Firefox adds VR support to its browser tomorrow

It took a bit of time but Mozilla is finally adding virtual reality support to its web browser. The Firefox 55 version will come out tomorrow, August 8^th. This web-based VR on Firefox will come to all Windows users that have HTC Vive or Oculus Rift headset. Mozilla has been working on this for a while with a standard called WebVR, which lets browsers run virtual-reality experiences. It’s already available through Firefox’s pre-release version, Firefox Nightly, as well as limited availability in Servo, a browser engine built by individual developers and sponsored by Mozilla.

Aside from adding VR support, Firefox 55 will add a new tool called Firefox Screenshots. While still in beta when it comes out, this feature will automatically save your screenshots to the cloud and then copies these to your clipboard. These screenshots have an expiration date of two weeks unless you manually set it to last longer.

Source: The Verge

Dell's Alienware 13 is world's first VR-gaming 13-inch laptop

VR gaming is already here and now we have a powerful 13-inch laptop that can slice through immersive VR landscapes, games and experiences.

The new Alienware 13 gains graphics torque from the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-Series family of GPUs allowing gamers to enjoy immersive VR experiences and PC gaming at its highest level of detail. Innovative use of materials makes the new design stronger and more durable than ever before, but also thinner than the previous generation.

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Google opens the door to J.K. Rowling's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Harry Potter fans can now invoke various spells from their Google devices. Taking place decades before Harry Potter first arrives at Hogwarts, “Fantastic Beasts” follows the adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander in a whole new era of the wizarding world — New York in 1926.

If you want to try being a wizard, try casting spells on your Android phone: Just say “Ok Google” followed by “Lumos” or “Nox” to turn your flashlight on and off. Try “Silencio” to silence the ringer and notifications. 

You can also explore the world of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with Google Street View. Visit New York in 1926 as brought to life in the film, as well as the real locations today. Fans can visit MACUSA (Magical Congress of the USA); Steen National Bank, where Newt first meets Jacob Kowalski; the underground speakeasy The Blind Pig; and the magical apartment of Tina and Queenie Goldstein, two of the film’s key characters.

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Reelworld Film Festival expands powerful story telling in VR and Gaming

 

Reelworld Film Festival takes place at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, October 12 to 16, 2016. Now in its 16th year, the Festival not only continues to shine light on some of the most important issues we face globally, but is also moving forward with technology to expand its offerings to the public.

For the first time, Reelworld is including impactful VR and gaming into the fold. By using the latest technology with cutting-edge directors and content creators, the Festival offers different angles to raise awareness of what impacts our lives  through a variety of storytelling platforms.

The Digital Storytelling Zone at the Reelworld Film Fest offers visitors a chance to explore through immersive virtual reality films curated by HuffPost RYOT and  play games for change in the Hand Eye Society video game arcade.

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