Microsoft aims for a ‘mixed reality’ over a virtual one, opens HoloLens development to third-party partners

Microsoft claims the market for virtual reality devices is forecasted to hit 80 million devices per year by 2020. With almost every single tech company putting out some form of a VR headset or accessory, we don’t think that’s far off. But Microsoft is looking beyond the virtual world and entering what they call a “mixed reality” or the mix between the virtual and augmented reality. How Microsoft wants to do this is by opening up development of HoloLens to third-party companies via the Windows Holographic platform. They want to bring the experience not just to their HoloLens device but to whatever VR or AR or “mixed” device it can be made available. It’s not just for the headsets themselves but even the accessories, displays, or PCs needed to make mixed reality devices come to life.

Think of it a bit like Google’s own Daydream VR platform. And Microsoft aims for its partners—which include Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, HTC, Acer, ASUS, CyberPowerPC, Dell, Falcon Northwest, HP, iBuyPower, Lenovo, and MSI—to “push the limits and create opportunity across the ecosystem.” Of course, this means the platform works with Windows. And don’t be surprised if the consumer version of HoloLens comes from a third-party company. Check out the video above to see how Microsoft thinks this technology can be used in the future.

Source: Microsoft

Acer’s new pro 4K monitor hardly has any bezels

A professional photographer or designer needs a good display that can show color as accurately as possible. And they also need as big a screen real estate as they can have. Enter the Acer BM320. This 32-inch 4K display hardly has any visible bezels on its three sides and it covers a wide range of color gamut. Aside from its 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, the screen covers 100 percent of both the Adobe RGB color gamut and Rec. 709 color gamut. It also covers 90 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Now in terms of color depth, the BM320 is at 10-bit, which is said to be 64 times more color depth than the usual 8-bit monitor.

Acer encourages designers to use multiple monitor setups with the lack of bezels. The monitor also comes with an ergonomic stand that you can tilt, swivel, pivot, as well as adjust the height of.

Source: SlashGear + The Verge

ASUS VR headset spotted at Computex 2016

The big ASUS announcements at Computex 2016 in Taiwan revolve around the ZenFone and the ZenBook. But spotted on the showroom floor are VR headsets the Taiwanese brand didn’t even mention. It seems to be built to go against the Samsung Gear VR but it has a nicer leather strap reminiscent of the ZenWatch and shiny metal-like body. It’s said to be coming next year but not much is known about it. The VR headset is 5.7 inches wide diagonally and is speculated to fit the newly launched ZenFone 3 devices.

Like the Gear VR, it has a touchpad and buttons on the side. And as Gizmodo points out, it looks like ZTE’s own VR headset, which is being made with Google’s Daydream VR platform. We can’t help but wonder if this VR is being developed for said platform. We have to wait a while to find out more about this mysterious VR headset.

Source: Gizmodo