Top 4 accurate, prophetic, powerful:
1). Sifting Reality From Hype: What 5G Does (and Doesn’t) Mean for VR & AR
5G has been on its rapid improving trend for a while. I’ve seen an introductory video indicating how 5G can’t help people a lot in the present time period of technology. Most of apps actually don’t have the software requirement or ability to reach that high speed and almost nobody will use mobile data to download movies or something. There’s a testing video about how different watching a movie on the mobile is between 4G and 5G; and the outcome is very slight that not influential at all. However, when it comes to the VR/AR games, movies or experiences, the difference will be more evident since the streaming speed requirement is more strict and definitely 4G can’t support them enough. I believe 5G will be an important tool for VR/AR in the future just as what 4G means for the streaming services now.
2). Apple Is Apparently Working on AR Headphones
It is not surprised to see Apple’s working on AR headphones while most of the others focusing on visually fooling the audience. Compared with fooling eyes, this is evidently much more easier to achieve and can be utilized to do a lot of things, such as not only in conference calls or remote workers, but also some public situations. To erase the clear differences between reality and digital world, AR headphones will be essential in the future market as a helpful weapon along with headset or glasses too. Therefore, this new trend is also fundamental and will have more marketing power with its importance for AR tools.
3). Esqapes puts you in a VR experience while in a massage chair / VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS ARE INCREASINGLY BEING PUT TO USE AT THEME PARKS
I’m supposing the usage in VR massage chair is similar with the VR roller coaster and other sitting experiences. These are all the situations combining traditional services with VR technology to provide a better and more immersive experience. And in fact, they are already on the way for many years such as some riding facilities in theme amusement parks, adding VR headsets in to generate a virtual visualization within traditional roller coaster, which can definitely lead to better experiences. For instance, my personal deepest memory in USJ, besides Harry Potter theme riding, is the one I had with VR headset. The same it is for massage chair, and many other possible conditions. Combining VR can help improve them a lot for audience.
4). AR and VR will make spatial journalism the future of reporting
This reminds me of a Chinese television programme named Legal Report, 今日说法. In every episode, a criminal case will be introduced and there’s one paragraph in which the host will be in a virtual spatial reality to help analyze the case. Though the effects of this form of spatial journalism were not that mature and that real to fool audience’ eyes, this attempt to try has shown how reporting can be more immersive if high-quality VR/AR technic being achieved.
As stated in the article, the spatial journalism has many limitations regarding to the high costs, technological obstacles, long-term production schedules. However, I believe in five years, at least for programmes like Legal Report, the improvements can be evident and bring audience more impactful memories and better empathy, as well as other news reporting situations.
Top 4 off-track, clueless, and ridiculous:
1). Why The Music Industry Is Banking On The Growth Of VR Concerts
As a huge fan of a Japanese rock band, I can say 100 percent that I will prefer going to the concert by myself rather than VR concert even if in the future they provide it. It is so ridiculous for a fan to choose to watch a virtual concert through headset rather than be in that environment and feeling the real atmosphere plus to meet those singers in person maybe. However, there may be some people who would like to do so when they have the problem of physical location change in a certain time, or don’t have the time now; so they can experience the concert later in VR. I just feel the whole concert industry won’t be influenced a lot and the mainstream will still be the present forms. VR only adds a possibility but can’t change the essence of concerts, or the reason why fans want to go to a concert.
2). Will virtual reality and AI help us to find love or make us lonelier?
This topic can be very completed and even a debate question. However, personally I doubt human feelings can be that easily influenced by VR or AI. There are many sci-fi works such as human in love with AI, love story starting within a VR world and so on. But these are still novelistic and real human love is much more complicated and hard to analyze or conclude. People may get company from AI and use VR to meet with friends simpler in the future, but I still believe realistic life is the main focus for us in the next decades.
3). Russian dairy farmers gave cows VR goggles with hopes they would be happier and make better milk
I don’t see any points of doing this, even in the future it is affordable for agricultural industry to utilize huge amount of VR equipments. The cows’ production of milk has been improved and to the best situation after so many years and I doubt VR can make them “happier” therefore make better milk. Their living conditions are already the best for agricultural purposes.
4). Can virtual reality make women’s lives better?
This one sounds the most offensive for me as a female. Sexism and racism problems should be taken more seriously. People who refuse to admit this real fact, ignore these problems, or unaware of what conditions we are in, will also not be influenced at all even if there are VR programmes like the ones mentioned in the article. The required efforts to decrease inequality should be focused on more human rights education and awareness raising. There have been lots of movements, slogans and actions used. I don’t think who have access to the VR will not have seen those, which are not less powerful than virtual reality experiences, if they have the empathy, or realize the importance.
