Apple is set to unveil a virtual reality headset at WWDC today. The result of seven years of development, the headset signifies Apple's ambitious foray into the AR/VR market, a sector where the pioneers have arrows in their backs. Continue Reading →

How many avatars will I need?

Greetings from LGA Terminal C, Gate 63. I'm on my way to Syracuse University to teach my class IRL (as opposed to on Zoom). While walking the mile and a half to the gate, I imagined my avatar doing this same walk in a virtual world. Or, more succinctly, I imagined my physical self walking through a mixed reality airport experience. Continue Reading →

Now Hear This

The F.D.A. has cleared a path for hearing aids to be sold over the counter. Today, buying a hearing aid requires a trip to an audiologist, hearing tests, and a prescription, followed by a huge expense not covered by insurance. This is set to change as soon as October. Continue Reading →
Meta (the company formerly known as Facebook) has confirmed that it is inflating the price of Quest 2 VR headsets by $100 on August 1. As far as I can tell, you can still find both models at the lower prices, but time is running out and the price to enter the observable Zuckerverse will soon inflate. Continue Reading →

Facebook is Now Meta

Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook will now be known as Meta. He is still chairman and CEO and still holds majority voting power. The corporate structure remains intact, and no changes in senior leadership were announced. Regardless of its name, the company will continue to serve roughly three out of four people who have access to the internet, and its revenue will still exceed $86 billion annually. With that in mind, here's the metadata about the Meta announcement. Continue Reading →

What is the Metaverse?

The metaverse is all the rage right now. Facebook believes so heavily in the metaverse that it plans to rename itself to tie into its metaverse-based future. Shelly Palmer talks with Bianca Peters and Raegan Medgie about what the metaverse is -- and why you should care. Continue Reading →
Facebook AI has announced Ego4D, a project that is trying to give AI the ability to understand and interact with the world from a first-person perspective (the way that humans do). AI typically learns from photos and videos captured in third-person, but next-generation AI will need to learn from videos that show the world from the center of action. Continue Reading →