philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

The creepy, inescapable advertisements that could define virtual reality

Six of YouTube’s 10 most-viewed 360-degree videos over the last year promoted movies, events or other business ventures; the most popular, with more than 35 million views, advertised a “virtual reality raid” for mobile game Clash of Clans. (The other top videos featured mid-air stunts and women in skimpy clothes.)

Advertising could likely, as in TV and on the Web, form the financial backbone of VR’s universe, and the technology’s dazzling visuals, boundless worlds and captive goggles-wearing clientele have turned what once seemed like a passing fad into an advertisers’ dream.

But that rush into VR ads and 360-degree videos — their less-involved technological cousins — means advertisers will likely define the platform before it hits mainstream audiences, much in the same way pop-up ads shaped the early Web, analysts said. And because the tech is still in its infancy, advertisers see few limits to their ambitions: What, for instance, will product placement look like when entire worlds are up for grabs?

See the full story here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/03/10/the-creepy-inescapable-advertisements-that-could-define-virtual-reality/

Virtual Reality Film House Penrose Studios Raises $8.5 Million

[Philip Lelyveld comment: This is interesting because it is money to create content and advance our understanding of the language of the new medium; not for the standard hardware/software/service/platform play.]

Penrose Studios, the virtual reality media company created by the co-founder of Oculus Story Studios Eugene Chung, has raised $8.5 million from multiple investors, including Accelerate-IT Ventures, TransLink Capital, Suffolk Equity and 8 Angel. It’s the company’s first funding round.

Chung says the money will be used to do the same kinds of things most startups do: add to its headcount and invest in more projects. Penrose specializes in virtual reality films, what Chung refers to as VR “worlds,” and to date it’s only produced two of them (that we know of publicly, that is). The first was “The Rose and I,” which the company showed off last month at Sundance. The second is called Allumette, a short film still in the works that the company is producing for the Tribeca Film Festival in April.

See the full story here: http://recode.net/2016/03/10/virtual-reality-film-house-penrose-studios-raises-8-5-million/

Immersv Launches Video Advertising Platform for Virtual Reality Apps

Immersv ad units respond to the gaze: Look at them long enough, and you’ll be taken to a virtual movie theater where you got to see video ads for other VR games and experiences. Users also have the option to go to the VR platform’s app store to download the advertised app right away, all without ever taking off their headset.

“Advertising in VR is still in its very nascent stages, but based on the early consumer response to our ad units, it is clear that VR-based video ads work extremely well,” Immersv co-founder and CEO Mihir Shah told Variety. The company has seen completion rates of 80 percent — about double of what you’d see for regular mobile ads, he said.

Shah and his team know a bit about the world of mobile advertising.  Many of them come from Tapjoy, a mobile advertising company that’s being used by more than 10,000 mobile apps.

See the full story here: http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/immersv-vr-video-advertising-platform-1201726878/

Scoble leaving Rackspace to join Upload VR

Today I’m announcing that I’m leaving Rackspace to join Upload VR http://uploadvr.com/ — a new media site covering virtual and augmented reality -- as its entrepreneur in residence, where I’ll be developing new shows, events, and working with other entrepreneurs in the Upload Collective, a coworking space for virtual reality-focused startups. In particular working with Upload’s cofounders Will Mason and Taylor Freeman.

Virtual Reality Cinema is (kind of) here

The Virtual Reality Cinema, which is now open in Amsterdam, will be the world's first permanent VR cinema. If such a thing can really exist. The set up will involve a space for up to 50 people to sit on swivel chairs, wearing Samsung Gear VR headsets and Sennheiser HD 201 headphones.

Tickets cost €12.50 and get visitors 35 minutes of VR content, though we're not sure what the initial selection will be or how often that will change. Tickets are now available on the site for half an hour slots from 3pm to 11pm and can be booked until the end of March.

In theory, spaces such as this can be used to test new VR work and preview animated shorts, interactive TV series and more before they are made available - free or paid for - via a VR platform.

See the full story here: http://www.wareable.com/vr/virtual-reality-cinema-amsterdam-2426

Intel Acquires Israeli Virtual Reality Startup

 Intel Corp. said Wednesday that it had agreed to acquire Replay Technologies, an Israeli virtual-reality startup specializing in the digitization of sports, a business the Silicon Valley giant is eager to grow.

Replay Technologies’ proprietary format uses high-resolution cameras and computer-intensive graphics to let viewers see and experience sporting events from any angle, according to Intel.

See the full story here: http://www.wsj.com/articles/intel-acquires-israeli-virtual-reality-startup-1457532497

AR and VR: Moving faster than even the smart kids guessed

[Philip Lelyveld comment: this story was written by a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and appears in a DC publication.]

The policy implications of this fast approaching reality deserve our attention. As the demand for mobile expands exponentially, so must the bandwidth and network capacity on which these connected devices depend.  These new devices require high-bandwidth networks, and policymakers at both the federal and state level should embrace the coming revolution of 5G mobile and adopt policies that incent investment in high-speed wireless networks of the future and make it easier to deploy the network assets like small cells they require build out the infrastructure required for these networks – a strong step that must be complemented with an increased allocation of wireless spectrum, the invisible airwaves on which mobile technologies “run”.

Why is this important? Because the impact of a few actions could unintentionally halt the next evolution in technology.  We – innovators, gamers and consumers - are best served if government considers how it can aid this rapid acceleration instead of discouraging with interference, red tape and drawn-out deliberations.

See the full story here: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/271829-ar-and-vr-moving-faster-than-even-the-smart-kids-guessed

The world through augmented reality: 5 AR headsets, what they do and how much they cost

[Philip Lelyveld comment: This is a good quick summary of Meta 2, Hololens, Sony SmartEyeGlasses, Epson Moverio BT-200 (why not the 300?!), and Laforge's Shima.  I'd never heard of the Shima, which places images on the left and right sides rather than in your field of view. ]

See the full story here; http://www.cbronline.com/news/internet-of-things/wearables/the-world-through-augmented-reality-5-ar-headsets-what-they-do-and-how-much-they-cost-4831680

Bulldog Digital Media announces extensive music festival live streaming representation partnerships

[Philip Lelyveld comment: this is what happens when AEG Digital Media mgmt. doesn't listen to its senior new media developer and he leaves...]

Bulldog DM the world's first digital live streaming agency announced today that it has made available an extensive portfolio of the world's leading music festivals and experiences.  These rich cultural content experiences are available for brands to present and digitally broadcast to fans on any connected device and include major 3-day festivals, EDM festivals, country music, an indie tour and leading music venues.

Bulldog's festival partners include the Firefly Music Festival occurring June 16-19, at The Woodlands of Dover, DE with headliners Mumford and Sons, Kings of Leon, Florence + the Machine and Deadmau5; the 22nd year of the Vans Warped Tour - the leading and longest running independent music tour in the country and promoter Prime Social Group's entire festival line up that connects and resonates with millennials and students including this year's #Fest featuring Fetty Wap, the Chainsmokers and Big Gigantic in April.

See the full story here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bulldog-digital-media-announces-extensive-music-festival-live-streaming-representation-partnerships-300232160.html

GNOG is virtual reality’s most unabashedly joyous toy

The creators of GNOG are aware there’s something weird about it. It is a game about heads, and opening heads and going inside of heads, and then more heads, while wearing a headset. So, your head is going inside of heads, until your head is inside a head inside a head inside your head.

“I think it’s got this perfect symmetry, this irony to it,” said Saleem Dabbous of developer KO_OP. He told me they hope to fiddle with the elusive concept for their launch trailer.

Dabbous said the VR version—GNOG will be available for the PlayStation Morpheus—is the ideal way to play. Smooshing your face right into the void in which the game is set makes the presentation feel all the more like getting lost in a set of dollhouses, inching the game closer to the adventure mountain playthings that inspired the creators.

Making everything smaller and squishing your face right up against the weird space turns the GNOGs into the very toys they were inspired by. A more satisfying feeling of thumbing about the weird beast faces, searching for hidden switches and visual puzzles.

See the full story here: http://versions.killscreen.com/gnog-is-virtual-realitys-most-unabashedly-joyous-toy/