The big news this week was the puzzling HTC Flow, best described as a VR device for people who don’t like VR. Also, version control software just made a former Hall of Famer (more of) a multimillionaire. Let’s dig in!
HTC Flow announced
On Thursday, HTC announced their new headset, the Flow. A light-weight, semi-stand-alone-but-somehow-still-tethered 6DOF VR headset that falls somewhere closer to the Oculus Go than the Oculus Quest, except this time your phone is the controller. HTC’s marketing has leaned heavily on selling this as a device to promote wellness, featuring images of people sitting still as opposed to moving around, and focusing on using the device to meditate, unwind, view ASMR videos, or just watch TV.
Let’s start with the good parts…
Perhaps the most impressive feature is the weight, just 189 grams, putting it at 1/3rd of the weight of the Quest 2 headset. (To put this in perspective, this is slightly over 4oz, about the weight of a typical smartphone). Because of this light weight, the device does not require extensive head gear and straps, resulting in a form factor that more resembles oversized sunglasses rather than a VR headset. Reviewers report that they did not experience the fatigue they normally feel when wearing traditional headsets.
Also appreciated is the 6DOF, with inside-out tracking powered by two onboard cameras hidden beneath the mirrored “lenses”. One of the most frustrating aspects of the Oculus Go was the limitation of only tracking rotation and not position, resulting in an often unsettling and immersion breaking feeling from a lack of true parallax.
Next, the Flow features diopter lenses, allowing users to adjust the focus length of their lenses, to accommodate users who would otherwise have to wear glasses with the device.
Finally, Bluetooth pairing with your smartphone allows for sharing and casting from your apps, which is a step up from what Go was capable of, making it an improved “personal cinema” device and allowing you to use your phone without removing the headset. HTC is also offering a Flow-compatible library of applications and content, albeit for a subscription fee of $6/mo.
On to the not so good parts…
To achieve that light-weight design many compromises were made, and the most notable is power. The Flow’s on-board battery is incredibly small, meant to keep the device running only for a few minutes if the user has to switch power sources. This means that users must be connected to a power source at nearly all times, either by plugging into an outlet or a portable battery. (It does not appear that an external battery is included with the device.)
As for specifications, the Flow features about ~100 degree Field of View and 75Hz refresh rate (putting it slightly below the power and visuals of the Quest 1). While HTC has not announced what hardware is operating inside of this, analysts estimate this is probably a similar chipset to the Quest 1. This is a device for lightweight content only, a more passive and steady VR experience like streaming videos and meditating. Only the most casual of games is likely to be supported here.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this device, and the one that makes it feel the most like the now-outdated Oculus Go, are the controls. The Flow pairs with a user’s smartphone, allowing them to control the experience via a companion app. The result is a very simple 3DOF laserpointer + touchpad device. Even worse, the Flow only support Android devices at the moment, meaning that iPhone users are currently out of luck. HTC has suggested that hand-tracking will be coming in a future release, but in the meantime this is a severely limiting factor.
So who is this device for?
That’s… a good question. HTC is marketing this as a device for meditation and wellness, and simple entertainment. Perhaps they have discovered an untapped niche market that has been missed by current devices? Many reviewers noted that this feels targeted towards an older clientele who are less technically inclined and looking for a more passive VR experience. A few have referred to this as a “boomer” headset, much in the same way that the Wii found a home outside of the traditional gamer market. On the other hand… many aspects of this, especially the power cable, the smartphone integration, the price ($500) and the Android-only limitation may still present too many barriers to entry.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/14/22713276/htc-vive-flow-vr-headset-launch-price-hands-on
Facebook Reality Labs takes a little poke
You would think after last week that Facebook would be taking a little time away from social media, but on Wednesday the head of the Facebook Reality Lab teased that they too have been working on a slim VR concept. The timing of this, coming one day before HTC’s announcement, was clearly a message for HTC to not get too comfy in that market space.
https://uploadvr.com/facebooks-future-cto-slim-concept/
GitLab goes public
GitLab (GTLB) the code-sharing “software-as-a-service” (SaaS) company went public on Thursday, trading on the NASDAQ exchange. GitLab is a competitor to GitHub (which is now owned by Microsoft), as well as other similar companies such as Atlassian (makers of BitBucket and JIRA).
The company debuted at $77 per share, far above the initial expected price range of $55-60. By the end of the day, the stock had risen to just under $104, for a one day increase of 35%.
Amongst the big winners in this IPO is NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana, who was an early investor in the company. His original $100,000 investment (plus some additional rounds of funding) put his shares at an estimated value of $42 million dollars at the start of the day (and another $15 million by the end of the day)
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/13/joe-montana-prepares-for-biggest-venture-win-as-gitlab-goes-ipo.html
EA removes Jon Gruden from Madden 22
In the wake of the scandal and subsequent resignation of Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden, EA has announced that they will be removing his likeness from the game, and replacing him with a “generic likeness” instead. Gruden won’t be the first removed character from the franchise, the company had previously removed Aaron Hernandez and Ray Rice after their legal troubles. Gruden won’t be the only generic coach either, as Bill Belichick continues to refuse to lend his likeness to the game and is replaced with the generic “New England Coach” character. Likeness rights for the game are negotiated with the player’s union and coaches’ association, of which Belichick is not a member.
Still looking for a PS5?
The Playstation 5 has been out for almost a year, and are still notoriously difficult to find in-stock. Sony is addressing this problem head on by offering players an opportunity to sign up to purchase a console directly from the company. The only requirement to sign up is a Playstation ID. Sony points out that this is not a guarantee that one will be available, and the purchase window when you are selected will be time limited.
https://www.polygon.com/22726614/ps5-buy-sony-ps-direct-restock