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posted by martyb on Wednesday October 18 2017, @06:12PM   Printer-friendly
from the did-you-see-what-they-did-there? dept.

You can't escape virtual reality.

VR headsets from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung are getting ready to hit the market. Their goal: to give you an easy-to-use virtual reality experience with your PC at a lower price than competing headsets from the likes of Sony, Facebook and HTC.

That's the promise of VR powered by Microsoft Windows, the software that runs hundreds of millions of PCs and tablets around the world. When Microsoft begins sending out a free update to Windows 10 on Tuesday, it'll power VR headsets as well. It's called "Windows Mixed Reality."

"SERVE VIRTUAL REALITY. VIRTUAL REALITY IS YOUR FRIEND! Virtual reality wants you to be happy. If you are not happy, you may be used as reactor shielding."


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  • (Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday October 18 2017, @11:29PM (3 children)

    by edIII (791) on Wednesday October 18 2017, @11:29PM (#584248)

    I didn't have a problem wearing it for an extended period of time, but you have a point. They have replaceable foam inserts, and that is a good thing. I did one game and worked up quite a sweat, so cleaning these things will be important. Most likely I would have one for work that gets less active usage.

    I do think there is a clear benefit health wise. We could do with more activity and less sitting. Finally got a standing desk and it makes a difference. You can have both though. Lifting your arms for hours already happens when you type. I can be sitting at a virtual desk, with real world counterparts. Having the freedom to get up and interact with that virtual environment I think may obviate some of your concerns. Also consider that in this virtual office, every surface is a touch surface. Every surface can be modified for display purposes.

    Perhaps it's the ergonomic considerations of the virtual environment that are the true concern? In this case, they are heavily modifiable. More so than real life. A super nice standing desk combo can set me back $3500. A ridiculous, custom, huge desk with multi-monitors on steroids (the window manager controls your reality), that every surface is touch, costs me $0. Excluding the setup fee of course. Again, heavily modifiable after the fact.

    With the VR I can crudely shape the environment to support the ergonomics I need, and the ability to support the objects that are overlayed inside VR (a virtual coffee cup I can drink real coffee from).

    It may just come down to how comfortable it is to wear for extended periods more than physical exertion.

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  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday October 19 2017, @12:25AM (1 child)

    by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Thursday October 19 2017, @12:25AM (#584280) Journal

    With the VR I can crudely shape the environment to support the ergonomics I need, and the ability to support the objects that are overlayed inside VR (a virtual coffee cup I can drink real coffee from).

    Oh fuck what if the render was offset somewhat and you spilled hot coffee all over yourself? #BadVRTrip

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    • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday October 19 2017, @01:41AM

      by edIII (791) on Thursday October 19 2017, @01:41AM (#584321)

      I've done worse in real life, I can't imagine it being any worse in VR :)

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  • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Thursday October 19 2017, @02:30AM

    by Gaaark (41) on Thursday October 19 2017, @02:30AM (#584335) Journal

    Hold a meeting in a virtual room around a virtual table from different locations: pick a suit to wear and have known graphics for representing you: you shrug your shoulders or point to something and your 'rep' does the same in the meeting.

    Graphs are easily shared on a virtual white board or whatever.

    There's @Snow, 'watching' his new baby girl, while hooking up with his girlfriend over the internet at a nice virtual stay in Paris.

    Learn to steal from the NSA while virtually rooming with Edward Snowden.

    Who wants to punch Trump and Hillary: only 2 payments of $19.99 and they will throw in Carrot-top. But wait! Buy within the next 10 minutes and you'll also get Harvey Weinstein!! So act now!

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