The Morning After: Meta’s high-end VR headset described as ‘a laptop for the face’

The latest report on Meta’s VR ambitions has likened Project Cambria, its next headset beyond Quest series, to a “laptop for the face” or even a “Chromebook for the face.” Presumably with a rather different price tag.

A report from The Information suggests Meta will unveil its own VR operating system, which is based on Android. This will work with web-based tools and services, as well as some Quest apps. Technical specs are still unknown, but we can expect higher-res screens to make text easier to read — the aim could be to ensure the VR headset is usable in work situations.

We haven’t yet seen an entirely new VR device since the company rebranded, but all this suggests that, compared to the Rift and Quest devices, the use cases could be broader, or at least tap into some of that sweet enterprise segment. Companies are more likely to pay for cutting-edge VR and AR hardware — still Microsoft’s approach to the segment.

The headset will have outward-facing cameras for mixed reality functions, so it could tie together Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse ambitions in one fell swoop. For now, rumors and reports suggest Project Cambria will hit shelves around September, costing over $800.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Square Enix sells the studios behind Tomb Raider and Deus Ex

Embracer just picked up some major gaming IPs.

Swedish game company Embracer Group has just made a blockbuster deal to acquire Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix Montréal for what seems like a bargain $300 million. Those studios represent around 1,100 employees across eight global locations, with more than 230 games in development, 30 of those being AAA titles. Alongside this acquisition news, another Deus Ex revival is incoming — powered by Unreal Engine 5.

Crystal Dynamics has already said it’s developing a new Tomb Raider game.

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The best gifts for the new grads in your life

Work, rest and play.

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Engadget

Whether your graduate is going after their first job or continuing their education, these gadgets can support their first professional steps — or simply help them relax during those early career challenges. We’ve even curated a guide for gifts that duck in at under $50.

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EU charges Apple over NFC payment restrictions on iOS devices

It’s part of the Commission’s antitrust probe into Apple’s payment practices.

The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager confirmed the EU has formally charged Apple over its iOS payment features. This could result in a substantial fine if it is upheld. In a statement, Vestager said the Commission had “indications that Apple restricted third-party access to key technology necessary to develop rival mobile wallet solutions on Apple’s devices.”

The Commission opened a dual review into both Apple’s in-app and NFC payment systems in June 2020, noting the company’s choice could stifle competition and reduce consumer choice.

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Scientists ‘knit’ soft robotic wearables

These could eventually turn into assistive gloves for the disabled.

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CSAIL

Designing and manufacturing soft robots is tricky. Now, scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have come up with a new process called PneuAct, which uses computers and a special knitting process to design and digitally fabricate the soft pneumatic actuators. These actuators have conductive yarn for sensing so they can essentially “feel” or respond to what they grab.

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Spotify enters the metaverse with Spotify Island on Roblox

A lot of companies have already entered the metaverse in some way, and today another big name is doing so. Spotify has announced that its venture into virtual worlds is coming via a Roblox interactive space called Spotify Island. The setting is a place where users can create music, chill in virtual venues and get access to exclusive virtual merchandise — and it’s debuting today. 

Spotify has given its Roblox island a design that’s true to its brand: lots of green with shapes, colors and icons you’ll recognize from its apps. These are all part of the game as well. You can collect the heart-shaped “Like” icons for free merch, for example. Speaking of digital goods, Spotify says the exclusive in-game virtual merchandise will give artists a chance to connect with fans and a way to earn money. The company explains that a portion of sales will go to the artists, though it didn’t specify a percentage. It did say that it has already collaborated with some acts to create a collection of items that “truly reflects who they are.” 

The main tasks on Spotify Island are hanging out with artists, completing quests and accessing “exclusive content.” The company says it has stuffed the virtual world full of Easter eggs for users to find along the way. You can also create your own music and sounds via beat-maker stations that are powered by Soundtrap, the online recording platform Spotify acquired in 2017. 

Spotify says its first “themed experience” will debut in a few weeks. K-Park, a nod to K-Pop, will give users the ability to interact with artists Stray Kids and SUNMI. This is surely the first of many of the hangouts as the metaverse as a concept is just getting started. You don’t have to wait until K-Park starts to buy things either. SUNMI’s merchandise will be on sale today, with items for Stray Kids coming soon.

Nextdoor will remind users to keep conversations ‘constructive’ and ’empathetic’

Neighborhood social network Nextdoor is trying out a new way to keep conversations respectful. The company is introducing a new feature that will remind users to keep conversations “constructive” when the app detects that a particular thread may be likely to turn negative or overly contentious.

With the change, which will be rolling out over the next few weeks, users will see a big pop-up reminding them “you can set the tone,” before they are able to add to a discussion. “Show your neighbors what it looks like to have empathetic conversations,” it reads.

It’s an approach the company has tried before. Nextdoor introduced “kindness reminders” in 2019, which surface pop-ups when the app detects someone may be about to post a heated comment. Last year, it debuted a similar reminder to promote anti-racist language among its users.

What sets these latest notifications apart is that they appear proactively, before a user has typed out a comment. The feature uses machine learning to detect when a conversation between neighbors may be close to becoming problematic, looking at factors like the rate of comments coming in as well as whether the people active in a thread have been reported in the past.

Nextdoor will push reminders to users about how to have
Nextdoor

The goal, according to the company’s Chief Product Officer Kiran Prasad, is to catch people before they get involved in a discussion that could be veering off course. Once you’ve already started typing out a response, he says,”you’re kind of committed to a certain level because you’ve already written a bunch of stuff.” If people can see the reminders before they start writing, the hope is they’ll be more likely to respond thoughtfully, or even not jump in at all.

For a service that has often been in the spotlight for enabling people’s more base instincts (there’s a reason why the app has had to actively remind users to not be racist) predicting when a conversation is likely to turn negative could have a sizable impact.

“It’ll start to kind of set the tone that these are the types of conversations that are appropriate or not appropriate on the platform,” Prasad said.

Nextdoor isn’t the only platform to try out these kinds of reminders in an effort to make people be nicer to each other online. Twitter has prompted users to rethink mean tweets, and has said the prompts have led to a decrease in harmful replies. TikTok adopted a similar measure, prompting users to “reconsider” before posting offensive comments. Instagram also has anti-bullying “nudges.”

Prasad says that early tests of Nextdoor’s “constructive conversations” reminders have already been positive, though it has led to some decrease in overall engagement on the platform. “We think that it’s still the right thing to do.”

Apple’s AirTag 4-pack falls back to $89

We don’t see deals on Apple’s AirTags very often, but you can now pick up a four-pack at Amazon for $89, or $10 (10 percent) off the regular price. They’ve been slightly cheaper at Woot, but it matches the best Amazon deal we’ve seen so far — so it’s a good time to act if you have multiple items to track. 

By Apple AirTag 4-pack at Amazon – $89

If you’re an Apple user, AirTags offer some large advantages over Tile and other rival trackers. The ultra-wideband functionality offers precise tracking with iPhone 11 or later devices up close, so you can narrow your search between a couch and love seat in the same room. Over larger distances, the AirTag network enabled by all Apple device users lets you track down an object you might have misplaced in a café.

It offers a simple coin-sized design and seamless experience thanks to the Find My app. You can also force an AirTag to emit a chime to help you hone in an object’s location, and Apple recently made that chime louder so the devices are easier to locate. 

It does lack a built-in keyring like rival trackers, so you’ll need to pay an extra $35 for that. And it only works with Apple devices, so Android users will have to buy something else. However, if you’re in Apple’s ecosystem and have been waiting for a discount, now is the time to act. 

母親節 Kindle 優惠，兩件折上折一同分享閱讀樂趣

臨近母親節，Amazon 的皇牌電子閱讀器產品 Kindle 以及 Kindle Paperwhite 都在 Amazon 上推出折扣，雖然未能趕上當天送出，但對喜歡閱讀的母親亦是十分貼心的禮物，現在購買它們還會附贈三個月的 Kindle Unlimited 讓你可以任意閱讀書庫內的書本。…

Rocket Lab captures booster in mid-air with a helicopter for the first time

Rocket Lab has taken a huge step towards making its Electron orbital launch vehicle a reusable rocket. The company has successfully captured Electron’s first stage mid-air with a helicopter for the first time upon its return to Earth after deploying 34 satellites to orbit. To ensure that the first stage will survive its re-entry into the atmosphere, Rocket Lab re-oriented it into the ideal angle that would give it the best chances to withstand tremendous heat and pressure. A drogue parachute then deployed to increase drag before the main parachute opened up in the final part of its descent.

The company sent a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter to rendezvous with the returning stage at 6,500 feet in the air, using a hook on a cable to capture the booster’s parachute line. While the catch was a success, Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said on Twitter that the pilots weren’t happy with the way the booster was hanging below the helicopter and opted to drop it into the ocean. It was eventually retrieved and loaded onto a vessel for transport back to Rocket Lab’s HQ for re-flight assessment. 

Rocket Lab says the test gave its helicopter pilot “different load characteristics than previously experienced in testing” and will provide important information for future helicopter captures. The goal is to be able to grab the booster mid-air and bring it straight back to land instead of having to drop it into the sea, since salt water could damage the booster. If the company successfully proves that it can reuse its boosters similar to what SpaceX can do, it can ramp up launch frequency and reduce mission costs for small satellites.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said:

“Bringing a rocket back from space and catching it with a helicopter is something of a supersonic ballet. A tremendous number of factors have to align and many systems have to work together flawlessly, so I am incredibly proud of the stellar efforts of our Recovery Team and all of our engineers who made this mission and our first catch a success. From here we’ll assess the stage and determine what changes we might want to make to the system and procedures for the next helicopter catch and eventual re-flight.”

The company has another launch scheduled for May, but it’s unclear if it will attempt another helicopter recovery.