Here are the best tech gifts you can snag for $100 or less
Looking for a great gift for the techie in your life, but don't want to spend a fortune? A Benjamin goes further than you might think. We've scoured the world for the best tech gifts under $100, so whether you're looking for speakers or drones, you won't have to break the bank.
HTC Vive Cosmos hands-on review: Flippin’ genius
HTC wants to make VR a bit more social with its latest Vive Cosmos headset. Featuring an inventive flip-up mechanism and built-in sensors, the Cosmos goes a long way toward making VR more convenient for use in your home. But does this $699 do enough to convince people to jump into VR for the first time?
Digital Trends Live: Google’s assignable reminders, Genesis Mini, and more
On today’s DT Live, we take a look at the biggest trending stories in tech, including Google Assistant’s new assignable reminders, British Airways’ plans to test virtual reality headsets for first-class passengers, Sega's announcement of the Genesis Mini, and DARPA’s new robotics challenge.
British Airways will test virtual reality headsets for first-class passengers
First-class passengers on British Airways will soon get even more perks when the airline begins testing a new virtual headset. For the rest of the year, first-class customers on select international flights can watch in-flight entertainment through custom VR headsets for the eight-hour flight duration.
No Man’s Sky Beyond will add VR support on August 14, and it has a secret
Hello Games will be releasing the next major update for No Man's Sky, called Beyond, on August 14. The update includes a new multiplayer experience as well as virtual reality support on PlayStation 4 and PC. The update is free to all existing players on PS4 , PC, and Xbox One.
HTC Viveport Streaming delivers all-access VR gaming for one monthly fee
HTC wants to make it easierto find and enjoy virtual reality experiences -- including apps and games -- by launching an all-access monthly subscription streaming service called Viveport Streaming. Priced at $13 a month, the service gives you access to a library of more than 2,000 titles made for VR.
Facebook’s ‘brain-computer interface’ could let you type with your mind
Facebook talked a couple of years ago about creating technology that lets you type with your mind. Aimed primarily at patients with speech loss due to paralysis or some other chronic condition, the company recently offered an update on how its ambitious project is progressing.
The Oculus Go, our favorite budget VR headset, is now on sale for even cheaper
Virtual reality has come into its own in recent years, and you no longer have to spend $500 to get a good VR headset. Our favorite budget-friendly unit, the Oculus Go, is now on sale for even cheaper. If you're looking for an affordable way to get into VR, then read on.
Digital Trends Live: Antitrust review of big tech, UPS goes drone, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler is joined by DT senior writer Parker Hall to discuss the biggest trending stories in tech, including the Justice Department’s antitrust review of big tech, UPS goes drone, the original Apollo 11 tapes found, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch, and much more.
HTC Vive Cosmos: Hardware, games, price, release date, and more
The HTC Vive Cosmos headset is a premium VR device equipped with a modular design and ease-of-use when setting up. Here is everything we know about the headset, including its cameras and controllers. A final price point and release date have not yet been revealed, but it will be out in 2019.
Trippy VR demo reads your brain waves to create sleep-inducing visuals
Struggle to get to sleep at night? Researchers in the Exertion Games Lab at Australia’s RMIT University have been experimenting with ways to combine a person’s brain activity with virtual reality headsets to create a kind of VR lullaby machine. Here's how it works -- and what's next.
Apple reportedly canceled development of its augmented reality glasses
Reports have surfaced over the last few months that Apple was working on a pair of augmented reality glasses, but a new report from DigiTimes suggests that instead Apple may have canceled, or at least temporarily suspended, the project. It's now unclear when, or if, Apple will launch AR glasses.
Walmart offers the Oculus Go virtual reality headset with a $30 gift card
If you're looking to step in to the virtual realm, Walmart is running a great deal on the Oculus Go VR headset. Whether you buy 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, you'll get a $30 gift card with your purchase. The Oculus Go is a great entry-level VR headset, and gives you content from over 1,000 apps.
HTC’s Vive Pro Eye, a $1,600 VR headset with eye-tracking, is all business
HTC released its Vive Pro Eye virtual reality headset this week for its U.S. customers. But it’s not really for your average consumer. The Vive Pro Eye is stacked with more business-friendly features than anything else, including eye-tracking technology and heat-mapping.
Apple unveils ARKit 3 for more immersive augmented reality experiences
Apple unveiled ARKit 3, which features intriguing new updates to its augmented reality platform. These include photorealistic rendering, real-time people occlusion, and real-time motion capture. RealityKit and Reality Composer promise to make it easier for developers to create immersive AR experiences.
Volvo wants to use augmented reality tech to help design future cars
Volvo and Finnish tech firm Varjo have developed an augmented reality headset that can be used while driving a real car. Volvo claims this will help speed up the development process of future cars. Digital tools are quickly being adopted by automaker design departments.
Oculus Quest review
The Oculus Quest is the company's latest attempt to bring VR to the masses -- and its best yet, providing an all-in-one, out-of-the-box experience that packages the technology's best elements into an impressive headset aimed at newcomers and seasoned virtual travelers alike.
Google’s new $999 augmented reality smartglasses are ready for business
Google unveiled Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, a new version of its business-focused augmented reality wearable. The company's latest smartglasses ship with a new and faster Qualcomm processor, an updated 8MP camera, safety frames from Smith Optics, and a $999 price tag.
Minecraft Earth hands-on preview: The next big AR craze Is coming
Minecraft Earth is a new mobile augmented reality game from Microsoft that has Pokémon Go dead in its sites. The cute monster collect-them-all started the genre, but Minecraft Earth is about to prove what augmented reality can really do.
New Sony patents could be PlayStation’s answer to Google Stadia
Google Stadia will be attempting to cut into the pie dominated by Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo later this year but one of its competitors may already have an answer for the game streaming platform. A new Sony patent shows what could be the PlayStation spin on streaming.
Nike Fit aims to help you slip into your new sneakers more easily
Nike says a new augmented reality feature for its app should increase the chances of a snug fit for customers buying its shoes online, or even in-store. The process takes less than a minute and involves taking a detailed scan of your feet. Nike Fit launches in the U.S. in July and the following month in Europe.
Google’s ARCore is getting better at tracking moving images
Google has announced a series of updates to ARCore that should make the augmented reality experience a whole lot more fluid. For example, ARCore is getting better at tracking moving images through Augmented Images, plus you'll soon be able to view augmented reality objects directly in Search.
As AR heads to Google search, Lens learns to translate, add tips, and more
Google Lens can soon help you decide what to eat by scanning the menu, then calculate the tip with one look at the receipt. Translation options are also expanding for Lens, while 3D objects and augmented reality tools will be built directly into Google search results, the company announced during I/O.
Minecraft AR teased during Microsoft Build 2019, full reveal arrives on May 17
The Vision Keynote during the first day of Microsoft Build 2019 closed out with a quick teaser of what may a big hit experience for augmented reality. The trailer showed off an upcoming Minecraft AR application that we'll hear more about later this month during the full reveal on May 17.
Oculus Rift S gets a release date, pre-orders are now available
The Oculus Rift S made its debut at the 2019 Game Developers Conference. Oculus's newest VR headset is expected to replace the original Oculus Rift as the company's flagship product. The new headset features a few new improvements and its design is the result of a partnership with Lenovo.
Valve Index VR headset costs $500, but the full bundle will set you back $1,000
Valve is stepping into the VR headset market with the high-end Index, and the company finally revealed the price and release date. The Index can be purchased individually or as part of a couple of bundles that include virtual reality controllers and/or Steam Index base stations.
From Oculus Quest to a Facebook redesign, everything announced at F8 2019
Facebook F8 is finally here, and Facebook has taken the wraps off of a number of new products and services, including a major Facebook redesign, a Messenger desktop app, and more. Here's everything Facebook announced at Facebook F8 2019, its annual developer conference, held on April 30 and May 1.
Google Creative Lab’s new AR experiment helps you learn how to draw
Google's Creative Lab has developed an experiment, called Drawalong AR, that could make it a little easier for aspiring artists to follow YouTube tutorials. The experiment essentially leverages Google's ARCore to create a kind of virtual tracing paper on a phone's display.
The best 360 cameras you can buy
Immersive 360-degree video is still a newcomer, nowhere near as ubiquitous as the like of acton cams. Still though, there are dozens of 360 cameras on the market to choose from. To help you narrow down which one best fits your needs, we've rounded up a collection of our favorite 360 cameras.
Digital Trends Live: Facebook data security, Ubisoft helps Notre Dame, and more
DT Live talks Facebook and Instagram security issues, Ubisoft's plan to help rebuild Notre Dame, the theft of 100 Car2Go vehicles, and more. We are also joined by Emily Teteut of littleBits and Snap the Gap, Jennifer Sendrow of New York Public Radio, and DJ and producer Zeke Thomas
The VR goggles you wear to shoot alien ships is helping Magna design car parts
Canadian automotive supplier Magna has started using virtual reality in its research and development department. The technology helps engineers see what they're working on without making (and, sometimes destroying) a prototype, so it saves time and money. VR also brings international teams closer together.
Sony patent describes glasses with eye tracking for VR headsets
A curious patent from Sony shows off prescription glasses that feature eye-tracking capabilities for a virtual reality headset. The patent also infers that the headset that the glasses are paired with already has eye tracking, deactivating the feature when it senses that these glasses are in use.
Army uses modified Microsoft HoloLens 2 for ‘real-life game of Call of Duty’
The U.S. Army gave CNBC an exclusive look at its modified Microsoft HoloLens 2 augmented reality headset. The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), shows the location of allies and opponents on a map, offers thermal imaging capabilities, and helps soldiers aim by displaying their weapon's reticle.
Nintendo is bringing the latest Zelda and Mario games to its VR headset
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit launches this month and two of the Switch's biggest games, Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, will get free VR support via a software update that goes live a couple of weeks after the VR Kit launch. Odyssey will feature bonus VR levels while BoTW can be played in full.
A Google patent hints at a new attempt at an augmented reality headset
Google may be working on another augmented reality headset. The company was awarded a patent for an augmented reality headset. Unfortunately, the patent isn't entirely specific as to what the headset will look like, but it at least highlights that Google is working on one.
Valve may have accidentally leaked the ship date for its VR headset
Valve published three Index store pages early and, while they featured mostly placeholder text, they revealed the 2019 ship date for the VR HMD. The individual pages show off the Index itself, details on the controllers, and the base station that will track the HMD and controllers.
Nonny de la Peña wants to put virtual reality within Reach
Immersive journalism uses virtual reality to put viewers inside true stories and up close and personal with the subjects. Nonny de la Peña is a pioneer of the medium and hopes to make it more accessible with Reach, her WebVR platform.
Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs brings 3D demolition into your living room
Angry Birds is releasing its next entry in the spring of 2019 with a new spin. Bringing 3D environments and destruction, Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs uses augmented reality to add a new dimension to a classic series. Free-to-play and launching on iOS, pre-orders are available starting March 19.