Latest education updates from around the world
Apple Publishes Detailed Technical Specifications for Third-party Vision Pro Motion Controllers
Following Apple’s announcement that VisionOS 27 will support third-party motion controllers for Vision Pro, the company has published a set of technical specifications and requirements for third-parties building such controllers.
Published in the latest version of Apple’s Accessory Design Guidelines for Apple Devices, a new section called Spatial Accessories offers an in-depth technical explanation of exactly how third-party motion controllers for Vision Pro should be built and how they should interface with the headset.
The 74-page section covers everything from what hardware a tracked accessory must […]
Valve is Getting Awfully Close to Steam Frame Release Following ‘Great on Frame’ Store Page
Valve hasn’t mentioned the price or release date for its long-awaited Steam Frame standalone headset, although we seem to be getting suspiciously close.
As spotted by hardware analyst Brady Lynch, Valve just published a new store landing page for Steam Frame content, which is rounding up all of the ‘best’ games and demos that are certified to work with the company’s soon-to-launch VR headset.
So far, there are only four titles on the ‘Great on Frame’ site:
- Into Black (VR game) – The Binary Mill
- Portal 2 (flatscreen […]
XREAL’s First Budget AR Glasses Go on Sale Internationally, Priced at $300
AR glasses maker XREAL today announced its ‘X by Xreal’ sub-brand (xbx) is officially bringing its first pair of budget XR glasses outside of China.
Xreal today released its xbx a01+ in the US for $300, available across xreal.com, Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, and Micro Center. You’ll also find it direct from Xreal and partner retailers across the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea.
First launched in China in May, Xbx a01+ packs in a fairly smart slate of specs for its price, offering 50° […]
Former Oculus CTO John Carmack Puts up $1M for Official VR Ports of Id Software Titles
John Carmack, former Oculus CTO and co-founder of id Software, announced he’s still willing to put up $1 million of his personal money to help make VR versions of Id’s most famous retro titles—especially now that Microsoft has laid off a bulk of the studio’s employees.
Having left id Software in 2013 to join Oculus as CTO and help kickstart the VR consumer revolution, Carmack is still one of the industry’s most vocal advocates. Even after stepping down as CTO in 2019 and leaving Meta in 2022, he’s […]
What A Geoinfluencer Can Teach Us About Geography–And Critical Thinking
Late one night, while scrolling through social media, a video from JoseMonkey appeared in my feed. JoseMonkey, who does not publicly use his real name and describes himself as a geoinfluencer, has built a substantial following by solving geolocation challenges submitted by viewers. In a typical video, someone records what appears to be an ordinary location and challenges him to find them. Often there are no famous landmarks, no readable street signs, and few obvious clues. Yet through a combination of observation, queries, research, and geographic reasoning, JoseMonkey is often able to identify the exact […]
‘Tomb Raider’ VR Reportedly Cancelled According to Leaked Images & Video
As reported by MP1st, a sizable leak from Vertigo Games reveals its now-defunct Amsterdam satellite studio was working on an official Tomb Raider VR title before the project was cancelled earlier this year.
Vertigo Games Amsterdam was working on the unannounced Tomb Raider VR game from at least November 2024 until its cancellation in January 2026, MP1st maintains.
At the time, the game (codenamed ‘Project U’) was reportedly being developed over 50 developers, and was slated to target Quest 3, PSVR 2, and PC VR headsets.
Now, it […]
Meta Closes Smart Glasses Privacy Loophole With New Camera-Killing Update
Meta is rolling out an update to its line of smart glasses that will disable the camera if the device’s capture LED has been tampered with or destroyed.
Since the rollout of Meta’s second-gen Ray-Ban Glasses in 2024, physically covering the white capture LED on any of the company’s current smart glasses shuts off the onboard camera, something the company did to curb casual misuse.
Before Meta’s mandatory v26 update—which is rolling out now to all Meta Ray-Ban, Meta Oakley and its new $300 Meta Glasses—some users […]
‘Pistol Whip’ Studio Reportedly Developing “impossible to ignore” Multiplayer VR Game
Veteran VR studio Cloudhead Games, developer behind hit rhythm shooter Pistol Whip (2019), is ostensibly deep in development of their next title, which according to a recent job listing could be a multiplayer VR game that may also have a flatscreen mode.
The studio’s listing for a new Social & Community Strategist is looking for someone who is “obsessed with multiplayer and co-op games (2D and VR),” and someone who can “spot great player moments, jump on trends, or define your own.”
“We’re looking for someone to help make our […]
Teaching The Odyssey
Even though it was composed more than 2,700 years ago, The Odyssey never gets old. This summer it will be brought to the big screen by Christopher Nolan in a much-anticipated film starring Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway.
Emily Wilson, a professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, says film adaptations of the epic poem always generate interest in the classic work and could provide a good excuse to introduce the epic into the classroom.
Wilson knows of what she speaks.
Nolan consulted her much-heralded 2018 translation for his film version. Wilson’s translation […]
What is PlayKids Learning and How Can I Use It To Teach?
PlayKids Learning is an educational platform designed for children aged roughly 2 to 12. It combines videos, games, activities, stories, and original shows in a single app, with a focus on safety and age-appropriate content.
The company says this can help children develop academic and life skills while maintaining a healthy relationship with screen time. Something that could make this a parent’s favorite educational app pretty fast.
PlayKids Learning lets children move between educational games, videos, creative activities, and interactive content covering areas including literacy, mathematics, arts, music, science, and social-emotional learning.
The platform is available across devices, […]
Finding The Students Schools Miss: How Data, Relationships, and AI Are Unlocking Hidden Potential
Watch above or listen/download below.
Most conversations about education equity focus on helping students who are struggling. AJ Gutierrez wants to talk about those who are achieving yet are still being overlooked.
As the new CEO of Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS), Gutierrez is leading a national nonprofit that partners with more than 900 middle and high schools across 35 states to identify students who are prepared for advanced coursework but aren’t getting access to it. In this conversation with Tech & Learning, he offers insights for district leaders on how to do more for students that may […]
Handling Student Personal Relationships With AI
Unlike many adults, teen students are not hesitant to explore, experiment, and embrace artificial intelligence, with nearly two-thirds admitting to having done so, according to a recent Common Sense Media report.
Although many of them report using it for research purposes, the reality is often quite different, with students embracing it for a range of other reasons, from cheating on school work to creating deepfakes.
Some students have also turned to AI chatbots for companionship, with a few even falling into romantic relationships. Others have even taken AI into their confidence for unvetted mental health support, […]
4 Things Every New Teacher Should Remember
Teaching in reality is very different than many of us envision it beforehand. It’s also harder than is depicted in movies and television.
That said, I find that those new to teaching often need a reminder that they are not alone in facing difficulties inspiring students, preparing classes, responding to inappropriate AI use, and much more. I still struggle with all this, and I’ve been teaching for more than a decade.
What I find actually helps is talking with other educators. I make a point of trying to share my struggles honestly and openly with other educators, especially […]
Smart Contact Lenses Move Closer to Reality as XPANCEO Expands JBD Display Partnership
Dubai-based smart contact lenses startup XPANCEO announced it’s expanding a partnership with China’s JBD to co-develop a new micro-display designed specifically for smart contact lenses.
Previously, the companies co-developed a printed circuit board with integrated micro-display, as well as a unique optical system capable of forming a near-eye image for easy focus.
Now XPANCEO is deepening ties with JBD, the Shanghai-based micro display company, to co-develop the tiny displays that could one day be in consumer smart contacts of the future.
Notably, JBD is […]
HTC’s Revenue Stabilizes as XR Pioneer Pins Hopes on AI, Smart Glasses and Enterprise
HTC has been attempting a second act as an XR and AI hardware company for a few years now with mixed results. And while the once-dominant smartphone company is still the midst of a protracted revenue decline, HTC seems to have stabilized.
As reported by Taiwan’s Financial Express News, HTC revealed at its annual shareholders meeting a consolidated revenue of NT$292 million (~$10 million) for June 2026, showing a year-over-year decrease of 8.5% and first-half revenue decrease of 9.7% year-over-year.
Although that doesn’t sound particularly encouraging, the […]
Veteran VR Shooter ‘Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades’ Finally Leaves Early Access
VR shooting simulator Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades (H3VR) launched its 1.0 release over the weekend, exiting early access after more than a decade on Steam.
Veteran VR studio Rust Ltd has finally brought H3VR out of early access on July 4th—a fitting release date for the hyper-American shooting sandbox’s big 1.0 update.
Studio founder Anton Hand says in a Steam update that while H3VR has been in in “Absurdly Late Access for a very long time,” the game’s 120th update was released to make […]
Smart Glasses Startup Even Realities Secures Unicorn Status with $150M Funding Round
Even Realities, the China-based smart glasses company, has officially secured unicorn status with its most recent Pre-B financing round, bringing the company $150 million and a $1 billion valuation.
The round, which was led by Meituan and Tencent, is said to be primarily directed toward the development of Even Realities’ next-gen smart glasses platform, the deepening of AI integration, and the scaling of global operations.
The latest round brings the company’s overall funding to $159 million; its initial $9 million Series A round included investment by CDH Investments, […]
‘MemoMind One’ Display Smart Glasses Blast Past $500K Crowdfunding Mark
MemoMind, a new AI hardware brand from projector manufacturer XGIMI, launched a crowdfunding campaign for its first smart glasses last week, the MemoMind One, which include dual displays, microphones, and open ear speakers—but no built-in camera.
The News
First shown at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January, MemoMind One launched a Kickstarter last Sunday hoping to attract a nominal $80,000 HKD (~$10,100 USD) for its first pair of smart glasses, which serve up dual green micro-LED displays (2,000 nits), integrated audio, and a host of AI-assisted […]
Tech & Learning Announces Winners of Best of Show at ISTE 2026
ISTELive 26 was another energetic and inspiring conference. Held in Orlando this year, the event featured hundreds of sessions and exhibitors, offering attendees unparalleled opportunities for learning and networking.
The association also announced a name change. It will now be known as International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE), reflecting the merger of legacy ISTE’s focus on technology and ASCD’s commitment to instruction.
The exhibit hall showcased a vast array of new products and services. Our Tech & Learning judges scoured the show floor to rigorously review the nominations for this year’s Tech & Learning Best of Show […]
Edtech Show & Tell July 2026: ISTELive Edition
Welcome to the July Edtech Show & Tell, in which our editors share some of the new edtech products that have caught our attention this month. These are not reviews or endorsements, but a showcase of education-friendly items, platforms, and more that we think might be noteworthy for you.
This month’s new offerings, many of which are being showcased at ISTELive in Orlando, include financial literacy games, a remote presentation device, and a promising iOS app that turns students’ notes into flashcards, quizzes, and games.
ASUS Education | Chromebox 6a, USB AI Accelerator
Sony: The Countdown Begins on PSVR 2 & PS5 Physical Discs
Sony today announced it’s starting the clock on the production of physical discs, as the company is set to adopt a full digital marketplace at the start of 2028.
All new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028, Sony revealed in a blog post, putting an end to an over three decade-long tradition starting with the 1994 release of the original PlayStation.
Sony notes that while you’ll still be able to buy games at third-party retailers, these will be offered in digital formats only. It […]
Official Discord App Finally Comes to Quest After Years of Waiting
After years of interminable waiting, Discord has officially released an app for Quest, which is now available for free on the Horizon Store.
While Quest fans have been begging for an official Discord app for years now, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth remarked in May 2024 that while the company wanted to have some sort of Discord integration, it was ultimately up to Discord to make the first move.
Granted, that didn’t stop Quest users from using the popular chatting platform. Before this week, users could sideload the Android apk, or […]
Quest’s Most Popular Game ‘Gorilla Tag’ is Going Mobile in ‘Monke Mayhem’ Next Year
Another Axiom announced Gorilla Tag, Quest’s most popular game, is coming to mobile devices in a standalone game, titled Gorilla Tag: Monke Mayhem.
The free-to-play sandbox game is slated to land on iOS and Android devices sometime next year, with other platforms planned to be announced at a later date. As it is, it seems the studio is keeping the original version exclusive to VR headsets.
Another Axiom says it’s still in deep development of the mobile title, although broad testing is expected to come in the near […]
Elon Musk’s Brain-chip Startup Aims for Scalability with New Transdural Procedure
Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) startup Neuralink announced the company has successfully performed its first transdural brain implant surgery, which promises to increase scalability while significantly reducing surgical trauma.
The News
In a new video (seen below), Neuralink reveals it has implanted electrode threads through the dura—the brain’s thick, leather-like membrane that sits just below the skull—without cutting or removing it like in the company’s previous human clinical trials.
The procedure was carried out in May 2026 during a clinical trial at University Health Network’s Toronto […]
‘Cave Crave’ Brings Flooded Cave from Thai Rescue Mission in July Update
Cave Crave (2025) developer 3R Games is bringing Thailand’s Tham Luang cave system to VR, the very same that gained global recognition in 2018 after a local junior football team became trapped inside due to sudden flooding.
The new addition is slated to arrive sometime next month following the 2025 release of the game’s Nutty Putty Cave update, promising to bring another real underground environment as a part of the studio’s expanding ‘Real Caves in VR’ initiative.
Having prompted a large international rescue effort in 2018, which tragically ended […]