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Augmented reality done right
Enter the HoloLens – Microsoft’s newest gadget that made me squeal like the nerd that I am when I watched the intro of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace when it came out years ago. (Too bad the movie wasn’t as great as I wanted it to be mostly because of JarJar Binks but that’s for another discussion.) The HoloLens is a wearable device that gives you more than just a HUD, but holographic overlays of whatever is programmed into it. Absorb that for a minute and think of all the times you wished for holograms. The 2Pac hologram back then that we all thought was cool pales in comparison to this one. Are you smiling now? Good, because folks and fellow nerds, it’s about to become a reality.
BY ELI GONZALEZ
The HoloLens
A
few years ago, Google announced a wearable device that would help consumers with everyday tasks like navigation, taking pictures and communicating with peers without even having to take out one’s phone. It was called the Google Glass. It was a device you wear like normal sunglasses but allows you to augment reality with a heads up display or HUD. To some, it was the perfect complement to their lifestyle and the potential was deemed limitless. But it failed. By January 2015, Google had announced it would stop producing Glass prototypes for consumers but would still look into its possible uses. So what went wrong? It wasn’t because it was useless. In fact, I see a lot of ways it can be used. Doctors can review patient records on the fly or during operations. The police and the military can record encounters and later study what went wrong or right, or even see a layout of the building they’re infiltrating. Photojournalists can instantly take photos of moving subjects with a wink. There are other applications but as I see it, most are for professional use. Sounds awesome but only if you’re using it for work. It’s such a shame that Google passed it off as a consumer product for everyday use, because the capabilities of the device gave rise to sensitive issues like security and privacy for instance. Imagine being a lady in a bar and some dude just takes a photo of your cleavage without you even knowing it. No wonder the term “glasshole” was coined. Google clearly had a great intention but they announced it to people without considering the potential damage the Glass’ features can cause. However, Microsoft’s recent announcement of their latest innovation convinces me that wearable augmented reality devices just took a step in the right direction. They listened to what people said about the Glass and didn’t make the same mistake Google did.
For me, the HoloLens is a million times better than Google Glass because Microsoft clearly defined its role. This is a device meant for use indoors to augment your activities at home or in the office. Imagine you’re an architect. You can create scale models that you can zoom in and out of with a few hand gestures and make instant changes without physically building one. Don’t want to miss Game of Thrones because you have to take a bathroom break? Watch the episode while sitting on your throne. The wall becomes the TV! Think how immersive video games could become, with bullets flying right before your eyes, or have NPCs (nonplayable characters) feel like they’re right there beside you. Feeling artistic and want to sculpt? You can do that since you can lock down the piece to an area and walk around it to make modifications then send it to your 3D printer. Oh, and some of you are probably thinking of ways to use this for porn. Admit it. See the difference between this and Glass now? It can do so much more without the privacy and security issues – though there’s a possibility that it could also surface but not on the same scale as Glass. Plus, you’d look like an idiot walking down the street wearing this so keep it at home or at the office.
A gamer playing Minecraft with HoloLens.
Surf the web with the world as your screen.
If you want to get one now, too bad. It won’t be available for a while. No word on the exact launch date or how much damage it’ll cause our wallets just yet but we’ll let you know the moment those are announced. In the meantime, search YouTube for HoloLens demos and feel your jaw drop.
3D renders come to life.
7 of today’s best social apps THE GIST BY ED BIADO
Spring.me – Formerly known as Formspring, the app version of the then-popular website is getting a lot of attention again for having an “older” market than similar question-and-answer services, such as Ask.fm. Commentators say that because it caters to more mature audiences, the conversations are more meaningful and users are less prone to cyberbullying.
There is a whole other world outside Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These three social networking apps are the most popular but it doesn’t mean that they’re the only ones that people use. New services enter the app stores constantly, and we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting (and thriving) ones for you to check out. Spring.me app.
Free – This app has a simple purpose: to let your friends know you’re free to hangout without sounding too desperate. Patterned after status updates found in old IM services like Yahoo Messenger, you have the option to broadcast whether you’re “Going Out,” “Flexible” or “Busy.” The app serves as a middleman so you don’t have to blindly ask people if they’re available to do something with you when you’re bored. Shots – Limiting your uploads to pictures and videos taken by your phone’s front-facing camera, Shots is the true selfie app. It’s like a cross between Instagram and SnapChat, and there’s no room to comment, which the developers say is a way to minimize cyberbullying. But there’s a private chat feature so you can connect with your followers.
Jott – This app is said to be replacing Snapchat among teens. It’s a really nifty tool because it does something that most other messaging apps don’t – it lets you chat with your friends without Internet connection as long as they’re within 100 feet. Jott’s AirChat feature uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios to create a private network of nearby devices. As of June, the three-month-old app reportedly has half a million active users and a million installs. Periscope – The live-steaming app gives everyone the opportunity to easily broadcast their activities without the tedious setup process typical of streaming events. Users, so far, have found a lot of different ways to utilize Periscope – celebrities have used it to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at their lives while reporters have used it for news coverage.
Match – Relaunched last year, the newand-improved Match app takes cues from rival Tinder. Since then, it’s been slowly gaining ground in the app-dating market as it transitions from being a solely web service, thanks in part to celebrity endorsements. (The app is featured prominently in Mariah Carey’s recent music video for the song “Infinity.”)
Moovz – Billed as “the global LGBT social network,” this new platform focuses less on dating and random hookups, and more on building a community. Flirting of course is part of the equation but there are tons of other things you can do on the app, like share stories, receive top news alerts and get to know people all over the world with the same interests.