For those who are into all things medicine and more there is a new app called ENDOALPHA VR which is free to download on Android and iOS and its pretty cool with interactive VR scenes to boot and lots more. The app is really interesting and offers an insight into Operating Rooms in 360 degrees. It would not be an app for all but its worth checking out what things are like in such environments and its pretty neat and detailed and excellent graphics which make it visually pleasing to check out..
Explore the possibilities of modern operating room design.
You can use this app with all common VR goggles and headsets like Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear and others or just pinch to zoom and pan in 360 degrees.
The app will be updated with new 360 videos, images and even interactive scenarios.
How it Works:
Browse the actual material
Download files for offline viewing
View in 360 degrees
or Enter VR to have the full experience using your VR goggles or headset
Being a huge fan of VR and AR i could not wait to try this headset because simply ZEISS. Any Nokia fan of old and now new once again will understand why and who exactly ZEISS is, We met some of the team at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi which was nice and where we go to know some more about the company.
VR has been quite the last year but seems to be gaining a bit more traction now given the focus is on AR but this head caters for both so its a win win all round.
The first thing to note here is the build quality as a whole,there is many headsets out there that are cheaper but as the saying goes you get what you pay for and this headset comes in at 69.99 and was cheaper over the holiday season and you can still pick one up for free if you buy a Nokia 8. The build quality here all round is robust and will last and it also does not have that generic look we are familiar with seeing these days with companies putting their names on them,this stands out from the rest and it looks good.
Specs
Optics
Innovative optics and precision eyeglass lenses from ZEISS ensure the ultimate immersive visual
experience. The specific optical features are,
• users don’t need to make any mechanical adjustments of the lens position. A large so-called eye-box was designed to cover most of the person’s eye distances. Also even when the headset is not perfectly centered in the face, the user still has a clear image across the entire visible area.
• Eyeglass wearers can wear their eyeglasses under the ZEISS VR ONE Plus.
• The high picture quality is constant all over the visible area. You clearly can read text all over the
visible area.
Field of view
Field of view of approx. 100°
Supported wide range of interpupillary distance (IPD)
53 ~ 77 mm Smartphones supported
Smartphones with display size between 4.7 and 5.5 inches except the LG G4 and SONY XPERIA Z5
Premium. Please note: only compatible with smartphones featuring an accelerometer, gyro and compass. Transparent front shield
Enables the use of smartphone cameras for augmented reality apps.
UNBOXING THE VR ONE PLUS
Setting up.
It’s a simple process you just need your smartphone,there is no adjustment required on the headset itself for the lens,you pop out the tray with a compatible smartphone and away you go I would however keep phones with fingerprint sensors on the front placed to the right as the holder can interfere with the sensor see the image below, Also before use ensure you have the device aligned correctly in the middle you will see two notches,one at the top and bottom and a centre line as you would find on similar headsets of good quality.
After this is all complete you are good to go, ZEISS have a suite of apps available to check out first if you like and they are quite good to get you started if you have not delved into the VR experience yet. You are not confined to just using their own VR apps you can use any VR app from the Play Store or iTunes and if you are familiar with VR and have your own apps already downloaded you can fire away and enjoy the experience.
ZEISS VR ONE Connect also gives you access to a large number of premium VR games on SteamVR with your mobile VR headset. Connect your smartphone to your gaming PC and the two ZEISS VR ONE Connect Bluetooth controllers and experience premium VR games with three degrees of freedom (3DoF) controls.
Maintenance
This will be easy to keep in check for several reasons, its comfortable to wear for long periods so over time you will want to give it a good scrub but you can daily if you feel the need to. The sponge that surrounds the face is detachable which was clever thinking and so is the face mask that the sponge is attached too. This leaves easy access to the lens and surrounding areas to be easily cleaned which again is important especially if you tend to share your headset around.The straps also adjustable and removable and easy to do so can be just taken off.
Controls
There is none. Nope none at all which might seem odd for those familiar with VR headsets but there was no need for them as it focused fine for me on all games I tried the only issue is the lens are not adjustable so for some it might be a problem depending on eyesight but you can like any other VR headset use a bluetooth connected controller if you like this still works as you would expect.
The front of the headset is clear so this allows you to see inside for those techie heads and want to see how things work and not only that it allows the headset to double as an AR tool which is great and the way forward they have future proofed this headset and the AR experience is good you get a cube with the package to test it out.
Overall thoughts
Having tried around 30 headsets now this is one of the better ones in this category their lenses make a difference a big difference and what I expected from ZEISS the price is not bad either so if you want quality you pay for it,the build is great its easy to maintain and comes with a tray that supports much more phones rather than limiting itself to a select few like some companies do. The only thing is the lenses are not adjustable, ZEISS have a content library which is not mature as yet but you can use any app from the respective stores to move along with your experience its pushing toward Gear VR territory but not quite but again its up there for the money and you will enjoy what you can so on such a headset.
Pretty cool looking it is and great to see something different rather than the many generic VR headsets we have out there today, The ZEISS VR One Plus headset has dropped in with thanks to the good guys at ZEISS.
Today we have a quick unboxing and walkaround before we check it out and see how good it is which I am looking forward to, I If you have any questions in the meantime please ask below or on Social Media.
There is several apps you can download on Android and iOS to enjoy the experiences ZEISS have to offer. The VR ONE Plus’ lenses offer a sharp picture over the entire field of view of 100°. No manual adjustments necessary. And it even works for wearers of spectacles. The headset can be purchased HERE
I am not even going to go into this in too much depth because the same problem is persistent here yet again with tonnes of complaints on Amazon and the App stores and all i can say if you have one that works you are very lucky indeed and just like the VR offering I have missed out on games which I really was looking forward to getting stuck into and so where some of my families kids too however this is not going to happened even after three replacements nothing works full stop. I just took out the controller before I wasted my time and yours to see if this worked but nope..
Once again you can see the complaints and details over HERE and its consistent once more but we will show you what you get in the package and what the game is supposed to do below but until we hear back from the company we can do no more and hope to get working units very soon its in their own interest to remedy this big problem and does not bode well with people being left unanswered at at,they ( http://www.vrse-vr.com/) really need to get their finger out . Another example below of the pairing not happening but then a PIN box pops up but nothing of the sort came up on any of our devices used in testing.
What is the game about then anyway?
Step into Batman’s dark reality, determined to thwart The Joker’s latest evil scheme. The fate of Gotham City rests in your hands as you sharpen your skills at Wayne Tech. Ready or not, it’s time to stalk your enemies through dark streets. Use the game’s batarang to take some henchmen down, or drop in close for intense hand-to-hand combat through the Batman-themed controller. Do you have what it takes to become Batman and save the city?
As a fan of VR it has lost growth over the last year but hopefully things will change this year but with the focus more so on AI and machine learning I dont get my hopes up but there is still a keen interest in VR and over the Christmas period I have seen plenty with VR headsets with in my circle of friends and family and being purchased in stores. Argos have sent us this Jurassic World pack to try out which for me is nice as I do happen to like the movie franchise so it will be interesting to see how it complements the films.
UNBOXING
To begin with its a well presented package with plenty of information at hand on the box and nicely illustrated also inside everything is well secured with cardboard compartments so this will keep things as is during transport of the product it will remain secure. Inside you get a generic VR headset which we have covered before a remote control that requires 2 X AAA batteries not included, a cloth, instructions and a baton which the controller fits into and easy to set up you will also require small philips screwdriver to open the battery compartment.
You then will need to download the app and check for compatibility which is for most smartphones both on Android and iOS the list provided on the box is not extensive by any means but covers popular branded handsets, We have tried to test this on a Nokia 8,Samsung S8 and S8 Plus smart phone and others not listed but again this may not have been available at time of printing the package, Any decent Android phone should run this app but anything under the €100 mark may have issues with it as from testing some VR apps in the past such devices could not even load the app or find it in the store.
APP DOWNLOADS
What is the game about.. Escape from Isla Nublar
Return to Isla Nublar for an intense Jurassic World VR gaming adventure. Use the game-themed motion controller to fend off hungry Velociraptors in the jungle or hold off a pursuing T-Rex as you speed towards the Visitor’s Center. Can you complete your mission and make it to the rendezvous point, or will you be devoured by the island’s most dangerous predators?
Set-Up
Once you have installed your batteries and app you may begin.. You will need Bluetooth turned on and will be told so if not to proceed. But here is where it came to an abrupt halt big time disappointment..
Having read up on reviews the same consistent problem came up with no answer nor a reply from them on their app store or Amazon where a raft of reviews come in the same. Even since my own response on Amazon there has been more complaints of the same issue and NO RESPONSE not even on Twitter where I did request some form of feedback.
Hugely disappointed with the lack of support and seeing the amount of complaints and the app has not been updated since September either so be it a control issue or app issue it needs to be addressed immediately . And all of a sudden a stack of reviews are now missing from Amazon including mine and the product has suddenly gone out of stock in some regions There is however some reviews saying all is well but that its in the minority , I would really want to test this in store before handing out your hard earned cash no matter where in the world you buy it..
The past few years have been transformative for enterprise messaging. Organizations across the world are embracing team communication and collaboration platforms such as Flock and realizing efficiency gains. Flock’s CEO Bhavin Turakhia shares his predictions for the year ahead.
Plus, with distributed teams becoming more common, enterprise messengers have become virtual meeting grounds and office spaces for teams everywhere. And with the launch and availability of APIs for almost every service, it’s become much more easier for enterprises to use and customize messaging apps. Bots have also become a key component of messaging platforms – both for personal use and in the enterprise.
All this however, is just the preamble to the sea of change that is upon us. I see the year ahead bringing in even more changes and improvements to the way we communicate and work together.
New technologies – AI, AR, VR and IoT
New technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality and the internet of things promise to usher in new ways of communication in the workplace. Meetings in a virtual room, AI-enabled data analysis within messaging platforms, bots that do more than send notifications, and IoT-based automatic attendance systems – the potential is unlimited.
Customer-centric development
A side-effect of the Uber-isation of apps and services is that customer retention is more important now than ever. Product development is now shifting towards a customer-led approach, where customer feedback is key to the development of new features. Companies are spending more effort on enabling customer success to retain users. This is a trend that will continue to influence the enterprise messaging space in 2018 and beyond. Put simply, customer-centric enterprise messengers are more likely to succeed.
Third-party integrations
Efficiency is a magic word for any enterprise, and one of the ways enterprise messengers are increasing efficiency is by integrating third-party apps and services within the messaging tool. This saves customers the hassle of switching between multiple apps at work, and gives them time that can be put to better use. For example, one of the most popular apps in Flock is Shared To-Dos, which allows users to create and assign tasks to team members, and track their completion. It’s really a simple idea that reduces the usual runaround between a company’s messaging and task management tools, and gives users time to do more.
Custom integrations for enterprises are going to be bigger and better in 2018, giving users more out-of-the-box functionality in their enterprise messaging tools.
Process and workflow automation
SOPs are the daily drivers of almost every function in a business. Consider the processes we follow for expense reimbursements, or for hiring and induction – there is a certain method to the madness, and these processes often require repetitive human intervention at multiple stages. Process and workflow automation aims to solve the problem of repetitive human effort in such use cases.
Enterprise communication platforms that can integrate with existing HR and Finance systems, and automate some processes will lead to jumps in efficiency and productivity for the entire organization.
The adoption of AI and a host of technologies such as AR, VR and IoT, customer-centric development, better third-party integrations and process/workflow automation are key trends to look out for. I expect them to make a big difference to the evolution of enterprise messaging, leading to better communication and collaboration in the workplace.
Ultimately, the best enterprise messengers will adopt these new technologies, making life simpler for teams working on the next great thing.
If you are into all things space there is a new app which allows you Plunge into the Black Hole in Virtual Reality. VR apps have been slow to come this year as I have mentioned before but there is some really nice ones out there now and this is certainly one of them to test out if you are into this kind of thing.
The app is available on both the Play Store and iTunes and its totally free which is an added bonus. Setting up the app is simple like most VR apps and all you need is a compatible VR headset and a decent smartphone to get the better effects, We have tried it on our Nokia 8 and it works perfectly fine and looks good and dont forget to wear a decent pair of earphones or headphones to get that real immersive experience as it makes a big difference.
Check it out below and dont let us spoil you with the details.
QuantaMagazine says..
To experience these mysterious objects up close, Quanta Magazine partnered with Bandwidth Productions to depict a future generation of scientists that sends a fleet of robotic probes to a pair of black holes that are about to merge. After the merger, the probes approach and enter the resulting black hole — visualized with the help of physicists Anthony Aguirre and Duncan Brown and referencing the technically accurate black hole simulations of physicist Andrew Hamilton. You’ll have to download the “Black Hole VR” app to your phone from either the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store to find out what happens next.
VR will be on many people’s shopping list this year even though it has died off somewhat there is still interest and people will be testing this out for the first time too and gift like this would make an ideal stocking filler too if you are stuck for something to purchase for your partner or family member, Menkind UK have sent us over this VIZOR GO VR headset to check out which is a nice package overall and offering a case to protect the unit when not in use and it has a unique way of closing up by folding it to make it space friendly which also comes in its own carry case which is really neat.
Check out the image gallery below and video review and if you have any questions fire away below or hit us up on social media and stay tuned for more news coming your way very soon.
Compact VR and AR headset flattens for portability
96° field of vision with capacitive touch button on Vizor
200g lightweight design with adjustable head straps and lenses
Suitable with most smartphones 4.7 inches to 6” inches
Measures approx. 18cm x 10cm x 4cm
Prepare yourself for an amazing VR experience wherever you are with Vizor Go foldable headset. Suitable for most smartphones, this miniature headset is perfect for VR lovers who don’t want a huge bulky headset taking up all their space.
Of late the VR scene has died and people are more so focused now on AR which is a different approach but one which requires no headset or cardboard stuck to your bonce but they are very useful ideas and its a shame to see the VR interest dive so much over the last year and being a huge fan of it I hope it turns around, There is though some things going on and its in a good sector to and moving away from the norm. Science and health is a great place to apply both VR and AR and this T-shirt does this and all you need is your smart phone and if you have a VR headset its an added bonus for a much closer look at things.
UNBOXING AND FIRST LOOK
What I really like about this is its simplicity and how much your child and you can learn with just a t-shirt, Yeah a t-shirt, and a smart phone which every household would have these days. It’s also simple to set up and better again it can be shared to a large audience for free which is cost-effective for the masses.I have tested a unique VR headset which was primarily aimed at the classroom before but this cost money and each child had to have the same equipment and that was some 250 quid where this t-shirt is buttons compared to cost.
Once you download the app you just go through some simple set-up processes as you would do and its point at the t-shirt and let the magic happen its that simple. You can wear the t-shirt or your child or place it on a doll or bear should neither want to wear it to begin with to get the workings of it going but its really straight forward as seen in videos above and below..
To simply point your device at an object and get the anatomical working of the human body right there on your phone is quite unreal and it shows how far things have come over the years and its not done in a gorey fashion either as one might think. Its really enjoyable and fun to watch and also educational for any age,not just kids and as mentioned above you can get in deeper by using a VR headset or cardboard offering and jump in deeper and there is a friendly voice over to describe what is going on too which makes it really relaxing and enjoyable.
Compatibility
iPhone 5s, 6, 6s, 7 or later. iPad 3 (2012) or later. iPad Mini 4 (2015) or later. Samsung Galaxy S5 or later. Note5 or later. A3 or later. J3 or later. Tab A, Tab E, Tab S, Tab Pro. Huawei Honor 6 or later. Mate 7 or later. G7 or later. P6 or later. Nova. Google Pixel. HTC U and One. LG Q, G3 or later. Motorola Droid Turbo, Moto X, G, M, Z, E4 or later. Sony Xperia Z3 or later. M4 or later. C4 or later. E5 or later.
The Virtuali-Tee, the AR t-shirt that retails for £25 ($29)
On launch Ed Barton, CEO & Co-Founder said
“We’re super excited to get this product out to the public at scale and continue our pursuit of bringing magic and wonder into the world around us, literally bringing learning to life. It’s an incredibly exciting time for AR and Mixed Reality and we’re excited to be at the forefront of making these technologies accessible to everybody,”
The new investment has allowed Curiscope to launch The Virtuali-Tee globally and develop further product lines across AR and VR. With the launch of IOS11 and ARKit by Apple, bringing positional AR to over 200m devices, a number of new products will be announced across the final quarter of 2017, further cementing the position of Curiscope as leading innovators in the mixed reality space.
