Will Oculus Rift ever reach gaming console popularity? Will the trend die in a couple of years?
The virtual reality trend definitely won't die in the next few years, but headsets like Oculus won't be on par in terms of units with gaming consoles. The two tiers of consumer good target fundamentally different markets. Consoles like the PS/2/3/4 and the different iterations of the Xbox have all struck a balance between hardcore gamers and casual gamers. As a result, they have been priced at a price point accessible to most consumers and a very, very large market. Virtual reality headsets like Oculus will cost about the same as the consoles, plus whatever the cost of the digital content, and require a pricey gaming PC to run. Think low-tier Nvidea cards in dual/tri-SLI or a 980s/Titans for 'good' performance, and maybe even Titans in an SLI format for 'great' when VR games start really coming out. That sort of costly set up is directed towards either developers or hardcore gamers. That market is much smaller than that of the consoles. That said, what is likely going to be a bulk of the market is casual VR users. This article (Consumer Virtual Reality market worth $5.2bn by 2018) for a good perspective on what may (or may not) happen. Decently thorough, though I have seen a lot of other estimates on what the market size will be in the next couple years. This article is good for an overview of the VR/AR market: (Quick summary: AR is going to be a lot bigger than VR because it's more compatible with more facets of our lives and both are around to stay.)http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/06...I currently work at a company called FullDive (Virtual Reality for Everyone), targeted towards the more casual users. We are trying to democratize the market, so people won't be relying on pricey setups like those I mentioned above. Our headset is available for pre-order for $29 (FullDive VR Wear + Wand) and our app is currently out on GooglePlay (Android Apps on Google Play). Check us out if your interested and let us know what you think!
What will the next mass market tech innovation be?
I was looking at a Bluetooth ring Instructable this morning, and chuckled because it seems pretty obvious to me that smart jewelry is already becoming the major mass market tech innovation.A watch has been a jewelers piece since its inception, a technological marvel crafted with detail to give the giant water clock's accuracy as a measurement device in wrist or pocket form. A ring that can 3D scan an object, person or room? A necklace that serves as a next gen wearable computer? Ear rings that are Bluetooth wireless headsets. Watches that are interfaces for phones, and are themselves digital computers.I've seen wearable devices for children and babies now. As a child, there were these toys called Wuzzles, stuffed animals made as mixups of two or more animals: a Bee Lion, an elephant kangaroo, etc.Our technological tools are becoming Wuzzles. There's a wearable dress that's been designed to "attack" should someone become too forward. -Imagine a necklace that broadcasts pepper spray in front of and behind a man or woman who is being attacked. (I've not patented this, I can't pursue it right now, but I believe there's a market for it, if someone else hasn't thought of it already)-A wedding ring that doubles as a two way radio to your spouse(friends and family plan? This one is just for us).-A baby's pacifier that takes the child's temperature, and measures pulse-oxygen levels.(Again, a simple idea, I haven't patented, but think is worth doing)-A ring that let's you get a copy of anything you e-sign without sending it through email.-A decal you can wear on your leg during athletic events to help you control your performance.-A hat that can be thrown to your dog, that is a quad copter drone to entertain you bothThese may seem silly, but I think cottage, amusing, or simply off beat items will become the 90 second fads and fashions of the day. Simple enough for a small shop to make a million of them, short iterative runs sold on KickStarter drives, and then the next thing will be 90 seconds away.We have 7.2 billion people to amuse and entertain while we build the next industrial base to reach near earth objects with consistency and ease. Smaller, low power wearables are where we're headed right now.
Will HoloLens from Microsoft face the same destiny of Google Glass?
Microsoft Hololens is the first truly consumer oriented product that is trying to bring augmented reality to the mainstream.People might say the Google 'Glass' is the first augmented reality product . But do you honestly think that people will wear that abomination on their face and walk around in the public, freaking out everyone ? Do you think they like to be called 'Glassholes'?Google Glass was created by Google with the aim of having a product that will be worn by the people all day long. Google lives and breathes on information that is collected when people uses the Google apps . Glass was meant to collect info from a user's POV and this , like Google Street and youtube, is something that was aimed at strengthening the Google experience.But what they didn't forsee was the backlash the product received because of the supposed privacy invasion the product caused . Would you feel comfortable when someone straps a camera to their face and walk around ? NO. This bad publicity Glass received created a first bad impression. This could be a reason why Google removed the Glass from the research labs as they knew the current iteration fo the Glass is not working out as they had planned.Now coming to Hololens.Microsoft hit the nail on its head when they created a product that is not meant to worn on the face throughout the day, unlike how Google marketed the 'Glass' . That product is big , which makes it not suitable for wearing throughout the day. Microsoft made it clear that Hololens is meant to be worn when you require it like when you are working, playing , skyping and watching movies. The intended applications of the product are aimed at specialized functions that mostly happen inside closed rooms in companies, factories, living rooms and game rooms, clearly making sure the product will not be worn in the public . This move makes sure that Hololens users don't get stigmatized by the people , unlike how Glass users were treated.Watch the video and you can see the vision Microsoft has for Hololens.Therefore , Microsoft will not face the same destiny of Google Glass .
What excites you about the future of virtual reality?
Almost everything, honestly. Virtual reality, even with just a headset and headphones, has amazing potential. The Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive are just the tip of the iceberg for what's going to be coming in the next decade or so. Even the Rift has improved massively since the DK1. It provides a true sense of immersion and presence; however, this must be experienced firsthand rather than by word of mouth or text.But in terms of potential, it could do so much, but people will have to adapt to it to get the greatest use. It could be thought of as giving you a direct view into a virtual world, and the things that one could do with such a technology are amazingly powerful.You could go shopping online with friends in a virtual store or mall, if you so desired. Or maybe watch movies on a virtual 50' screen, or go to a concert. There are uses for it that I probably can't imagine, but someone will.