’re offering a free plan to sample the goods before diving in financially. Smart move.
Quest 3 Gets Room Smarts
Someone’s rigged up real-time room meshing on Quest 3. It’s not standard yet but helps merge real with virtual worlds. Saw a video—super cool stuff for spatial awareness.
New Insta360 X5 Now Out
Insta360 dropped the X5, stepping up from their X4. It shoots in 8K and has some HDR bells and whistles. At $550, it seems tempting for high-quality 360° vids.
Offbeat Musings
The Elders Scrolls IV: Oblivion is back, all fancy and remastered! Folks are playing it in VR. Then there’s Ghost Town, a puzzler earning rave reviews. If you’re a VR puzzle fan, check it. It’s on Quest now, coming to other platforms soon.
A bunch of other VR updates too—DLCs, game releases. Vertigo 2’s new chapter is dropping, and Final Fury’s hitting Quest and PC VR. Lots happening, really.
Small Bytes
- Google’s I/O Conference is spotlighting some XR adventures.
- Meta’s laid-off crew amid restructuring—reality bites, huh?
- New startup Cire Games gets Meta’s backing… interesting times.
- Oh, and there’s more happening with large-scale VR setups, too.
Friend Zone
A podcast called Portal to the Next Stage has been launched by XR creator Kiira Benz. Think deep dives into XR’s future with notable guests. Give it a listen on Spotify or YouTube—worth your time if you dig immersiveness.
And a shoutout to all the patrons and supporters out there! Your backing keeps the wheels turning.
Random Fun
Creed VR’s devs apparently had a monitor graveyard—a testament to thrilling physics play? Love those funny tidbits.
Good Deeds
Instead of pitching for blog donations, consider supporting the Red Cross efforts in crisis areas like Ukraine. Link down below if you’re feeling generous.
(Header pic courtesy of Meta)
