Sure, here you go:
Hey! So, here’s a bunch of AR/VR stuff from this week. I mean, last week was okay, but this one’s really got some gems, you know? Oh, and I’ve got this cool giveaway tidbit too. It might be worth sticking around for that. Also, if you skipped out on my chat with the folks behind Animal Company, it’s not too late. Loads of juicy details on crafting a killer XR game inside it and a hint at some new game mode they’re cooking up.
Major Headlines This Week
Saw an image of a Pico headset, courtesy of Pico, and thought, what are they up to now?
Pico’s New Mixed Reality Gizmo
So, here’s the scoop. Bytedance, the brains behind Pico, ditched whatever the Pico 5 was supposed to be and are hatching something new. They’re calling it “Swan” — a mixed reality thingamajig tethered to what they’re dubbing a "computational puck." Super light, like 100 grams or so, using hand and eye inputs. And they’re crafting some fancy chips that sound a bit like Apple’s R1. If you’re getting Meta vibes here, well, you’re not alone. Meta’s doing a similar jig with its own lightweight gear. Anyway, misguided puck concerns aside — I don’t trust ’em — we’ll see what kind of splash these make when they finally surface.
More details on the road somewhere (check out Road To VR or Upload VR if you’re digging deeper).
Miscellaneous Buzz
Meta’s showing off some wild headset prototypes: broad field of vision and bunches of fancy-sounding tech stuff. Something about polarizers? No idea what they do, but sounds high-tech. Moving on.
HTC Vive Teasing Mysteries
HTC’s got this cryptic message up. Something’s dropping at these coordinates — save you a trip to Google Maps, it’s the Taipei 101 skyscraper. HTC’s home turf. What are they launching? Who knows at this point? Some guesses in the tech rumor mill: could be a headset, software, or anything too futuristic for my guesses.
Quick Mentions
Brazen Blaze’s VR brawler game just went free-to-play. It’s a thing now — kids want free stuff, and honestly, with tons of them in VR, who’s surprised? Free games traction is another thing, though. I mean, easy to play doesn’t always mean easy money. Here’s hoping the game scales up rather than flounders.
Alex And The Jets – Now With VR!
Mixed reality game’s slipping into VR mode, probably ’cause Quest 2 users need more VR love due to mediocre mixed reality experiences. Mixed reality hype might be on pause since some headsets aren’t selling like hotcakes.
Oh, Coray Air2 Glasses!
Some tech magic here—Coray’s Air2 glasses using shiny Silicon Carbide are on the block. Funny, right? A Chinese brand — despite all the trade stuff going on. Priced at roughly 700 bucks. But I’d tread lightly; hands-on reviews are AWOL.
Oakley Meta Smartglasses – First Impressions
ZD Net’s review favored Oakley’s latest smartglasses over the Ray-Bans — comfy and better picture quality.
BigScreen’s Special VRChat Headset
BigScreen’s stocked with a “VRChat Edition” headset. It’s purple and includes special VRChat digital items. Quite a treat if VRChat’s your jam.
Glimpses into Fun XR Titles
New game teases: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Frost Survival VR, Pirate adventures, and oh — not forgetting some quirky mixes like Bow Course and a first look at the Warp: Cephisso!
Clone Drone Skyscraper Update
Huge update for Clone Drone with a roguelike twist. And, with World War Z VR reviews? Let’s just say… meh vibes.
Wild Tidbits
Meta’s eyeing the Medical domain, FreeAim VR shoes hit their Kickstarter target, and Varjo’s taking a break from Aero and XR-3 headsets support. Oh, maybe we can solve loneliness with AI? New Yorker thinks so. Food for thought.
Stuff From Buddies
Squishies alert—grab a free key for some playful puzzle adventures, and hey, if you’re keen on VR creation, Dilmer just tossed all his courses online for zip. Also, meet the FM DUO camera which pushes VR filming up a notch with 12K recording. Well, that’s something.
A Smidge of XR Humor
Links… um, probably not helpful, but maybe a laugh or two? If Indiana Jones fans made VR, this might be it. Maybe.
Give a Little
Like last week, instead of pitching my blog, let’s think about those in Ukraine. I’ll point you to the Red Cross link. And big love to my top-tier Patrons — you keep the wheels turning.
Check out the Red Cross here: Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(HTC Vive image gave us the nod for the header!)
Got ads running in this blog (yes, I survive on those affiliate links). You dive deeper; I get a tiny cheer. Hip hip!
Share this chaos with real-world transformers!
Related articles dive in… somewhere in here.
