Category: Acer

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StarVR Developer Program Officially ‘on hold until further notice’

The virtual reality (VR) industry can be a tough business, some find success, others manage to get on by, and many more fail. Last month StarVR Corporation announced the launch of its developer programme, allowing select studios to get their hands on the $3,200 USD StarVR One headset. That’s now come to an abrupt stop today.

StarVR new1

In an official letter posted to its partners and developers via its blog, StarVR Corporation has said:

“To our valued community of developers and partners,

“We regret to inform you that the StarVR Developer Program has been put on hold until further notice.

“We believe it is the most responsible course of action to put the StarVR Developer Program on hold while our company is in the process of going private, which may entail some changes to our operations.

“Your interest and support for StarVR is greatly appreciated. We understand that many of you were looking forward to purchasing the StarVR One headset, and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

“Sincerely yours,

“The StarVR Team”

Where that leaves developers who have already invested in the programme is unclear, as there’s no indication the programme will start up again. For those that were thinking about joining up, it looks like you’ve dodged a bullet.

Zerolight

StarVR Corporation used to be a part of Starbreeze AB until it was spun off into its own separate company via a partnership with Acer. Starbreeze AB itself has been going through its own woes this week, filing for reconstruction in a bid to avoid bankruptcy as well as seeing its CEO Bo Andersson leaving.

As further details are released regarding StarVR Corporation going private, VRFocus will keep you updated.

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StarVR Developer Program Paused “until further notice” as Company Goes Private

StarVR, the Acer & Starbreeze owned startup behind the recently unveiled StarVR One wide field of view (FOV) headset, is going through a pretty rocky period after it was delisted from the Taipei stock exchange last month. Starbreeze today published an open letter to its developers notifying them the StarVR Developer Program is on hold until further notice.

Here’s the letter in full, which was also emailed to developers who signed up for the program:

To our valued community of developers and partners,

We regret to inform you that the StarVR Developer Program has been put on hold until further notice.

We believe it is the most responsible course of action to put the StarVR Developer Program on hold while our company is in the process of going private, which may entail some changes to our operations.

Your interest and support for StarVR is greatly appreciated. We understand that many of you were looking forward to purchasing the StarVR One headset, and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Sincerely yours,

The StarVR Team

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The StarVR Developer Program was devised to make StarVR One headsets available for purchase to a “select group of development teams and professional users.” There were also a few hoops to jump through to show that developers were up to the task of creating content for the $3,200 headset, which was unveiled in late August.

Where that leaves StarVR One, we’re just not sure at the moment. It’s very likely the company is searching for venture capital to make the transition from publicly traded company back to private firm a sound move financially.

The post StarVR Developer Program Paused “until further notice” as Company Goes Private appeared first on Road to VR.

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Report: Acer Could Sell or Disband StarVR Soon

StarVR Corporation, an Acer and Starbreeze partnership behind the wide field of view (FOV) VR headset StarVR One, could be on the ropes after its delisting from the Taipei stock exchange earlier this month.

Digitimes reports that Acer, a 63 percent majority stakeholder in the company, has given StarVR three months to turn profitable, citing an anonymous ‘market watcher’ source.

Another Digitimes source maintains that Acer is also actively looking to sell the company to firms based in China or Japan.

Sweden-based game company Starbreeze, which currently owns a 33 percent interest in StarVR, says in a recent announcement that stakeholders will meet next month “to decide whether StarVR Corporation should cease to be a public company.”

Photo by Road to VR

In October of last year, Acer took over as majority stakeholder of StarVR with a $5 million capital injection, making for a total of $15 million set aside for the company to produce and market its wide FOV StarVR headset. An earlier version of the headset has found its way into Japan-based SEGA game centers, IMAX VR centres, and VR Park in the Dubai Mall.

In August the company unveiled StarVR One, the latest iteration of the headset which incorporates SteamVR 2.0 tracking sensors, new dual 1,830 × 1,464 AMOLED displays (3,660 × 1,464 across both eyes) with a 90Hz refresh rate, and optics providing a 210 degree horizontal FOV.

Last week, the company opened applications to developers looking to create for the $3,200 headset, which is aimed at commercial and enterprise use-cases.

Should the company be disbanded, the report maintains, StarVR employees will be incorporated into Acer.

The post Report: Acer Could Sell or Disband StarVR Soon appeared first on Road to VR.

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Neue Windows-MR-Brille Acer OJO 500 auf der IFA vorgestellt

Acer präsentierte auf der IFA die neue Windows-MR-Brille OJO 500, die sich dank ihres speziellen Designs an Unternehmen und VR-Unterhaltungsbereiche richtet. Mit einem abnehmbaren Gehäuse der Linsen, integrierten Kopfhörern, Regler für den Augenabstand und zwei verschiedenen Halterungen ist die neue VR-Brille perfekt für den Einsatz in Arcades oder Vergnügungseinrichtungen geeignet.

Acer OJO 500 – Neue Windows-MR-Brille für professionelle Unterhaltungseinrichtungen vorgeführt

Die MR-Brille Acer OJO 500 wurde erstmals auf der Pressekonferenz von Acer auf der IFA vorgeführt. Die neue Brille ist für den Einsatz in Entertainment-Bereichen gedacht, in denen wechselnde Besucher/innen ein VR-Angebot nutzen. Durch das häufige Auf- und Absetzen der VR-Brillen in beispielsweise Arcades, hinterlassen die Gäste häufig unangenehmen Schweiß auf der Hardware.

Dank des intelligenten Designs der neuen Acer-Brille soll dem entgegen gewirkt werden. So wird der Reinigungsprozess dank des abnehmbaren Gehäuses deutlich vereinfacht. Dies spart Zeit und ist zudem hygienischer für die Nutzer/innen. So kann man den vorderen Part der Brille einfach nach oben klappen, um leichter an die entsprechenden Teile zu gelangen.

Acer-OJO-500

Image courtesy: Acer

Die Befestigungsriemen der Kopfhalterung sind in einer weichen sowie harten Variante verfügbar. Zudem eignet sich die Stoffversion für das Waschen in einer Waschmaschine. Außerdem wurde erstmals ein IPD-Regler (interpupillary distance wheel) angebracht, wodurch der Augenabstand adjustierbar wird. Mt einer dazugehörigen Smartphone-App soll der passende Wert direkt ermittelbar werden. Ebenso neu sind die integrierten Kopfhörer mitsamt Mikrofon, wodurch keine zusätzlichen Audiogeräte mehr benötigt werden.

Acer-OJO-500

Image courtesy: Acer

Bei den technischen Spezifikationen hat sich dagegen weniger verändert. So bieten die LCD-Linsen pro Auge weiterhin eine Auflösung von 1.440 x 1.440 Pixeln bei einer Framerate von 90 Hertz. Das Field of View beträgt ca. 100 Grad.

Die neue Acer OJO 500 soll ab November weltweit erhältlich sein. In Europa ist die MR-Brille für 499 Euro käuflich zu erwerben.

(Quellen: VR Scout | Video: Acer YouTube)

Der Beitrag Neue Windows-MR-Brille Acer OJO 500 auf der IFA vorgestellt zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

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Acer Reveals OJO 500 Detachable Windows VR Headset

Acer Reveals OJO 500 Detachable Windows VR Headset

Less than a year on from the release of Acer’s first Windows ‘Mixed Reality’ VR headset, the company is introducing its successor, the Acer OJO 500.

Last year’s MR headset was considered to be on the lower end of a range of devices Microsoft introduced with the help of several companies. The OJO 500, meanwhile, builds upon it with an integrated audio system and adjustable interpupillary distance (IPD) that’s measured via an Android app.

That said, don’t expect a big update in the optic department; the headset has the same 2880×1440 screen as its predecessor, still with a 90Hz refresh rate and 100-degree field of view. Microsoft’s inside-out tracking tech is still used and there are built-in microphones to boot.

The most curious addition to the device, though, is the ability to actually remove the VR optics, essentially leaving just the headband in place. Why would you want to do this? Acer says it’s mainly for hygiene in location-based VR instances. An arcade, for example, could simply swap out optics as new people jump into experiences and clean the just-used kit while another clean set is being used in its place. It definitely sounds like a more convenient, if more costly, method of keeping VR clean at events. Acer hasn’t yet revealed a scheme to purchase a bulk amount of units.

We also can’t help but wonder if this could mean Acer could launch future VR headsets with just the optics component in the box, quickly attaching to a user’s existing headband for an upgraded experience. It’d be a pretty smart way to keep the price down in future releases if so. Elsewhere, Acer also recently announced its next-generation StarVR headset, which is built in partnership with StarVR and aimed at location-based experiences.

Acer is launching the OJO 500 in November for $399, the same price the original headset launched at. Meanwhile, Samsung is also prepping to launch its own follow-up to its first Windows MR headset in the Samsung Odyssey+. Release details on that device are still to be revealed, though.

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Acer Unveils New Business-friendly Windows VR Headset with Detachable Display

Acer today announced a new Windows “Mixed Reality” VR headset. Dubbed the Acer OJO 500 (pronounced ‘O-ho’), the new headset is packing a few features that seem to be making overtures to the enterprise sector.

Seemingly taking a page out of Samsung’s playbook, the Acer OJO 500 includes a few features once exclusive to the Samsung Odyssey HMD: integrated audio and manual inter-pupillary distance adjustments.

Image courtesy Acer

Like Sensic’s enterprise-focused VR headset though, which is intended for VR arcades and parks, OJO 500 features a detachable design. Like Sensic’s enterprise headset, it’s principally created to quickly get more heads into headsets, letting you prep a few people with straps before you toss them into VR.

Acer is offering both hard and soft strap variants, the soft strap touted as machine washable—something that ought to appeal to out-of-home venues, as operators could have multiple headstraps in reserve, washing them periodically without need for downtime.

Image courtesy Acer

The display resolution hasn’t changed however, offering the same LCD screens at 1,440 × 1,440 resolution per display as their previous model (AH101-D8EY), running at 90Hz.

Acer says the OJO 500 will be available in North America in November, starting at $400; and in Europe, Middle East, and Africa in November, starting at €500.

IPD adjustment wheel & detachment buttons, Image courtesy Acer

While not specifically a “next generation” device, as claimed in the promo, this could signal that Acer is more closely dialing in on the lower-end enterprise market. Since Windows VR headsets require very little setup, and also don’t require tracking basestations due to the on-board, inside-out optical tracking, they’ve found their way into arcade spaces such as the VR pop-up at the International Concourse at New York’s JFK Airport and in Beat Game’s newly announced dedicated Beat Saber arcade machines.

The post Acer Unveils New Business-friendly Windows VR Headset with Detachable Display appeared first on Road to VR.

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Acer OJO 500 Windows Mixed Reality Headset Announced at IFA Berlin

The Windows Mixed Reality series of headsets hasn’t exactly taken the world – or the virtual reality (VR) industry – by storm but that doesn’t mean to say the hardware manufacturers involved aren’t continuing support. Today, during a press conference at IFA in Berlin, Germany, Acer announced the latest iteration of its headset, the OJO 500.

Acer OJO 500

Aiming to improve on the previous 2017 headset, especially in the comfort department, the new Acer OJO 500 features a unique detachable design allowing the front lens unit to be removed for easy cleaning and storage.

“The Acer OJO 500 brings several significant new features to this class of Windows Mixed Reality headsets,” said Andrew Chuang, General Manager, Presence Computing, IT Products Business, Acer Inc in a statement. “We’ve improved the user experience with innovative visual and audio technologies and made the headset more comfortable and easier than ever to use.”

The device will be available with either a hard or soft head strap, with the latter being machine washable. Inside, there are two front-hinged 2.89-inch high-resolution liquid crystal displays (LCD) providing a wide 100-degree field of view (FOV), delivering 2880 x 1440 resolution. This is combined with a fast refresh rate of up to 90Hz. Still in place is the flipping mechanism, eliminating the need to remove the entire headset to answer the phone or converse with people in the room, and inside-out tracking and 6 degrees of freedom positional tracking from the front cameras.

Acer OJO 500

On the audio side Acer has devised a couple of options, with the OJO 500 featuring an integrated audio system that uses a patented sound pipe design that directs sound from the built-in speakers toward the wearer’s ears. This allows users to hear audio without headphones – sounding very similar to the Oculus Go design. For those that require more privacy and deeper immersion, they can use the built-in earphones that come with the hard head strap, or their own earphones with the soft head strap.

The Acer OJO 500 will be available in North America in November, starting at $399 USD; and in Europe in November, starting at €499 EUR. There will be options for the WMR motion controllers but those prices haven’t been revealed yet. For further updates and info on the Acer OJO 500, keep reading VRFocus.