Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • PC Hardware

    Windows Mixed Reality Headsets to Arrive in Time for the Holidays

    By
    Pedro Hernandez
    -
    May 31, 2017
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      Virtual Reality Devices

      The wait is getting shorter.

      Microsoft planted the seeds for affordable augmented-reality (AR) and virtual-reality (AR) experiences with this spring’s release of the Windows 10 Creators Update. Later this year, PC owners who pony up a little extra cash for a new Windows-compatible mixed-reality headset will finally get to see (and hear) what the fuss is about.

      Intended to help push AR and VR into the mainstream, Windows 10 Creators Update includes software components that provide convincing virtual experiences on Windows PCs with modest specifications. Currently, leading VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive fetch prices of $499 and $799, respectively. Last fall, Microsoft announced that it was working with its hardware partners on headsets with prices starting at $299.

      At this week’s Computex 2017 tradeshow in Taipei, some of those hardware makers offered an early look at their headsets, which are slated to start hitting store shelves during the 2017 holiday season.

      Developers in the U.S. and Canada can get their hands on both the Windows Mixed Reality Headset Developer Edition versions of Acer’s and HP’s headsets early, by pre-ordering now. Both models feature dual 1,440-pixel by 1,400-pixel LCD displays that offer a 95-degree horizontal field of view and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. Acer’s headset is priced at $299 USD while HP’s headset sells for $329.

      Eschewing the bright blue of Acer’s unit and the subdued black used by HP, Dell decided to drape its Windows Mixed Reality Headset in white.

      “Dell’s stylish white headset is uniquely focused on user comfort, designed by the same team that crafts their premium XPS and Alienware PCs,” said Peter Han, vice president of Partner Devices and Solutions at Microsoft, in a May 31 announcement.

      In a separate blog post, Gary Radburn, director of Workstation Virtualization, Commercial VR and AR at Dell, demonstrated how the design evolved since an early prototype was first displayed at CES. Like other upcoming mixed-reality headsets for Windows, it borrows the inside-out tracking capabilities found in HoloLens, Microsoft’s high-end headset ($3,000). Inside-out tracking enables the device to accurately keep track of its position relative to its surroundings without the aid of external sensors and other tracking devices.

      ASUS is adding a futuristic spin to its headset with a front cover panel that features a polygonal design, along with a motion controller offering six degrees of freedom (up/down, left/right, forward/back, yaw, pitch and roll). Finally, Lenovo is also preparing an affordable headset with similar specifications. Demonstrating its platform-agnostic approach to VR. Earlier this month the Chinese PC maker announced a collaboration with Google to produce a standalone Daydream headset that doesn’t require a phone or PC to operate.

      Pedro Hernandez
      Pedro Hernandez is a contributor to eWEEK and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×