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Build Your Own Spacefolk City on Oculus Quest This Week

From vrfocus

Indie developer Moon Mode in conjunction with publisher Beyond Frames revealed colourful city builder Spacefolk City back in August for Oculus Quest and PC VR headsets. This week, It has been confirmed that Spacefolk City will see an initial for Oculus Quest this Thursday, with the Steam release to follow at a later date.

Spacefolk City

The single-player title is set to offer a quirky take on the traditional city building experience. Taking place entirely in space, you’ll have the freedom to construct your floating city however you wish, creating some unusual urban layouts in the process. As you’re not limited to a flat surface, you can build up or down as you see fit, just making sure everything’s connected so that inhabitants can navigate your undulating cityscape.

Like any city builder, you’ll need to encourage new residents whilst ensuring their interests and requirements are met. From building them houses to useful establishments to frequent, as you can see from the screenshot there’s a definite food theme to some of the aesthetics. This is key to making inhabitants happy, as their body type indicates their interests. A happy community means they’ll be productive and efficient, helping you further build out the growing metropolis.

Alongside all the core buildings, you’ll also be able to decorate your space city to give it that homely feel. Drop in some lighting, foliage and more, making the whole place vibrant and alive. To help keep that motivation pumping, Spacefolk City will feature a funky soundtrack of more than 20 songs influenced by late-70s electro-disco and early-80s electro-pop.

Spacefolk City

Spacefolk City even has its own backstory with Moon Mode’s synopsis explaining: “The Spacefolk are in trouble! Their sun is going supernova, and they need your help to build up their city and find a way to escape the impending solar disaster!”

Moon Mode has confirmed that Spacefolk City’s Oculus Quest launch will take place on 21st October, retailing for $24.99 USD. A Steam page currently lists the PC VR release for November. For continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.

HTC Vive Flow is all About Improving Mental Health

From vrfocus

So after all those teasing images and recent leaks, the time has come for HTC Vive to officially unveil its latest virtual reality (VR) device. And those leaks were correct, the Vive Flow is a new, smartphone-compatible headset designed for media consumption. Not only that, the company has revealed a whole new platform, Viveport Verse for customers to access content from.

Vive Flow

HTC Vive has now confirmed that Vive Flow is focused on helping users relax and improve their mental health. Weighing in at 189g with a dual-hinge design to adjust to most heads, Vive Flow will allow users to watch movies streamed off their phones using Miracast, enjoy meditation apps like TRIPP and connect with colleagues and friends using Vive Sync.

Vive Flow has a 100-degree field of view (FoV), 3.2K resolution (2x 2.1” LCD 1600 x1600 per eye) and a 75 Hz refresh rate. The device should be great for those who wear glasses as it has an in-built diopter adjustment on each lens up to -6.0D. Other features include 6DoF tracking, 4GB RAM, 64GB of storage, stereo speakers, an active cooling system and the ability to connect to an external power source – a 10,000mAh Vive power bank will be separately available – when not connected to a phone. There is a small internal battery that’ll last around five minutes, purely there for hot-swapping between power sources.

Because Vive Flow doesn’t have any controllers users will be able to use their phones as a 3DoF controller instead. In fact, Vive Flow is completely geared around phone connectivity, if you’re not using it to select an app then you can screencast onto the headset. Currently, these features are only supported on Android devices.

Vive Flow

“With Vive Flow, HTC is taking technology in a new direction, focusing not on what we do, but on how we feel. Maintaining our wellness has come to the forefront in the last few years, with so many millions feeling stressed every day, so it has never been more important to take time out to calm our minds, and VIVE Flow provides the perfect opportunity to escape our four walls and immerse ourselves in our ideal ambience,” said Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO of HTC in a statement. “Meditation, gentle stretches, brain training, streaming our favourite shows or even meeting friends or co-workers in VR with VIVE Sync can all be enhanced by a device light and compact enough to fit in our pocket. VIVE Flow represents the next evolution of technology, as we take a more holistic view of how we can make life better.” 

Additionally, there will be a special £5.29 GBP per month Vive Flow subscription plan for Viveport for users to access compatible content.

Vive Flow pre-orders begin today for £499 / $499 USD with a special incentive to order before 31st October, you’ll get £90 worth of free gifts (the official Vive Flow carry case, a bundle of 7 titles and 2 months of Viveport Infinity). Official sales then begin in November. For further updates keep reading VRFocus.

HTC Vive Flow Announced: Compact $499 6DOF VR Headset

From uploadvr

After two weeks of teases, the HTC Vive Flow has been officially announced.

As was previously speculated, Vive Flow is based on HTC’s super-slim concept for a VR headset, Project Proton. The device resembles a pair of glasses with very thick lenses and weighs just 189g. The frames feature two hinges, one to help shift the device to fit a range of head sizes and the other so they can be folded up like a normal pair of glasses. It’s technically not a standalone headset, as the kit must be tethered to an external power source like a battery pack for long-term use. The device has a small onboard battery but HTC stresses this is only intended to power it so you have time to plug it back in to another source. Two cameras on the front provide 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) positional tracking.

HTC Vive Flow Announced

HTC envisions Vive Flow as less of a gaming device and more a headset for media consumption and experiential content. To that end, you connect the device to an Android smartphone to use as a 3DOF controller and also mirror content to view inside VR. There are also native apps, and the company highlighted meditative experiences like TRIPP and Nature Treks VR. HTC also plans to bring hand-tracking support to the device in the future, though this won’t be available at launch. iPhones aren’t supported.

Specs-wise, Flow features 1.6K per-eye resolution, a 100-degree field of view and a 75Hz refresh rate. HTC declined to reveal exactly what processor the device was using, although you definitely shouldn’t expect the same performance as the Oculus Quest 2. The lenses employ diopter dials so you can twist them to find the best visual clarity. The frames feature a built-in audio solution and dual microphones, plus there’s active cooling at the front of the device.

Pre-orders for the Vive Flow go live today on the official site and the device costs $499/€549. Units will start shipping in early November and those that pre-order will also get the protective carry case HTC has been teasing thrown in for free along with seven pieces of content, though exactly what those are hasn’t been revealed.

What do you make of the HTC Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below.

HTC Vive Flow Leak Unveils Design and $499 Price

From vrfocus

Leaks are part of the course in the tech industry with some companies fairing worse than others. Tomorrow sees HTC Vive host a special event to unveil a new device its been dropping hints for the past week or so. But that secret may be out the bag with a new leak offering up a selection of images, pre-order details and a price.

HTC Vive Flow

Any leak of this type should always be taken with a pinch of salt regarding validity. The details come from Twitter account @evleaks which is synonymous with this type of information drop having previously released pictures of Facebook’s Ray-Ban Stories smartglasses ahead of their official unveiling. So there’s a fairly good chance all of today’s leak is correct.

Offering up images of some slim-looking glasses that definitely have similarities with HTC Vive’s Project Proton concept, the Vive Flow will seemingly be for “well-being and mindful productivity”. So rather than a new type of VR headset, this will be a phone connected device to watch videos or compatible apps. Sounds a bit odd doesn’t it? Plus there are no controllers mentioned, there are what look to be lenses on the front which could offer a range of functionality. According to a recent Protocol report, it’ll have 6DoF tracking and no controllers as the device won’t be geared towards gaming.

The Vive Flow will supposedly have a “Dual-hinge fit system” to accommodate most heads, in-built spatial audio so there’s no need for headphones and an active cooling system that should make long viewing sessions comfortable. There will also be adjustable diopter lenses supporting up to -6.0D and the ability to Miracast from your phone.

HTC Vive Flow

All of this will reportedly retail for $499 USD with pre-orders opening on 15th October – the day after the HTC Vive event. If you pre-order, you’ll get that carry case HTC Vive has been putting in all its promotional images, “7 free VR contents [sic],” and two months of Infinity Vista, likely a new iteration of the Viveport Infinity service.

HTC Vive should be confirming all of this and hopefully more tomorrow at 4pm BST. When that happens VRFocus will keep you posted.

Apparent Leak Unveils HTC Vive Flow, Including Price & Pre-order Date

From roadtovr

An apparent leak in HTC’s marketing material has revealed images of the upcoming Vive Flow VR headset ahead of its October 14th unveiling. The headset, which is rumored to target consumers with a casual approach to media consumption, is reportedly priced at $500, and said to begin pre-orders on October 15th.

Serial leaker ‘evleaks’ released a trove of images last night which reveal much about Vive Flow, although not every answer to all of the burning questions. We haven’t substantiated the images below, although they appear to be authentic given how they match up with the progressive teases HTC has done over the past two weeks.

It appears Vive Flow has onboard processing as stipulated in earlier reports, making it fundamentally a standalone headset.

Image courtesy evleaks

Here’s a look inside behind Vive Flow’s mirrored faceplate, which shows two optical sensors, ostensibly used for 6DOF positional tracking. If earlier reports can be believed, this may also include hand-tracking capabilities. No motion controller is seen in marketing info, and it was previously reported by Protocol that hand-tracking would be the headset’s main input method.

Image courtesy evleaks

As a side note, that Protocol report also maintained Flow’s onboard chipset would be less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 found in Oculus Quest 2 and Vive Focus 3.

While active cooling is present, from the images it’s not clear where onboard power is supposed to fit in the whole package. On the right temple arm of the headset you can see a cable trailing off, which appears to be a USB Type-C port, possibly for external power.

Image courtesy evleaks

A top-down image showing off its snap-on facial interface reveals how thin the display and optics really are, something we’ve stipulated may be thanks to the inclusion of ‘pancake’ lenses like we saw on Pico’s VR glasses prototype at CES 2020. These typically shorten the distance between display and optics at some reduction of field of view.

Image courtesy evleaks

The only look we get directly at the lenses reveals it has built-in diopter settings, so near-sighted people can use the close-fitting headset without glasses. Dual diopter dials appear to show up to a -6.0 diopter focusing power.

Image courtesy evleaks

It’s still not clear what HTC is hiding with the cable. The marketing material shows phones that notably aren’t tethered to the headset physically, and are instead connected via Bluetooth.

Image courtesy evleaks

Some of the mystery of input seems to be revealed in the image below, which maintains that a user’s phone can be used as a VR controller. This would likely be 3DOF input only.

Image courtesy evleaks

In fact, a large set of lifestyle photos position Vive Flow as a consumer headset that’s focusing on casual media consumption, and possibly productivity as well.

With the tagline “Designed to fit into your life,” Vive Flow is definitely playing to its compact form-factor, positioning it as a good on-the-go solution for media consumption.

Image courtesy evleaks

The thermos-style carrying case is said to come as a free gift when pre-ordered, which is said to start on October 15th, with shipments said to come in early November. The MSRP of $499 USD is also said to get you seven free VR apps and two months of a service called ‘Infinity Vista’, which sounds like it may be a tuned-down version of Viveport Infinity for the standalone device.

– – — – –

There’s still plenty to learn about Vive Flow. We’ll be watching on October 14th for HTC’s Vive Flow event to see what gaps they can fill in. We’re still waiting to hear about specs and what other capabilities it may have, which may better justify its $500 price tag to consumers.

Supposed HTC Vive Flow Leaks Show Ultra-Slim $499 VR Headset

From uploadvr

Possible HTC Vive Flow leaks may have revealed an early look at the product ahead of tomorrow’s official reveal.

Twitter leakster evleaks posted a number of images of what could be promotional materials for the device online today. The images note that the device costs $499 and launches in early November. HTC hasn’t confirmed their legitimacy so take them with a pinch of salt for now, though the images were also shared by The Verge.

HTC Vive Flow Leaks?

If they are real, though, Flow indeed looks to be the evolution of HTC’s Project Proton concept it showed off in early 2020. It’s an ultra-slim VR headset that looks a little like a mix between glasses and ski goggles, with frames that rest on your ears rather than a full-on strap to fit to your head.

Some images show a user’s phone being used as a controller for the device, too.

Various other images hint at details like built-in audio and an active cooling system. Some also show the device with a wire running from the frames, but it’s unclear what it’s connected to.

If these images are indeed real then it’s possible that Flow is similar to older, 3DOF headsets like the Oculus Go in terms of functionality, just with a dramatically reduced form factor. Your phone could replicate a 3DOF controller with ease and many of the apps spotted in the leaks are also on Go and Gear VR (though these could all be placeholders). HTC Vive China President Alvin Wang Graylin also seemed the acknowledge the leaks in a recent tweet.

We’ll have to wait and see if there’s any validity to the leaks when HTC reveals the device tomorrow. What do you make of these possible HTC Vive Flow leaks? Let us know in the comments below.

See the First Teasing Glimpse of HTC Vive Flow

From vrfocus

The HTC Vive “Go with the Flow” event is only a couple of days away and so naturally, the company is ramping up the hints regarding what’s going to be shown. While there have been plenty of images displaying what looks like a case, over on HTC Vive’s Instagram the first teasing video has just arrived.

It’s certainly very short and sweet coming in at only a few seconds but it is the best hint yet. There’s not much to go on as you might expect yet you’ll notice the distinct addition of black fabric around the main body. Also noticeable, what seem to be the arms with the Vive logo down the side are hyper extendable, a feature normally seen on sunglasses but not immersive hardware.

Another strong hint at the design came in a couple of new images (one seen below), very reminiscent of HTC’s Project Proton concept that was unveiled in early 2020, “Project Proton is a prototype of a future XR glasses-style device,” HTC said at the time. That concept was actually two devices. One was an all-in-one (AIO) headset with front-facing cameras and a battery housed at the back of the head strap. The other was a more lightweight design that could tether to a PC or phone. Nothing was been heard of either of them since that initial announcement.

It’s already been a big year for HTC Vive with the launch of the Vive Pro 2 and the Vive Focus 3, two headsets aimed at different sectors of the market. Vive Pro 2 is a tethered PC headset focused at the pro-consumer end of the market whilst Vive Focus 3 is an AIO just for enterprise customers. As a report indicated last week, this new device could very well be HTC Vive’s first AIO designed for regular consumers.

The report highlighted recent FCC filings that referred to a “Vive headset” with features including WiFi, Bluetooth, and lithium-ion battery.

The official reveal takes place this Thursday, 14th October at 4 pm BST (11 am EDT) over on vive.com. The special event will also be held in VR on the Engage platform. For further updates on this new device keep reading VRFocus.

HTC Teases First Look At Vive Flow With New Video

From uploadvr

HTC’s latest teaser for the expected Vive Flow reveal later this week gives us our first look at the actual product itself. Well, bits of it, at least.

The short clip, initially posted on Instagram and seen below, includes three very brief views of the kit from three different angles. It’s still not enough to really say anything solid about the design, other than that it’s looking increasingly likely this is indeed a new headset of some sort.

HTC Vive Flow Teaser Trailer

HTC began teasing an event with the tagline ‘Go with the Flow’ last week. The reveal is happening online on October 14th, but we found trademark listings for something called ‘Vive Flow’ earlier in the month.

Other teaser images have shown what looks like a case you could store the Vive Flow in and, yesterday, we noted how some promotional art for the event looked very similar to the 2020 concept designs for a lightweight headset codenamed Project Proton. If Flow is indeed linked to that concept then you can expect a device that connects to another source like a smartphone to power VR experiences or a fully standalone device. Vive China President Alvin Wang Graylin also teased it would reveal “big things in small packages” and, earlier this year, HTC told us it expected to see the rise of “all-in-two” devices in 2021, and this would certainly fit the bill. Questions still remain about what type of content the device would run, however.

We’ll keep a close eye on what HTC is planning to reveal later this week, then. What are you hoping for from Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below!

HTC’s ‘Vive Flow’ Teaser Looks A Lot Like Its Proton Concept

From uploadvr

HTC’s latest teaser for its upcoming big announcement shows an almost identical shape to a concept it revealed in early 2020.

The company announced an October 14 event late last month, promising “big news in a small package”. The marketing images so far show a black tube with a thick detachable cap bearing the VIVE logo. Settings such as eating popcorn on a couch and sitting crossed legged in a meditative pose suggest the product, whatever it exactly is, may be focused on passive use cases rather than active room-scale gaming.

The event’s tagline is ‘Go with the Flow’. HTC registered a new trademark, ‘VIVE FLOW’ last month. Statements of Use for trademarks are intentionally wide in scope, but VIVE FLOW’s is almost identical to that of ‘VIVE FOCUS’, suggesting either a new headset or new controllers.

The latest marketing image hints toward Vive Flow being a new headset. And not just any  headset – the shape shown is almost identical to the Proton concept HTC showed in early 2020.

In January of this year, HTC EMEA General Manager Graham Wheeler hinted “we expect to see the rise of All-in-Two devices – lightweight glasses which are connected to a smartphone”, calling this device category “all in two”.

Taking these comments into account, looking at the marketing images for Vive Flow so far, and noting the similarity of the outlined shape to the Proton concept, it’s not much of a stretch to conclude HTC may be about to announce a lightweight viewer headset. Rather than competing directly with Oculus Quest in the room scale interactivity and gaming use cases, HTC could be aiming for a sub-market relatively untouched outside of China. HTC might be able to continue the idea first popularized by Oculus Go (a category Facebook has now seemingly abandoned).

By focusing on passive media applications that already exist on phones, HTC would avoid the need to invest in VR-specific content at the scale Facebook is doing – a battle the comparatively small firm would be unlikely to win.

So what exactly does the black tube have to do with this? It could be a container, a portable battery, a wireless compute unit, or some combination of the three – it’s too early to draw any conclusions.

Would you buy a compact headset designed for viewing media? What are you hoping for from HTC’s big announcement? Let us know in the comments below.

HTC’s “Vive Flow” Could be a New AIO Reports Suggest

From vrfocus

At the end of September, HTC Vive began teasing an upcoming online event for 14th October called “Go with the Flow”, hinting at a new hardware launch with images that look like a case of some sort. Over the past week, new details have emerged that a device called Vive Flow will be announced, with the latest info suggesting it could be a standalone headset.

Much in the same way it did earlier this year prior to the launch of Vive Pro 2 and Vive Focus 3, HTC Vive has been dropping images on social media. Then recent trademark filings offered up that possible name Vive Flow alongside a goods and services statement indicating a: “Head mounted display for computer simulated reality, namely virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality”.

No major surprise considering its HTC Vive. However, as spotted by Road to VR, recent US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filings add further credence to those initial findings with a report for an HTC Vive headset. FCC certification is required for all wireless devices (WiFi, Radio, Bluetooth) to prove they’re safe to use. Most of the details remain confidential but there are a few teasing snippets to dig into.

All electronic devices of this nature require an FCC label, in this instance an “e-label” just like the Vive Focus 3, indicating a model number 2Q7Y100. This crops up again in several test reports, one indicating Bluetooth integration and rechargeable lithium-ion battery while another shows the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) testing that took place.

HTC Vive Flow spec1

Considering the WiFi functionality and the fact that HTC Vive own images showcase a rather small looking case, the announcement next week could very well be a rather small all-in-one (AIO) VR consumer device or possibly the company’s first foray into AR glasses? With the likes of Facebook and Ray-Ban’s recent collab, it wouldn’t be unthinkable that smartglasses were on HTC Vive’s roadmap.

As HTC China President Alvin Wang Graylin tweeted, expect to: “hear about some big news in a small package” when the news does arrive. For continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.