Meta Quest 3 Is Coming This Fall, & Quest 2 Prices Have Dropped

Immersive VR + Breakthrough Meta Reality in a Single Device

Mark Zuckerberg just revealed Meta Quest 3, our next-generation virtual and mixed reality headset, which will be available later this year.

Pritish Bagdi

It has a greater resolution, more powerful performance, groundbreaking Meta Reality technology, and a thinner, more comfortable form factor. This autumn, Quest 3 will be released in all countries where Meta Quest is currently available. The 128GB headset is priced at $499.99 USD, with an additional storage option available for individuals who require more space. Mark your calendars because we'll have much more to discuss at Meta Connect, which returns on September 27 this year.

Quest 3 is the powerful all-in-one headset you've been looking for, with no wires. Sign up to be among the first to find out about Meta Quest 3.

Mark Zuckerberg's communique on MQ3, "Quest 3 combines our highest definition display with pancake optics to produce content that looks better than ever before. This will be the first headset to use a next-generation Snapdragon chipset created in conjunction with Qualcomm Technologies to power those additional pixels. In Quest 2, the next-generation Snapdragon chipset delivers more than twice the graphics capabilities of the previous generation Snapdragon GPU, resulting in smoother performance and exceptionally sharp details in immersive games.

On Quest 3, our best-in-class Meta Reality technology allows you to effortlessly blend your physical and virtual worlds. These new experiences go beyond today's mixed reality by intelligently comprehending and responding to objects in your actual area, allowing you to navigate it in natural, intuitive ways that were previously practically impossible. High-fidelity colour Passthrough, unique machine learning, and spatial awareness let you to interact with virtual information and the physical world at the same time, opening up a world of possibilities. You can now play a virtual board game on your kitchen table with Demeo, adorn your living room with virtual art thanks to Painting VR, or immerse yourself in a totally immersive universe to achieve things that were previously impossible.

Quest 3 brings Meta Reality to even more people at a lower price point, making it our first mass-market offering to combine cutting-edge VR and MR experiences in a single device, establishing a new standard for future headsets.

With a 40% slimmer optic profile* compared to Quest 2, Quest 3 is a sleeker, more comfortable headset. We also completely redesigned Quest 3’s Touch Plus controllers with a more streamlined and ergonomic form factor. Thanks to our advances in tracking technology, we’ve dropped the outer tracking rings so the controllers feel like a more natural extension of your hands and take up less space. We also included TruTouch haptics that first debuted in Touch Pro to help you feel the action like never before. You can even upgrade to our fully self-tracked Meta Quest Touch Pro Controllers for a premium experience. And hand tracking will be supported out of the box, so you can explore without controllers, thanks to Direct Touch that lets you use just your hands to interact with virtual objects.

Quest 3 is compatible with the Quest 2 catalog of over 500 VR games, apps, and experiences (and counting), and we’ve got even more exciting new VR and MR titles lined up for launch. That means Quest 3 will have the world’s best library of immersive experiences on day one. Be sure to tune in to today’s Meta Quest Gaming Showcase for a rundown of new games and updates coming to the Quest Platform — plus a sneak peek at Quest 3’s AAA flagship adventure.

Quest 2 Gets New Lower Prices, Plus a Performance Upgrade

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BMW Launches A Yacht Called THE ICON. Have A Look At The Pics & Deets

This unusual cooperation between BMW and boat manufacturer TYDE, named THE ICON, has recently premiered, pioneering a new stage in sustainable luxury.

Pritish Bagdi

Electric range (WLTP) 488–560 in km Power consumption 23,3–20,8 kWh/100 km (combined)

A luxurious yacht outfitted with i3 batteries that, when completely charged, can go more than 50 nautical miles or 100 km. According to Peter Dengler, the project's director, this is conceivable in all sectors. "Mobility on water consumes nearly ten times as much energy as mobility on land." In the meantime, professional sailing has developed techniques for significantly reducing energy use, paving the door for climate-friendly solutions. Decarbonization of mobility is already happening in some locations. However, there has not yet been any innovation in other fields, thus decarbonization has not even begun. On the sea, there is currently no equivalent of luxury electric vehicles like the BMW i7 M70."

The Idea for THE ICON

Just as the tides are created by the interaction of the earth and the moon, the interplay of two factors was crucial in this shared vision: a focus on innovation and the joy of sustainable mobility.

Because, as Peter Dengler, head of THE ICON project, points out, this can be made possible in all segments. “Mobility on water is nearly ten times more energy-intensive than mobility on land. In the meantime, however, professional sailing has come up with solutions for substantially saving energy, paving the way for climate-friendly solutions. The decarbonization of mobility is already taking place in some areas. In other areas, however, there has not yet been innovation, so decarbonization has not even begun. There is currently no equivalent of luxury electric vehicles like the BMW i7 M70 offered on the water.” He saw an extraordinary fascination in that visionary triad of sustainability, luxury and conscious pleasure: “Our team was particularly driven by the idea of creating the magical combination of innovation, digitalization and the relationship between people and technology, but most importantly, an incomparable zero-emission experience for the water.” What does the new mobility on the water look like? “The same characteristics found in BMW luxury vehicles like the BMW i7 M70 will be key in this element too: maximum sustainability combined with design, innovation and a unique driving experience.”

TYDE and the technical milestones

TYDE, a new, progressive lifestyle tech company and provider of experiences for luxury mobility at sea, was also at the rudder of this intelligent transfer of technology and expertise in the development of THE ICON. Dr. Christoph Ballin, the longstanding CEO of electric mobility pioneer Torqeedo, was instrumental in making electric mobility on the water fit for everyday use. Tobias Hoffritz is already a long-standing partner of BMW for technology and innovation projects with his company Second Sphere. Developing the first maritime luxury electric vehicle has been an exciting journey for both: “THE ICON has a wealth of groundbreaking innovations on board that are suitable for anchoring climate-friendly mobility in the high-end segment as well. The yacht is available as a series product, and the technology platform developed means the model range can easily be expanded.”

Technical inspiration

The team broke free from the shackles of established development and design conventions right from the start. They deliberately set out not to design a boat, but rather create their own experience on the water. BMW has had trailblazing experience and long-standing involvement in sailing sports such as the premier class America’s Cup, the Formula 1 equivalent of boat racing.

A team of engineers built the first bridge between nautical technology and the most advanced electric mobility. Leading experts from all over the world were brought on board for this – including Guillaume Verdier, the world’s leading designer of the fastest and most efficient sailboats and responsible for the hull and hydrofoil of the last winning boat in the America’s Cup.

Foiling technology delivers up to 80-percent energy saving

Foiling, a technology that delivers up to 80-percent energy saving, is a pioneering technical development that supports the sustainability goals of the new watercraft. This means BMW i batteries can be used as a power source. How does that work? Foils consist of a stabilizing fin and two wings. They act like underwater wings that allow the watercraft to literally hover over the water – enabling THE ICON to be electrified by the power of BMW batteries alone.

The upper-side curvature creates a negative pressure, generating buoyancy. Water resistance on the hull is no longer a factor. The craft is lifted out of the water, reducing the resistance to a minimum – the watercraft literally hovers over the water. Two propellers on the rear foil provide propulsion for THE ICON. It takes between 10 and 12 seconds from startup to hovering. Flying about one meter above the water, feeling no wave impact at all feels exactly the same as comfortably gliding in the rear of the BMW i7.

Better interaction between people and technology

Dengler and Hoffritz found the interface was much more advanced in cars than on yachts. As a result, all maritime controls and navigation displays were bundled into a single control interface. “The intuitive, integrated user interface, based on the BMW ID8 operating system and a touch-sensitive display, delivers an automotive standard in boating,” explains Dengler. This ensures that operation is intuitive and integrative and can also be controlled interactively via voice commands.

"There was a lot of digital technology involved. We were able to use VR glasses to experience the space and see how the perspectives worked before the built model was ready."

Tommy Forsgren Lead Designer on the Munich-based Designworks team

#thecommunique #tcn #tc #BMW #TYDE #lifestyle #TheIcon #luxury #Yatch #technology #BMWi7 #VR

Zalando will introduce a ChatGPT-powered virtual fashion assistant!

The debut of a virtual fashion assistant leveraging OpenAI technology by European fashion e-tailer Zalando, based in Germany, aims to improve the online fashion buying experience.

Pritish Bagdi

Image: Zalando; virtual fashion assistant powered by ChatGPT

In a statement, Zalando said it would launch the first beta version of its virtual fashion assistant powered by ChatGPT across its website and apps this spring to help customers navigate through its “large assortment in a more intuitive way”.

Utilising OpenAI technology, the chatbot will allow customers to ask questions using their own fashion terms and words and provide them with relevant suggestions in an “intuitive and natural” way.

According to Zalando, if a customer asks, “What should I wear for a wedding in Santorini in July?” the fashion assistant will understand that this is a formal event and what the weather is like in Santorini in July, and therefore, provide clothing recommendations based on that input.

This could be combined in the future with customer preferences, such as brands they follow and products available in their sizes to deliver a more personalised selection of products, added Zalando.

The virtual fashion assistant will be enabled for a selected group of customers in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria, with support in both English and German.

Tian Su, vice president of personalisation and recommendation at Zalando, said: “At Zalando, our customers have always been at the centre of everything we do. As a leader in fashion e-commerce in Europe for 15 years, we have consistently embraced new technologies to enhance our customers' shopping experience. We are excited to be experimenting with ChatGPT to help our valued customers discover even more fashion they will love.

"This is just the beginning; we are committed to understanding our customers' needs and preferences even better, and we are eager to explore the potential that ChatGPT can bring to their shopping journey. As we continue testing and introducing new solutions, our focus remains on learning how our customers want to interact with our fashion assistant to provide them with the best possible experience."

#thecommunique #tcn #tc #metatainment #AI #chatGPT #digitalfashion #virtual #VR #AR #Meta