Phonemaker HTC teams with Valve on Virtual Reality
HTC has indeed just unveiled what on the surface appears to be an improved and handsome new version of the HTC One smartphone, dubbed the HTC One M9 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
HTC is teaming up with the gaming company Valve on the HTC Vive headset, the goal of which is to bring mass-market virtual reality one step closer to reality.
Mootee claims the technology inside Vive is "at least nine months to a year ahead of Oculus," the virtual reality company that Facebook paid $2 billion to acquire last year, and the outfit powering the Gear VR goggles that HTC's rival Samsung sells.
That's an especially bold claim when you consider that Gear VR is already on the market while Vive won't be available until later in 2015. Sony and Google also have designs on virtual reality while other companies including Microsoft are aggressively pushing into holograms and the related field of augmented reality.
HTC says Vive is different from Samsung's Gear VR in that you'll be able to wear the headgear while walking around, letting you explore your virtual space and inspect objects from any angle. You're meant to be seated or at least remain stationary while wearing Gear VR.
Moreover, HTC says you'll be able to virtually "touch" objects while wearing Vive headgear, to puncture a flying balloon or to feel the sensation of opening a door. The company is promising high-quality graphics, 90 frames-per-second video, and top-notch audio fidelity.
In addition to Vive and the new HTC One M9, HTC is teaming with Under Armour to produce a new GPS-capable contoured waterproof fitness tracker called HTC Grip. Worn on the wrist, it comes in three sizes, has a 1.8-inch display to show off real-time stats, and a battery life, HTC says, of up to 2½ days.
To help get the big picture message across, HTC will soon start running lifestyle TV commercials narrated by Robert Downey Jr.
Read the full story here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/03/01/htcone-phonemaker-plunges-into-virtual-reality-with-vive/24217607/