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oculus quest 2

Latest Quest 2 Update Brings Encrypted Messenger, Parental App Locks & More

May 17, 2022 From roadtovr

Meta rolled out a new Quest update that brings to the headset some previously revealed stuff, such as app-based locks and tracking support for more keyboards, but also some new features too which the company hopes will instill more confidence in user privacy, including encryption for text and voice chats through Messenger and in-headset 3D Secure payments.

In the Quest v40 update, Meta is testing end-to-end encryption for Messenger’s one-on-one messages and calls in VR, which is now offered as an opt-in feature. The company initially rolled out encryption for Messenger on non-VR devices as far back as 2016, however this is the first time it’s offered on Quest headsets.

“Keeping your information secure is one of our top priorities, not just in VR but across Meta apps and technologies. When people trust that their conversations are truly private, they feel safe to express themselves and build stronger online connections,” the company says in a blog post.

Image courtesy Meta

Meta says you can check the privacy of your communication by comparing keys with someone. “If the keys match, messages and calls are secured with end-to-end encryption,” says a description of the feature.

Quest v40 also includes the app-based lock feature which was previously announced as a part of the company’s growing suite of parental controls. This lets parents restrict access to certain apps, requiring them to input a pattern to unlock content that might otherwise be unsuitable for their kid’s age. Meta calls it a “starting point for parents as we begin rolling out our parental supervision tools in the coming months.”

The update brings a new spin on how users enter 3D Secure info when using a credit card too. Before the update, users would have to input 3D Secure directly on the Oculus mobile app, however now you can manage the extra authorization layer whilst in VR.

And keeping users in VR seems to be the major theme with v40, as the update also now includes keyboard tracking support for the Apple Magic Keyboard with numeric keypad, and both the Logitech K375s and Logitech MX Keys.

First introduced last year, keyboard tracking lets you see a virtual version of a keyboard inside your headset to make typing easier. Until now, the only two supported keyboards were Logitech K830 and Apple Magic Keyboard (sans keypad).

Lastly, Meta has added two new options to its Accessibility menu which it aims to make Quest more comfortable for people who are hard of hearing: Mono Audio option, which disables spatial audio by projecting the same audio from both the left and right speakers, and the ability to adjust balance of the left and right audio channels.


To see if you already have v40, simply pop on your Quest 2, go to Quick Settings –> Settings –> System –> Software Update. There you can see the software version running on your headset and whether an update is available or not.

Filed Under: messenger, Meta, meta quest, meta quest 2, News, oculus, oculus quest 2, quest 2, quest 2 v40, quest v40, v40, VR Privacy

Quest Home Spaces Get Node-base Movement, a First Step Toward Upcoming Social Features

April 7, 2022 From roadtovr

Last year Meta announced that it would finally be bring social features to the Quest home environments, allowing users to easily get together in the same virtual space. We aren’t there yet, but the company has taken a first step in that direction by adding node-based locomotion to all of Quest’s home spaces.

Back in October Meta announced that it “soon” planned to upgrade Quest’s home space into a social area where users can congregate together (without a third-party app) and do basic activities like watch videos and launch into other VR apps together. The company calls it ‘Horizon Home’.

Well, the actual social part of Horizon Home isn’t here yet, but the company has taken a first step toward it.

At launch, all Quest home spaces placed the user in one specific spot from which they couldn’t move.

Now, as of at least Quest v38, all home spaces have an array of nodes which users can move between by pointing their controller and using the thumbstick. Moving between nodes with controllerless hand-tracking alone doesn’t seem to work yet.

Ostensibly this will allow multiple users to navigate the same spaces. It isn’t clear how many users will be supported in a single Quest home space (though voice parties currently support up to 8 people).

Quest’s home environments appear to be using typical real-time rendering, so it isn’t clear why Meta has decided to limit users to moving between specific nodes rather than letting them move anywhere within a pre-determined safe area. Especially odd because users can navigate away from any individual node by physically moving within their playspace. Furthermore, the distance between nodes is decidedly ‘impersonal’, and further away than friends hanging out in the same area would likely want to stand.

So while movement within the Quest home spaces is a first step toward social features, it will hopefully see some refinement by the time users are actually able to join each other in the same space.

Filed Under: horizon home, horizon home locomotion, News, Oculus Quest, oculus quest 2, quest home, quest home locomotion, quest home social

Meta Quest 2 Boxes Appear on Store Shelves, Rebranding Still Incomplete

April 6, 2022 From roadtovr

It seems the Oculus brand is finally departing physical retail. While Quest 2 boxes emblazoned with the new Meta name and logo are already on store shelves in the US, the swap from Oculus to Meta still has a ways to go.

Spotted by Upload VR’s Ian Hamilton, Meta has rolled out the freshly-rebranded Quest 2s to Walmart, one of its largest retail partners. So far, online retailers like Amazon, Target, NewEgg, and yes… also Walmart’s website still list the headset as ‘Oculus’ Quest 2.

And it doesn’t seem the company is worried about any of the self-inflicted brand confusion either, as the newly dubbed Meta Quest 2 oddly sits right next to a stack of the headsets in its original Oculus packing.

Walmart now carrying “Meta” Quest 2 at this store in Bentonville where it is testing drone delivery. pic.twitter.com/LkXssaPIS7

— Ian Hamilton (@hmltn) April 5, 2022

Look a little closer and you can see the 256GB version of Meta Quest 2, priced at $400, is also still labeled on shelves as ‘Oculus Quest 2’.

Image courtesy Ian Hamilton

The transformation from Facebook to Meta started back when the company announced in October 2021 it was putting a new emphasis on XR by becoming a “metaverse company.”

This also led to a progressive roll-back of the Oculus brand in effort to reposition its latest VR headset closer to its primary mission. And it appears that the rebranding has a ways to go, as the soft launch maneuver has yet to address some key areas.

Image captured by Road to VR

Oculus.com is still the main digital storefront, which mentions the name Oculus a half-dozen times in tandem with Meta.

If you want to buy a Quest 2 direct from Meta, you’re also still buying an ‘Oculus Quest 2’ under the Oculus warranty. Need product support? That Meta Support’s job, though they help you fill out Oculus bug reports for Oculus devices. The Meta Quest YouTube channel also still features the old Oculus logo.

Quest users however have recently seen the iconic Oculus startup image replaced in-headset with the new Meta branding. So there’s that.

Filed Under: Meta, meta quest, meta quest 2, News, Oculus Quest, oculus quest 2, quest 2

Quest Parental Controls to Include Locks on Apps, PC VR Linking & More

March 16, 2022 From roadtovr

Meta announced it’s bringing some new parental tools to Quest headsets in the next few months which are aimed at giving parents more control over what their teens see and do in VR.

Meta’s VR headsets, which are only intended for kids 13 and over, lack a number of parental controls that you might find on traditional consoles such as PS5 or Xbox. Now the company says it’s bringing a number of new platform-level tools to its Quest platform soon so parents will know precisely what their kid are up to in VR.

Meta says that starting in April it will be expanding its headset pattern unlock system on Quest to go beyond the current one-and-done method it currently uses for headset unlocks. Soon parents will be able to put a pattern unlock on specific apps, something that will allow for tighter control on precisely what teens can access.

A month later, Meta will be introducing to teen accounts an automatic block on downloading or purchasing IARC rated age-inappropriate apps in the Quest Store. This is slated to come alongside a new suite of parental supervision tools, which Meta says will include the ability to allow apps through on a case-by-case basis. Teens will also be able to link a parent to their account so they can directly send and receive override requests for individual apps.

Image courtesy Meta

It seems Meta has thought of nearly everything too. In the near future, parents will also be able to block Link and Air Link to thwart teens from bypassing content locks by using Quest to play PC VR content through Steam or the Rift Store.

“Our initial suite of parental supervision tools, which include a Parent Dashboard accessible from the Oculus mobile app, will allow parents to link to their teen’s account,” Meta says in a blog post. “The process is initiated by the teen, and both the parent and teen have to agree to the experience. This is just a starting point, informed by careful collaboration with industry experts, and we’ll continue to grow and evolve our parental supervision tools over time.”

This comes on the back of some fairly unflattering news pieces to hit the mainstream lately, such as the BBC’s piece in late February claiming a Metaverse app allows kids into virtual strip clubs, which has no doubt spurred the company to make good on its commitment to providing a safe and welcoming metaverse for all of its users.

Here’s a list of upcoming tools to expect in the coming months:

  • The parent will be able to approve their teen’s download or purchase of an app that is blocked by default based on its IARC-rating
  • Teens 13+ can submit an “Ask to Buy” request, which triggers a notification to their parent
  • The parent can then approve or deny the request from the Oculus mobile app
  • The parent will be able to block specific apps that may be inappropriate for their teen which will prevent the teen from launching those apps. Apps that can be blocked include apps like web browsers and apps available on the Quest Store
  • The parent will be able to view all of the apps that their teen owns
  • The parent will be able to receive “Purchase Notifications,” alerting them when their teen makes a purchase in VR
  • The parent will be able to view headset screen time from the Oculus mobile app, so they’ll know how much time their teen is spending in VR
  • The parent will be able to view their teen’s list of Oculus Friends
  • The parent will be able to block Link and Air Link, which will prevent their teen from accessing content from their PC on their Quest headset
  • Teens with linked accounts will be able to see a read-only view of the Parent Dashboard from the Oculus mobile app.

Filed Under: kids and teens in vr, kids in vr, Meta, meta parental control, meta quest 2, News, oculus quest 2, quest parental control, teens in vr

Watch The First-Ever Spacewalk Captured In VR

March 1, 2022 From vrscout

Spacewalkers is available now on Oculus TV and Horizon Venues.

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to float through the dark void that is outer space? Well, wonder no more as the immersive content and technology company Felix & Paul Studios has released a new movie featuring the world’s first spacewalk captured in VR.

Available now on Meta Quest headsets, Spacewalkers – Space Explorers: A Special Feature was captured just outside the International Space Station using a one-of-a-kind 3D 360-degree camera designed specifically for use in the harsh conditions of space. The film is roughly 10-minutes long and features incredible footage captured in low orbit over a handful of days by the astronauts themselves.

For those unfamiliar with Space Explorers, this incredible episodic series takes you on an in-depth tour of the International Space Station where you learn more about the incredible work being done by its team of highly-trained astronauts.



What’s unique about the series, besides being one of the largest productions ever filmed in space, is that the crew themselves serve as the directors, camera operators, and stars of the series. The result is a thoughtful and captivating series with some of the most impressive footage I’ve ever seen inside a VR headset.

Spacewalkers – Space Explorers: A Special Feature is available now on Oculus TV as well as Horizon Venues as part of the “Always On” Programming from March 1st to March 31st. You can watch other Space Explorers content on Oculus TV.

Previous episodes, including ADAPT, ADVANCE, and UNITE, are currently available for free via Oculus TV. The series was shot using a specialized 3D 360-degree camera designed for use in a zero-g environment and features some truly breathtaking shots of Earth from the ISS. The most recent installment, UNITE, features incredible footage from outside the International Space Station as it orbits over 200 miles above the Earth.

If you’re a fan of space or cinema in general, I’d highly recommend giving this series a shot.

Image Credit: Felix & Paul Studios

Filed Under: Horizon Venues, meta quest, meta quest 2, News, Oculus Quest, oculus quest 2, VR Movies

Meta’s AI Tech Lets You Craft VR Worlds With Your Voice

February 24, 2022 From vrscout

Builder Bot is an AI-powered system capable of generating custom 3D worlds and objects.

Yesterday, Meta (formerly Facebook) hosted a special “Inside the Lab” event centered around its recent advancements in artificial technology during which the company revealed an AI-powered universal translater that allows users “the ability to communicate with anyone in any language.”

Not only that, but Zuckerberg himself made an appearance to unveil a ground-breaking artifical intelligence system that allows users to build complex virtual worlds for Meta’s Horizon Worlds metaverse by simply describing they want.



The proof-of-concept technology, referred to by the company as ‘Builder Bot,’ was demonstrated yesterday during the live event by Zuckerberg and a team member, who used the technology to automatically generate a handful of 3D landscapes they could explore using their VR avatars.

By simply saying the words, “let’s go to the park,” Zuckerberg was able to instantly generate a custom environment complete with trees, rocks, and other shrubbery you might find at your local park.

He then generated a colorful beach location by saying “actually, let’s go to the beach.” It’s at this point Zuckerberg begins to get more specific with his commands. He first asks for clouds, at which point a layer of basic clouds accumulates above them. He then changes his order to even more specific altocumulus clouds.

From there the duo grow their little slice of virtual paradise by adding everything from an adjacent island and palmtrees to a picnic table with drinks and a boombox. They even incorporate various sound effects like ocean waves and seagull chirps as wel as tropical-themed music.

Zuckerberg wraps up the demo by requesting a hydrofoil, a reference to a popular meme featuring himself. “As we advance this technology further, you’ll be able to create nuanced worlds to explore and share experiences with others, with just your voice,” he added during the event.

No word yet on when we can expect to get our hands on this exciting new system. While simple, Builder Bot could help the company bolster its catalog of user created worlds by simplifying the creation process. The Horizon Worlds creator system is fairly straight-forward already, but this could serve as an excellent way to quickly build the foundation for more complex worlds.

It appears as though Meta is taking aim at the voice assistant market with its continued investment in AI technology. According to Zuckerberg, the company is working on making conversation with voice assistants more natural using artificial intelligence.

Image Credit: Meta

Filed Under: horizon worlds, meta quest, meta quest 2, Metaverse, News, Oculus Quest, oculus quest 2

Amazon Selling ‘Oculus Certified’ Refurbished Quest 2 with $50 Discount & Extra Warranty

February 23, 2022 From roadtovr

Oculus quietly began selling officially refurbished Quest 2 units earlier this month and now Amazon is offering them with an even more generous one-year warranty.

Starting in early February, Oculus began selling refurbished Quest 2 units with a $50 discount on either the 128GB model or the 256GB model. While it’s been possible to find refurbished Quest 2 headsets previously, getting one officially from Oculus brings greater peace of mind given the company sells them in the original packaging with all the original accessories, along with a 30 day return policy and a 6 month warranty.

Now Amazon appears to be offering the same refurbished units, ‘certified by Oculus’, at the same price but with an even more generous warranty.

Amazon is selling both models under its ‘Renewed Premium’ program, which in this case promises the headset will ship in original packaging with original accessories, have at least 90% battery capacity, and include a one-year ‘replacement or refund’ guarantee.

It’s not clear how many regions this is available in, but beyond the US we’ve also spotted the deal on Amazon in Australia, Mexico, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

Image courtesy Facebook

Given the timing, it seems likely that the refurbished offer is being made following a glut of holiday headset returns. Once that initial wave is diminished, it isn’t clear if the rate of return will be enough to persistently offer the refurbished Quest 2, or if it’ll go out of stock and maybe reappear at a later date.

Filed Under: Deal, meta quest 2, News, oculus quest 2, oculus quest 2 deal, oculus quest 2 sale, quest 2, quest 2 amazon, quest 2 deal, quest 2 refurbished, quest 2 sale

Meta Adds New Safety Feature To Horizon Worlds & Venues

February 4, 2022 From vrscout

Personal Boundary prevents other avatars from encroaching on your personal space.

Anyone familiar with online gaming will tell you that the virtual world can be a cruel and unforgiving place. Online anonymity has emboldened a whole new generation of trolls eager to ruin the party for the rest of us and immersive technology, for all its benefits, has only added further fuel to the fire.

As Meta continues to expand upon its own growing metaverse, the company is looking to nip this problem in the bud before it can evolve into a legitimate issue. This is where Personal Boundary comes in.

Credit: Meta

Rolling out now for Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues, Personal Boundary is a new feature that prevents users from encroaching on each other’s personal space. Activated by default, Personal Boundary will prevent other users from coming within 4-feet of your avatar. You can still hive-five and fist-bump other players with the setting activated, you’ll just need to fully extend your arms past the boundary.

“Virtual reality can and should be for everyone. And we’re constantly working to improve people’s experience in VR, gathering feedback from the community to inform our work as we continue to iterate and make improvements,” said Vivek Sharma, Vive President of Horizon via the company’s official blog.

Image Credit: Meta

“We believe Personal Boundary is a powerful example of how VR has the potential to help people interact comfortably. It’s an important step, and there’s still much more work to be done. We’ll continue to test and explore new ways to help people feel comfortable in VR.”

Moving forward, Meta promises to continue to expand upon its existing safety features for Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues. For example, the company has already implemented hand harassment measures that prevent users from touching others inappropriately.

Feature Image Credit: Meta

Filed Under: Horizon Venues, horizon worlds, meta quest 2, Metaverse, News, oculus quest 2

Life in the Metaverse: Focused Virtual Reading

February 1, 2022 From vrfocus

I sat at my desk, with a Meta Quest 2 headset covering my eyes, looking like a bit of an idiot to my housemate. I’d just finished a work meeting where myself and two other colleagues had attempted to hold our weekly catch up, this time in a virtual space. At one point one of my teammates sat alone at his virtual desk, while we others couldn’t sign into the room. We could only view through our PC browsers.

We tried everything possible, including letting others host the room. There always seemed to be something holding us back and after twenty minutes of trying to connect, we gave up and promised to try different software next time.

Feeling a little deflated that our metaverse jaunt had fallen flat, I kept my headset on. I felt around in front of me for my laptop keyboard. I could physically see it, as I was logged into Horizon Workrooms and I’d paired my MacBook with the software, but I’m a useless touch typist and I couldn’t easily find my way to writing. So instead I decided to use my time for research.

I was sitting in a virtual space – an office that screamed Silicon Valley – and I’d just enlarged my virtual laptop screen to read an article for research. The replication of my MacBook was great, there was little to no delay between my clicking a Google Chrome tab and it happening on my headset. I’d lined up several pieces to read, grabbed my headphones and got started.

‘Outside’ my office the sky was Pixar blue, the neighbouring buildings looked like somewhere everyone travelled on Segways or motorised scooters. My virtual desk was large and free of the junk that clutters my real desk; behind me stood a large whiteboard on which I could cast things, or draw pictures if my team members ever actually got into my online workspace without connection issues.

I turned off notifications, opened my music app and selected an ambient playlist that mimicked the sounds outside a suburban home. I began reading faster than normal, absorbing each detail without my incessant need to re-read. I wasn’t losing focus or being distracted by my phone or a message from the work Discord.

After I’d reached the end of each article I sat back in my chair and looked around the ‘room’. It was such a clean space. Maybe a little sterile. A button in front of me changed the environment, so I selected a log cabin office. It didn’t beat the real world, but it stole me away from my hallway office at home where I have no windows, and transported me a little. 

I’d fully expected this virtual working environment to be jarring or prohibitive in some way. Even the hand tracking that the Quest 2 was doing made life easier. There was no need to use the controllers, I was pinching my fingers together to select options or return to menus. It all felt oddly second nature, and a little Minority Report, minus the dystopia.

It was clear to me that reducing the number of distractions was allowing me more focus in my workday. Then things got a bit silly. I jumped from the Horizon Workrooms, which felt very corporate, over to Immersed. With Immersed, I got a great introduction and tutorial to set up my laptop, and I found myself with a similar setup to Workrooms. Except this time I was on a space station, or in a fantastical glowing world, or a living room which seemed Patrick Bateman’s cup of tea.

The major difference here, which I loved, was the ability to increase the screen size so it emulated a cinema screen. Reading now felt even more comfortable, and somewhat immersive. I reclined slightly in my chair and let the screen almost wrap around my vision, shrinking my visual focus onto just the text. Of course, five minutes later I decided to watch The Batman trailer on YouTube and that was an equally great experience, in my own personal cinema.

I was still doing the same things I’d do for portions of my workday – just reading – but everything which usually surrounds that was blocked out almost completely. If typing was tough for me in workrooms, however, then it was impossible in Immersed. There was no representation of my laptop keyboard and so I began skewing my head to peek out of the gap between my nose and the headset.

I could never fully shift my workaday life to one of these apps, but for concentrated reading, it felt like a wonder. I have an unfortunate quirk with my OCD (Obsessional Compulsive Disorder) which forces me to re-read sentences repeatedly and now that was gone. Not only that, but I retained the information after closing down my laptop and removing the headset.

I’m still a way from sitting in a virtual office with my colleagues, but I think I’d even be happy with that; being able to collaborate in real-time with those who live across the world, or simply look up and ask a question, breaking away from my work-from-home lifestyle. But even if those things never happen, I’m happy that I’ve found a new way to focus on the white papers and articles which build out my day.

Filed Under: horizon workrooms, Immersed, meta quest, Metaverse, oculus quest 2, virtual reality

Meta Announces Big Update For Its VR Avatars

January 31, 2022 From vrscout

These new-and-improved 3D avatars will be available on Meta Quest, Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram.

Meta today announced that its lineup of expressive 3D avatars will be getting a major face lift in the form of new facial expressions, assistive devices, and limited edition clothing options. These new-and-improved avatars have already begun rolling out on VR headsets as well as Facebook, Messenger, and—for the first time—Instagram Stories and DM.

Last year Meta spent a significant amount of time and energy on improving its 3D avatars with new customization options that allow users to craft their own digital persona with an impressive amount of detail. Today, the company announced new updates the promise to expand the platform even further.

Image Credit: Meta

This includes new facial shapes as well as improvements to the skin shader that add even more customizations. In an effort to remain inclusive, the company has added new items such as Cochlear implants, over-the-ear hearing aids, and wheelchairs in a variety of different colors. In honor of the upcoming Super Bowl between the LA Rams and Bengal Tigers, Meta has also introduced limited edition clothing for each time.

As previously stated, these new-and-improved 3D avatars will be available in VR via Meta Quest headsets as well as Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram Stories and DM. You can create separate avatars for each platform or use the same avatar across all three.

Image Credit: Meta

“Being able to have the same avatar across our platforms is an early step towards making this a reality, and one we’ve been working towards for a long time,” said Aigerim Shorman, General Manager for Avatars and Identity at Meta. “We hope your new virtual self enables you to represent yourself online the way you want to be represented—whether that’s to friends and family, your local community, or beyond.”

These updates will begin rolling out on Quest, Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram over the next few months, so don’t freak out if you don’t see the options available right away.

Feature Image Credit: Meta

Filed Under: Facebook, instagram, meta quest, meta quest 2, News, Oculus Quest, oculus quest 2, VR Avatars

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