Microsoft's HoloLens is available for pre-order in Europe
Pre-order now and get your AR headset in late November.
Microsoft announced that HoloLens, the company's augmented reality headset, is available for preorder in half a dozen countries (via Engadget). HoloLens will begin shipping to retailers and consumers in Europe in late November.
Residents of Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom can pre-order HoloLens as of today. The headset has been available in the United States and Canda since February.
In a press release announcing preorder availability, Microsoft representatives billed HoloLens as "the world’s first self-contained holographic computer." The consumer edition of the headset costs £2,719 (around US$3315), while the commercial version runs £4,529 (roughly US$5522).
“Since the launch of Microsoft HoloLens, we have seen really passionate developers and world-class companies develop groundbreaking computing experiences—experiences only possible on HoloLens,” said Alex Kipman, technical fellow, Microsoft Windows and Devices Group. “When we set out to pioneer the mixed-reality category, we knew that many of the best innovations would be discovered when others got their hands on the technology. It has been quite inspiring to see what our partners have built and what individual developers have created."
While VR is all the rage, augmented (or mixed) reality arguably offers greater possibilities in and out of games. Look no further than the mania surrounding Pokémon Go, an AR game millions of people were able to play using their smartphones, at launch.
Microsoft cited uses cases for AR—and HoloLens specifically—outside of gaming. “This device allows us to engage students in unprecedented ways,” said Mark Griswold, faculty director for Case Western Reserve’s Interactive Commons and leader of the university’s work with Microsoft HoloLens. “The mixed-reality view means students and faculty can interact with one another and the holographic information the entire time, preserving the critical human connection that is such an essential part of learning."
European customers who pre-order can expect to receive their HoloLens headset in late November.
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replyDavid Craddock posted a new article, Microsoft's HoloLens is available for pre-order
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I spent the morning yesterday at Microsoft getting a demo. The FOV is a bit limiting but what a great experience overall. So much promise. Can't wait to see this thing in a year or two hardware wise.
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I dunno how I feel about wearing a lithium ion battery on my head.
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I don't have the battery strapped to my head all day. I also use speaker a lot :P
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I think the HPU is the thing that does the world reconstruction. Hololens has a kinect2 strapped to the front and the HPU uses that data to build a model of the world around you that the programs running on the headset can interact with. So you can throw an AR ball, for example, and it'll bounce off your coffee table.
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It includes a "computer" but you still need a computer right?
The "computer" they refer to is the built in SoC that handles the cameras and etc.
http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/8/23/12602516/microsoft-hololens-holographic-processing-unit-specifications
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I hope this doesn't become another Surface table thing :(
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