Facebook buys Oculs VR for $2-Bilion

[Taem]

Why???

News

To me, this is huge! I was actually considering getting a dev kit to see how the system worked, and I was following its progress on the regular. Now that FB owns it, I don't really know what to expect, but since FB is publicly traded now, I'm sure we will see many ads (maybe in the headset) to make up for lost revenue of the purchase transaction. I have no idea what FB plans to use the rift for. Maybe they see Nintendo on the way out of the home entertainment center and view this as a lucrative jump into the living room of the world? Thoughts?

[kandrathe]

The next wave of gadgetry and PAN - personal area network. For example, when I get into my car an app synchronizes my cars computer with my iPhone. When I get a call, the phone knows to turn it over the the car's built in hands free. When I want to make a call, I talk to the car and let it know who I want to call. Google glass, or Oculus Rift are extensions to sensory augmentation. PAN aware watches are also emerging. Computation and data is moving more and more into the "cloud", and our personal devices are forming more of the interface layer.

Facebook, as well as many other big tech companies, don't want to caught without a chair when desktop computer music stops playing. Really, consumer available VR is in its infancy, we gamers have a little more concept of what may be possible outside of high action FPS. Even if it's just hitting the exercise bike with a VR of a pleasant summer trek on a bike trail. At this point, the waters of consumer VR applications seem deep and fathomless. Instead of just listening to your favorite artist on your iPod, imagine slipping on the VR glasses and being transported to the front row, without the 2nd buzz. That augmentation is at your own discretion depending on the laws in the state where you live...

[Nystul]

I am skeptical of the VR tech for everything except the display technology itself. The display tech will probably be quite good. But so what? Cool for an hour but then how specifically are we going to take advantage of it?

Hmm, my argument was supposed to be a bit more specific than this, but it's hard to put the doubts into words. Tracking head movements does not equal total immersion. It could actually create some sense of confusion when you are running and turning your body virtually as would probably be the case in many game. But then there is the question of how useful this type of immersion really is. People sure do like their cell phone games. About 10 degree field of view. Bunch of annoying sound effects coming from your hands. Pretty much the opposite of everything VR is supposed to represent.

[DeeBye]

But so what? Cool for an hour but then how specifically are we going to take advantage of it?

Porn.

[Taem]

But so what? Cool for an hour but then how specifically are we going to take advantage of it?

Porn.

Only works well with the $500 additional vibrating attachment that connects to the rift. <obvious satire, with obligatory explanation here added to avoid confusion>

[Frag]

But so what? Cool for an hour but then how specifically are we going to take advantage of it?

Porn.

Only works well with the $500 additional vibrating attachment that connects to the rift. <obvious satire, with obligatory explanation here added to avoid confusion>

...

...

$500!?!

...

I'll just stick with my vibrating blowup doll I picked up from Wal-Mart for $39.99.

[kandrathe]

But so what? Cool for an hour but then how specifically are we going to take advantage of it?

Porn.

Only works well with the $500 additional vibrating attachment that connects to the rift. <obvious satire, with obligatory explanation here added to avoid confusion>

ARAIG is a start... But, not the fully body experience. And... no references yet for a... happy ending???

[Taem]

A must see:

Oculus Rift