Microsoft HoloLabs

[Valyyn]

So did anyone see this during the Windows 10 conference tonight?

 

That came completely out of the blue and is amazing!

 

Videos and such here:

Microsoft announces Windows Holographic with HoloLens headset | The Verge

 

The videos are definitely worth a watch, this is awesome!

 

 

 

 

Edit: Wasn't sure whether this was best in Blue Skies or here, but figured it is to do with Windows 10! Mods feel free to move if you want though

[mrbios]

I really wanted them to start showing someone watching netflix on it live lol priorities and all

[Valyyn]

Haha yeah. They had someone watching football though!

[MYK-IT]

Back to the future 2

[DarrenM]

I think I know why Google pulled glass now.

[Arthur]

I think I know why Google pulled glass now.

Only the "Explorer Edition" though. There will be more Google Glasses in the future.

[Arthur]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThCr0PsyuA

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAKfdeOX3-o

[tmcd35]

Saw this on IGN news this morning. I'm impressed! Now I know for certain Oculus Rift and Sony Morpheus are beating down the wrong path. This is the VR experience I've been waiting for.

 

Put this together with Kinnect 2 and you've got a very powerful bundle, MS have a serious edge over the competition with this.

 

Now, my only questions - does it work with Skype? Can I send a video of my head?

 

[hardtailstar]

I was intrigued, not sure how much it'll catch on outside though.

[Scotbynature]

I have not really been impressed with any technology for the past 5-10 years really but I WANT THIS!!!! I am starting to save right now as they will charge stupid money for it but it looks amazing.

[JRowley]

This looked really impressive, especially as they had a working demonstration at the event. Personally I think this would be far more useful in education than tablets, imagine a whole class taking a look at a holographic solar system!

[sonofsanta]

Looks amazing - they've been

, but this is a couple of orders of magnitude cooler.

 

Hands-on: Microsoft’s HoloLens is flat-out magical

[localzuk]

Kinda wish they weren't calling it holography to be honest - it isn't. Its face mounted augmented reality/virtual reality. Holography doesn't involve goggles.

 

That said, does look kinda cool.

[nathan]

Kinda wish they weren't calling it holography to be honest - it isn't. Its face mounted augmented reality/virtual reality. Holography doesn't involve goggles.

 

That said, does look kinda cool.

 

Nah, Holography isn't defined by wearing goggles or not.

 

It's the use of interference patterns to reconstruct light fields which i believe this does. VR systems use simple stereoscopic 3D methods

Edited January 22, 2015 by nathan

[Garacesh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThCr0PsyuA

Call me a sceptic, but if any of that actually happens, then I'll be impressed. Right now it just looks like blue-sky marketing gumf.

[mrbios]

Call me a sceptic, but if any of that actually happens, then I'll be impressed. Right now it just looks like blue-sky marketing gumf.

 

They had a live demo last night where the woman created a 3D quad copter (albeit very rushed and out of shape) then said you could send that design directly to a 3D printer from the design you'd made....and they had a working one they presented from behind the desk in a very blue peter style "here's one we made earlier" moment. It's not quite as fancy as what their demo video makes out, but what she could actually see as she was doing it was very impressive.

[JRowley]

During the demonstration someone built a drone in 3d, using the same 'app' as the guy who made the rocket, so be impressed.

[Garacesh]

They had a live demo last night where the woman created a 3D quad copter (albeit very rushed and out of shape) then said you could send that design directly to a 3D printer from the design you'd made....and they had a working one they presented from behind the desk in a very blue peter style "here's one we made earlier" moment. It's not quite as fancy as what their demo video makes out, but what she could actually see as she was doing it was very impressive.

 

I didn't actually watch the release. Too busy watching Hot Fuzz and playing Pokemon, wrapped up in bed feeling sorry for myself. Grumble grumble. Poorly. Yucky kid germs. Grumble grumble.

 

I shall endeavour to check it out on YouTube tonight, presumably it's been mirrored a thousand times by now.

[JRowley]

I didn't actually watch the release. Too busy watching Hot Fuzz and playing Pokemon, wrapped up in bed feeling sorry for myself. Grumble grumble. Poorly. Yucky kid germs. Grumble grumble.

 

I shall endeavour to check it out on YouTube tonight, presumably it's been mirrored a thousand times by now.

 

No need, Microsoft allow you to view it afterwards - Windows 10: The Next Chapter

[Garacesh]

Windows 10: The Next Chapter

Wow, there's some massive stuttering on that.. Video jumping back a few frames repeatedly.

 

Probably just buffering. At a 2-hour pop I'll watch it at home, methinks.

[JRowley]

Wow, there's some massive stuttering on that.. Video jumping back a few frames repeatedly.

 

Probably just buffering. At a 2-hour pop I'll watch it at home, methinks.

 

Weird, smooth as silk here!

[sonofsanta]

This is a good lunchtime read, that talks about the HoloLabs and how Satya Nadella's leadership of the company has changed the way MS works (to allow things like this to happen) and how it will shape the launch plans: Satya Nadella's Got a Plan to Make You Care About Microsoft. The First Step? Holograms | WIRED

 

I am liking the direction of MS these days, compared to Ballmer's day: more interesting things are coming out of them; they're being a lot more open (Office on iOS and Android would never have happened a year ago); and professionally speaking I have to love things like Student Advantage and the Technology Access Program.

[Garacesh]

Satya Nadella's Got a Plan to Make You Care About Microsoft. The First Step? Holograms | WIRED

and made Windows free to manufacturers of devices smaller than 9 inches

Huh. Did not know that.

 

Thing is, I think this hololabs thing will be a bit of a flop. It's a fantastic idea, but I can't see any uses outside of enterprise - and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with that.. But it's often the home users that skyrocket products into popularity and I, for one, can't really see much use for this. I'm not a graphic designer, I own an actual TV, and if I'm AFK and I want updates on something, I have my phone that can do it. Why do I need the silly headset?

 

So maybe 'flop' is the wrong word. I sincerely hope it takes off, but I can't see it bleeding over into home use, which is still the market Microsoft (and everyone else) wants control over.

[JRowley]

Huh. Did not know that.

 

Thing is, I think this hololabs thing will be a bit of a flop. It's a fantastic idea, but I can't see any uses outside of enterprise - and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with that.. But it's often the home users that skyrocket products into popularity and I, for one, can't really see much use for this. I'm not a graphic designer, I own an actual TV, and if I'm AFK and I want updates on something, I have my phone that can do it. Why do I need the silly headset?

 

So maybe 'flop' is the wrong word. I sincerely hope it takes off, but I can't see it bleeding over into home use, which is still the market Microsoft (and everyone else) wants control over.

 

A whole class interacting with 3d scenes as part of the learning process? Surely this is an easy one for education and better than most other products on the market?

[Garacesh]

Nah, with the lights being so close to the eyes, I predict an issue with photosensitive epilepsy, and headaches in general. Maybe I'm just being a pessimist. I do honestly want this to take off and (if it does end up playing out like it did in the promo video) I'd honestly love to find a way to use it myself. Maybe we no longer need monitors, just 'project'* onto the wall in front of us.

 

* For lack of a better term.