Latest education updates from around the world
Major ‘ShapesXR’ Update Streamlines Collaborative XR Prototyping, Releases Web Editor for PC Users
Spatial design and prototyping app ShapesXR (2021) just launched its 2.0 update which better streamlines cross-platform support, letting team members more easily edit and collaborate in both mixed or virtual reality, but also now the web.
ShapesXR 2.0 is packing in a number of new features today to enhance the cross-platform app, which not only supports Quest 1/2/3/Pro and Pico 4, but also now standard flatscreen devices with the addition of a web editor for users joining with mouse and keyboard.
Check out all of the things coming to ShapesXR 2.0 below:
Enhanced UI/UX : Shapes has […]
Somnium VR1 PC VR Headset Slated to Go on Sale June 20th with Broader Launch in July
Somnium Space, the Czechia-based company behind the upcoming Somnium VR1 headset, announced that orders for its long-awaited PC VR headset will be opening on June 20th, coming first to reservation holders.
It’s been a long time coming for Somnium VR1, which we last saw at CES 2023 when the company showed off a dev kit version of the headset. If you’re memory is fuzzy, at the time Somnium, which also runs its own social VR platform Somnium Space, was also hoping to release a standalone version of the headset at some point. Due to supply chain […]
Building A Healthy District From the Top Down
When Craig Aarons-Martin decided to focus on improving his own wellness, he invited his school community to join him. And they succeeded together.
Hands-on: Logitech’s MX Ink for Quest Could Legitimize VR Styluses as a Whole
Over the last decade I’ve reported on and tested many different VR styluses, but none of them have actually caught on. But the new MX Ink stylus for Quest stands a real chance at legitimizing the VR stylus as a whole, thanks to its thoughtful design, strong lineup of launch apps, and tight integration with Quest’s software.
This week Logitech announced MX Ink, an officially endorsed ‘Made for Meta’ stylus supporting Quest 2 and Quest 3 (see the full announcement details here). It’s the first time Meta has allowed any other company to harness its tracking technology in […]
Best Sites for Online Tutoring and Teaching
The best websites for teaching and learning anything online
5 Reasons The OpenAI and Apple Partnership Intrigues Me As An Educator
OpenAI’s GPT technology will be integrated into Apple products and tools, including Siri. Here’s why I think that’s good news for teachers.
Educator Edtech Review: BenQ Board Pro RP04
The BenQ Board Pro RP04 series of interactive panels is equipped with the features and durability to fit into any classroom or meeting space
6 Things Vision Pro Needs Before It Can Go Mainstream
Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is over, and while Vision Pro was a big focus with the announcement of its visionOS 2 update, it’s pretty clear Apple’s first mixed reality headset isn’t in a hurry to feature-match other XR headsets at this point, let alone Meta Quest 3. When Apple eventually does step down to the XR playing field with a more consumer-friendly headset though, there are a number of things would-be owners are probably hoping for that have so far gone missing.
A (much) Lower Price
What: This is a pretty obvious one. It’s only been about […]
Quest Gets Its First Third-party Input Device Thanks to Logitech
Logitech today unveiled an XR stylus that comes as Meta Quest’s first third-party motion peripheral, targeting creatives working in both 2D and 3D media.
Called Logitech MX Ink, the spatially-tracked stylus supports Quest 2 and Quest 3, as well as “future headsets,” Logitech says. The company additionally confirmed it won’t support Quest Pro.
Logitech MX Ink is said to have a “natural pen-like feel and pressure-sensitive tip,” which allows users to create, annotate, and navigate in XR environments. The device allows the user to pair with Quest and use it interchangeably with Quest controllers too, making it effectively the first time […]
Array of Sunshine for Your Google Sheets
Is your Google Sheets experience more like a gloomy day than a sunny afternoon? Drowning in a sea of data and struggling to find meaningful insights? Get ready to bask in the array of sunshine as we unlock the hidden potential in Google Sheets. Say goodbye to tedious manual calculations and hello to automated data…
The post Array of Sunshine for Your Google Sheets appeared first on Teacher Tech with Alice Keeler.
PlayPosit: How to Use It to Teach
PlayPosit is a video design tool made for learning, that’s easy to use
Stop clicking, start Apps Scripting
You can code! You can extend the functionality of Google Workspace Docs, Sheets, Slides by starting Apps Scripting!
The post Stop clicking, start Apps Scripting appeared first on Teacher Tech with Alice Keeler.
FigJam for 3rd Graders – or Any Graders
Elementary teachers are looking for engaging, interactive, and easy tools to use with their students. FigJam is an excellent tool for 3rd graders, or any grade.
The post FigJam for 3rd Graders – or Any Graders appeared first on Teacher Tech with Alice Keeler.
‘Astro Bot’ Developer: Don’t Hold Out Hope for VR Port
ASTO BOT Rescue Mission (2018) is one of most popular PSVR exclusives to date, however Sony-owned developers Team Asobi are releasing its widely hyped PS5 follow-up Astro Bot without the addition of VR support. Don’t hold out hope for a VR port either, as the studio has now confirmed it’s simply not in the cards.
Talking to Digital Trends, Team Asobi studio head Nicolas Doucet confirmed the upcoming Astro Bot can’t (and won’t) ever be a VR game due to its unique development for TVs.
“We’re focusing 100% on PS5,” Doucet told Digital Trends. “Rescue Mission was great fun to make. Every medium […]
VRChat Lays off 30% of Company, Citing Growing Pains Following COVID Platform Boom
VRChat, one of the oldest and most popular social VR platforms, announced it’s laying off “around 30%” of its staff, citing issues with slower than anticipated growth, over-hiring during its boom in 2021, and a slow adoption of a more conventional corporate structure.
The news was announced in an extensive internal email outlining the decisions behind the layoff round, which was also published officially on the company’s website. We’ve also included the full email at the bottom of the article.
In it, VRChat CEO Graham Gaylor says the studio is “reducing the size of our team by […]
5 Cybersecurity Tips For Schools From CISA’s Deputy Assistant Director
Making quick cost-effective changes to cybersecurity systems can make a big difference for school safety, says CISA Deputy Assistant Director Trent Frazier.
VisionOS 2 Enables WebXR by Default, Unlocking a Cross-platform Path to Vision Pro
We’ve know that Apple planned to support WebXR for quite some time, but with VisionOS 2, the company is enabling the feature for all users. WebXR allows developers to deliver cross-platform XR experiences directly from the web, with no gatekeepers to approve or reject content.
WebXR is the widely supported web standard that allows developers to deliver AR and VR content from the web.
Just like anyone can host a webpage online without any explicit approval from another party, WebXR allows the same for AR and VR content. And because it’s delivered through the browser, accessing and sharing WebXR experiences […]
LG Shakes Up XR Division, Reportedly Putting Meta Headset Partnership on Ice
Korean media last month alleged that the Meta/LG partnership to create a high-end XR headset wasn’t going so well, suggesting either outright cancellation or a delay pushing release of a prospective Apple Vision Pro competitor to 2027. While this hasn’t been substantiated by either company, it’s clear there’s something big going on under the surface, as LG is now shuffling employees from its XR division to other parts of the company.
As confirmed by Korean outlet ETNews (Korean), LG is reassigning employees in charge of the XR division to research and development and other business divisions within […]
Hide-and-Seek VR Shooter ‘Mannequin’ Arrives On Steam Early Access Next Week
Fast Travel Games announced it’s finally set to bring Mannequin, its asymmetrical stealth VR shooter, into early access for SteamVR headsets this month.
The hide-and-seek style VR shooter will launch on Steam Early Access on June 20th, which includes cross-play support with Quest.
The studio says it’s also offering a free Steam weekend at release, which will arrive with a two-week launch discount, taking the game from regular price of $20 to $15.
Fast Travel Games says the PC VR version of Mannequin is slated to include improved visuals over the Quest version, however a new Quest patch will also add […]
Some Users Won’t Need to Wear Vive Trackers Soon Thanks to Upcoming AI Body Tracking Update
HTC has teased that some users may not even need to wear their latest Vive Ultimate Trackers soon thanks to an upcoming AI-powered body tracking update.
HTC’s Vive Ultimate Trackers are capable of inside-out body tracking thanks to the inclusion of two on-board cameras that track its own position in space, requiring you to strap them to your elbows, feet, or hips for full-body tracking.
Now the company has shown off a video about how its Vive XR Elite headset, Face Tracker module, and Vive Ultimate Tracker pucks can be useful in physical therapy. In it, we […]
Claude AI: How To Use It To Teach
Claude AI is a powerful tool to help teachers and students simplify complex information
VisionOS 2 Improvement Targets Key Vision Pro Critique Among Developers
For basic Vision Pro interactions like navigating apps and scrolling web pages, the headset’s look-and-pinch input system works like magic. But if you want to go more ‘hands-on’ with virtual content, the headset’s full hand-tracking leaves much to be desired.
Compared to Quest 3, Vision Pro’s full hand-tracking has notably more latency. That means when moving your hands it takes longer for the headset to register the movement. Especially in interactive content where you directly grab virtual objects, this can make the objects feel like they lag behind your hand.
Changes coming in VisionOS 2 stand to improve hand-tracking. […]
Hand-tracking Action Arcade Game ‘Thrasher’ Coming to Quest & Vision Pro Next Month, PC VR Later
From the artist and composer behind indie hit Thumper (2016), the forthcoming Thrasher is officially launching on July 25th on Quest and Vision Pro. A PC VR and flatscreen version is planned for release at a later date.
We’ve known Thrasher was in the works for some time now, but this unique looking game now has an official release date of July 25th, priced at $20. The game is coming to Quest and is now confirmed to be releasing on Vision Pro the very same day. The PC VR and flatscreen version will launch at a later date.
A new […]
VR Support Planned for Serene Photography Game Built with UE5
Lushfoil Photography Sim, a serene photography game built on Unreal Engine 5, is expected to get optional PC VR support following its initial release.
In development by solo developer Matt Newell and to be published by Annapurna Interactive, Lushfoil Photography Sim is designed as a serene walking simulator and photography game that immerses players in beautiful landscapes with a photorealistic style.
Players are equipped with a camera with a range of realistic settings, currently including “shutter speed, ISO, aperture, white balance, and different lens types,” and includes a “learning tool for newcomers that covers the basics of exposure and other settings.”
Rhythm Game ‘Just Dance VR’ is Skipping Pico 4 Exclusivity and Launching on Quest in October
Ubisoft announced in late 2022 it was bringing a VR version of its motion-based dance game Just Dance to Pico 4, making it the first big exclusive to target what was essentially Pico’s Quest 2 competitor. Now Ubisoft has announced that Just Dance VR is coming to Quest later this year, ostensibly skipping Pico support entirely.
Pico announced during its Pico Product Announcement 2022 it was working with Ubisoft to bring Just Dance VR exclusively to Pico 4 in 2023, however it was subsequently dropped as a result of parent company ByteDance’s wide-reaching layoffs at Pico.
Now under […]
