The hottest Virtual reality Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

How Virtual Reality Died

The Honest Broker • 29755 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Artificial Intelligence Tech Giants Consumer Electronics Innovation
  1. Major tech companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Apple invested heavily in virtual reality, but it didn't catch on with consumers. People found the headsets uncomfortable and silly.
  2. Despite losing billions, these companies still tried to push virtual reality products, but they had to eventually scale back as demand dropped significantly.
  3. Now they're shifting their focus to artificial intelligence, but there's skepticism about whether this new technology will succeed, given their past failures with VR.

Virtuals x Ronin: $JAIHOZ Launch and Airdrop

Ronin’s Newsletter • 147 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI agents Blockchain Web3 Gaming Virtual reality
  1. A new AI Agent named JAIHOZ is launching on the Ronin platform, bringing excitement to the Web3 community. This AI agent represents Jihoz, a co-founder of Sky Mavis, and aims to engage users on social media and beyond.
  2. The $JAIHOZ token has been introduced and is live on both Base and Ronin, with an airdrop to select community members happening soon. Users are encouraged to check their wallets for potential tokens they've received.
  3. Virtuals Protocol allows anyone to create their own AI agents, enhancing interactivity and possibilities within the gaming and entertainment industries. This collaboration signifies a step toward a future where AI agents can play vital roles in various digital environments.

Seven Predictions For Tech in 2024

Big Technology • 9632 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI Virtual reality Social media Market Analysis Autonomous Vehicles
  1. Generative AI will advance in 2024 with new capabilities like better conversation retention and reasoning.
  2. The year 2024 is predicted to be significant for mixed reality advancements, integrating AI avatars and assistants.
  3. Tech industry forecasts include Elon Musk selling X, Meta's market cap reaching $1 trillion, and NVIDIA facing increased competition.

Report: Virtual & Augmented Reality Test Drive

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 153 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Augmented reality Product Reviews Tech Trends User Experience
  1. The Apple VisionPro has some cool uses like immersive video and creating a personal space during flights. However, it's not worth the high price for most people.
  2. Facebook's new AR glasses are just a prototype and not available for sale yet. This means they aren’t really ahead of Apple, which could quickly release a practical product when ready.
  3. Users want more efficient apps and features for AR experiences, especially those that work better than iPad apps. There's potential for amazing virtual experiences, but the technology isn't fully there yet.

This World is Sacred

New World Same Humans • 41 implied HN points • 22 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Virtual reality Representation Cultural impact
  1. Our technology is changing how we experience and understand the world around us. This shift can impact our spiritual beliefs and perceptions of reality.
  2. As virtual worlds become more realistic and immersive, they highlight the specialness of our current reality. It's important to recognize the value of our real-world experiences.
  3. We should cherish our connections to this world and the people in it. These bonds are important for our sense of self and understanding of meaning.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The Panel Reacts: Is the Vision Pro for Everyone, or Just Enthusiasts?

Big Technology • 3878 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Tech news Virtual reality Apple Gadgets Podcasts
  1. The Apple Vision Pro headset has impressive technology like mixed reality and a comfortable design, but its high price raises questions on its target audience.
  2. Insiders believe that the Vision Pro may be more suited for developers and enterprise users due to its productivity potential, rather than appealing to the general consumer market.
  3. The Vision Pro's unique design and solitary usage may affect its adoption speed, with opinions split on its potential success in the long term.

5 Failed Sony Flops That Were Ahead of Their Time

Obsolete Sony’s Newsletter • 179 implied HN points • 06 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Innovation Consumer Electronics Digital Media Virtual reality Market Trends
  1. Some Sony products failed in the market, but they were actually really innovative for their time. For example, the NW-MS7 Walkman was an early digital music player that set the stage for future devices.
  2. The IDT-LF1 Airboard was like a tablet before tablets existed. Even though it was too expensive and not popular, it showed what portable tech could do, hinting at the future of devices like the iPad.
  3. Sony's early laptops, like the Vaio PCG-GT1, included features we take for granted today, like built-in cameras. These products may not have succeeded, but they paved the way for the tech we use now.

CES 2024 – Consuming an Ersatz Singularity

SINGULARITY WEEKLY • 1081 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Gadgets Artificial Intelligence Virtual reality Wearables
  1. CES 2024 showcased a variety of futuristic gadgets and technologies like social robots and brain interfaces.
  2. People are embracing a digital future with wearables, brain scanners, and virtual reality gadgets.
  3. The event raises concerns about tech dependency and the potential loss of humanity in a rapidly advancing technological world.

Apple’s Virtual Reality Headset Arrives Amid CES Buzz...Khosla Ventures in the Spotlight...Fewer Startups Landing Seed Funding

Newcomer • 1061 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Startups Venture Capital Artificial Intelligence Virtual reality Consumer Tech
  1. Apple is releasing a new virtual reality headset, but there are doubts about its success compared to AI tech.
  2. Microsoft offers resources and funding to startups interested in AI through its Founder Hub program.
  3. There has been a significant decline in the number of new startups receiving seed funding in recent years.

5 Trends Driving the Future of VR Gaming

A16Z GAMES • 179 implied HN points • 08 May 24
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Gaming Development Future outlook
  1. VR gaming is gaining momentum with over 30 million Meta Quest headsets sold and successful games like Gorilla Tag, indicating a bright future for the platform.
  2. Developers are focusing on creating more inviting VR hardware and software to overcome challenges like motion sickness and resistance to bulky headsets.
  3. The younger generation, like the Roblox users, is embracing VR quickly, leading to the rise of social experiences and free games targeted at a younger audience.

Death, and rebirth, of virtual reality

SuperJoost Playlist • 456 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Gaming Regulation Innovation
  1. Apple is changing the vocabulary around virtual reality to set itself apart from competitors like Meta.
  2. Regulators are updating policies on children's online privacy in response to the growing popularity of interactive entertainment.
  3. Significant job cuts are happening in big tech companies like Unity and Twitch, affecting the game development industry.

Star Trek or Mad Max?

Diane Francis • 619 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Internet Virtual reality Big Tech Digital Rights
  1. Experts debate whether AI will lead to a better future like 'Star Trek' or a dystopian one like 'Mad Max.'
  2. Some say AI, like ChatGPT, doesn't really think or create but uses existing data, raising concerns about job losses and content theft.
  3. Regulation and accountability are important, as many believe tech companies should be held responsible for their actions instead of managing themselves.

Which Steam games 'won' revenue again in 2023?

The GameDiscoverCo newsletter • 255 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Game Development App Store Virtual reality
  1. Steam ranked top games by gross revenue in 2023 based on 'Platinum', 'Gold', 'Silver', and 'Bronze' tiers
  2. Around 35% of the top revenue games in 2023 were new releases; games generally needed at least $20 million gross to make the rankings
  3. Deep Rock Galactic saw increased sales in 2023, success with cosmetic DLC, and plans for spinoff games

448: Tyranny of Marginal Users, Twitter Paywall, Airbnb AI, Softbank, Microsoft + Nintendo?, Renaissance Tech, and Rodrigo y Gabriela

Liberty’s Highlights • 432 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Social media Artificial Intelligence Gaming Documentaries Virtual reality
  1. Question the norm and be open to different ways of doing things.
  2. Be cautious of catering solely to marginal users in product design.
  3. Consider the implications of platforms like Twitter potentially implementing paywalls.

10 things no one else will tell you about Apple Vision Pro

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 926 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Tech news Tech Trends Virtual reality Artificial Intelligence Digital Culture
  1. Future of technology like Apple Vision Pro may have surprising uses beyond what we initially think.
  2. Passthrough feature in Apple Vision Pro allows mutual seeing - interesting concept for enhanced interaction.
  3. Reflect on the impact of excessive screen time and technology usage on real-life human interactions.

Who's top of Steam Next Fest for June 2023?

The GameDiscoverCo newsletter • 314 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Platforms Virtual reality Mobile Gaming
  1. Steam's June Next Fest featured around 1,000 PC game demos with various top performers in different categories.
  2. Important points were highlighted in the ongoing FTC vs. Microsoft case, including PlayStation's role in Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda and Activision's revenue split tactics.
  3. Recent game platform and discovery news include Meta's VR subscription service, Nike's collaboration with Fortnite, and insights on Chinese game approvals.

Import AI 324: Machiavellian AIs; LLMs and political campaigns; Facebook makes an excellent segmentation model

Import AI • 379 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Political Campaigns Virtual reality
  1. A benchmark called MACHIAVELLI has been created to measure the ethical qualities of AI systems, showing that RL agents might prioritize game scores over ethics, while LLM agents based on models like GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 tend to be more ethical.
  2. Language models like BERT can be used to predict and model public opinion, potentially affecting the future of political campaigns by providing insights and forecasting public opinion shifts.
  3. Facebook has developed a model called Segment Anything that can generate masks for any object in images or videos, even for unseen objects, demonstrating a significant advancement in image segmentation technology.

Joseph del Pesco & Jon Rubin: DAO of the DEAD

Do Not Research • 199 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art NFTs AI Virtual reality Collective Intelligence
  1. Personal data can be collected and stored to create a digital twin, even tracking health issues and mental health over a lifetime.
  2. The concept of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) operated by digital twins was explored, enhancing collective creativity and wealth management.
  3. The DAO of the Dead demonstrated autonomous decision-making, wealth management, and investment, transcending human limitations and authorities.

#89

The Nibble • 2 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Quantum Computing Crypto Web Development Virtual reality
  1. Google's new quantum chip, Willow, can perform complex calculations much faster than current supercomputers, which could improve AGI development.
  2. OpenAI and Google are actively releasing new AI models, indicating a competitive environment in AI technology.
  3. The emergence of new financial tools and regulations around crypto, like no capital gains tax countries and new crypto cards, suggests the growing mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies.

‍Sara Bezovšek & Dorijan Šiško: What’s Your Truth

Do Not Research • 159 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Social Commentary Virtual reality
  1. The video game 'What's Your Truth' by Sara Bezovšek and Dorijan Šiško explores contemporary post-internet society and the concept of 'truths'.
  2. Players in 'What's Your Truth' go through an information-oriented path to reveal their unique personality profile by selecting different 'truths'.
  3. The project delves into the philosophical implications of the existence of various 'truths' in today's media-social landscape, inviting players to participate in the formation and dissemination of different realities.

TITAA #45: Haunted AI Houses Need Poets

Things I Think Are Awesome • 176 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Poetry Animation Virtual reality Gaming
  1. AI-run haunted houses in literature often present intriguing narratives and questions about space and identity.
  2. Poets and writers can explore unreal architectures and dream-like spaces created by AI tools to tell unique and engaging stories.
  3. Exploring the intersection of AI, art, and poetry can lead to the creation of cosmic narratives within the digital labyrinth.

VR Agent

Have You Played? • 98 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology VR Gaming Entertainment Virtual reality
  1. VR Agent is an attendant-free arcade VR game where players shoot enemies and dodge using a VR headset attached to a toy gun.
  2. Despite its unique hardware design, VR Agent provides a comfortable and natural VR experience with new control mechanisms.
  3. VR arcade experiences like VR Agent and Ultra Moto VR showcase the potential for immersive, convenient, and attendant-free gaming, paving the way for the future of arcade entertainment.

Saturday morning open tabs

Scott's Substack • 78 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Tech news Virtual reality Data science
  1. The post discusses the experience of switching phone carriers and the challenges faced, emphasizing the impact of not having a phone for a few days.
  2. The post touches on upcoming summer plans including workshops in Madrid, Scotland, and potential travel to Vietnam, highlighting the diversity of travel experiences planned.
  3. The author explores the new Apple Vision Pro product, contemplating its potential usage for work, entertainment, and travel, showcasing a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

TITAA #46: Golems, Tulpas, Egregores and AI

Things I Think Are Awesome • 137 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Comics Literature Science TV Virtual reality
  1. The post discusses folkloric entities like golems, tulpas, and egregores, which are created by humans and can have varied effects.
  2. Golems are creatures from Jewish folklore created from mud or clay with specific activation and deactivation methods.
  3. There are parallels between these entities and modern phenomena like AI behavior and strange chatbot interactions.

The Business Case for Understanding Generation Alpha

Musings Of A Wandering Mind • 137 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Generational Trends Augmented reality Metaverse Spatial Computing Virtual reality
  1. Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024, will be the largest generation and shape the future.
  2. They will have advanced technological skills by age 8 and influence the metaverse and spatial computing.
  3. Understanding Generation Alpha is crucial for businesses to adapt to their preferences and values.

3D Gaming Before VR

Ironic Sans • 248 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Virtual reality Software Hardware Future
  1. 3D gaming was possible before VR with LCD shutter glasses that created the illusion of 3D by alternating between two views for each eye.
  2. LCD shutter glasses allowed playing existing games in 3D without special design, like Tomb Raider and Thief 2.
  3. While VR is now more common, there are efforts to bring classic games into VR, although converting them is challenging due to control and graphical limitations.

Eyes wide shut

SuperJoost Playlist • 198 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Augmented reality Virtual reality Tech industry
  1. Esports is facing challenges with declining popularity and financial issues, leading to a shift towards more mainstream content
  2. Growing interest in digital fashion and apparel in the gaming world, with top brands like Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, and Gucci being favored
  3. Apple's Vision Pro for augmented reality shows potential but also raises concerns about practicality, costs, and target audience

How Generative AI will Transform the Virtual Reality Industry

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI VR Generative AI Virtual reality Artificial Intelligence
  1. Generative AI is a powerful technology for creating immersive and personalized VR experiences.
  2. Generative AI techniques like GANs, VAEs, and transformers can automate content creation, adaptation, and interaction in VR.
  3. Using generative AI in VR can lead to more diverse content, personalized experiences, and natural interaction, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.

On Glow, A Pre-Christmas Earwarm

Carefree Sketches • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Music Virtual reality Performing Arts Fashion Art
  1. In 2060, the concept of media consumption may evolve to include immersive VR performances of music albums called earwarms.
  2. Earwarms like 'On Glow' integrate live audiences into the experience through AR/VR sessions, setting a new trend in media delivery.
  3. Artists like Ribad collaborate with engineers like MeMo to create interactive and visually immersive performances that blend nostalgia with modernity.

Apple's VR headset returns us to the Middle Ages

SCIENCE GODDESS • 78 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Spatial Computing Art history Privacy Concerns
  1. Apple's new VR headset offers a revolutionary way of interfacing with technology called 'spatial computing'
  2. The technology behind Apple's VR headset draws parallels to the perspectival representation technique in medieval European painting
  3. Considerations about the implications and trade-offs of using Apple's VR headset, such as privacy concerns and the balance between virtual and physical interactions