Progress on Quest/Horizon OS
Since I last wrote on Meta Quest OS (v64 in April), lots of improvements have happened. Per the changelog:
- v65
- upload panoramic photos or spatial video to headset via Quest mobile app (supports IOS 17 or later)
- passthrough environment
- fewer interruptions from hand tracking when using a physical keyboard or mouse with headset
- Local multiplayer and boundary recall with Meta Virtual Positioning System
- Travel Mode for airplane flights (experimental, optional, available only for Quest 2 and 3)
- v66
- improvements to passthrough, including [significant] reductions in warping
- adjustments to exposure, colors, and contrast
- improvements to background audio for 2D apps, including minimizing apps without automatically pausing playback
- media controller moved out of notifications into a Media Control Bar under the universal menu to control media playback
- wrist buttons for clicking Meta and Menu icons (experimental)
- ability to hide any app (installed or uninstalled) downloaded from the Quest Store
- teens and children ages 10-12 who are supervised by the same parent or guardian are automatically able to see each other in the Family Center (starting June 27)
- Sleep Mode added to power-off menu
- Space Setup automatic identification and marking of furniture (windows, doors, tables, couches, storage, screens, and beds, with additional furniture types supported over time) (documented, optional)
- v67
- New Window Layout (experimental):
- expanded maximum number of open windows from three to six in window layout (up to three docked and three attached)
- ability to grab and detach windows to position and resize them freely
- button to temporarily hide other windows in immersive view
- ability to take any window fullscreen, thus replacing other windows and replacing the dock with simplified control bar with buttons for toggling curving, passthrough background, and brightness of background.
- replaces explicit Close View and Far View modes
- new creator videos in Horizon Feed
- ability to use swipe typing to enter text when using headset
- improvements to eye tracking recalibration (Quest Pro only)
- select different durations for Do Not Disturb
- Wi-Fi QR code scanner (Quest 3 only)
- open Quest TV or use File Viewer to watch immersive videos without quitting current immersive app
- developers allowed to swap out Boundary for Passthrough in their apps
- New Window Layout (experimental):
Also, the verdicts on the most available VR/AR glasses:
- Mobile XR glasses
- Brilliant Frame has major issues with functionality
- Meta Ray-Bans are top notch
- TCL Ray Neos do most of what is advertised but has potential for more
- Stationary XR glasses
- Rokid is meh
- Xreal Beam Pro is an improvement upon Xreal Beam, expands capabilities of the Xreal Air 2 Pro
- Viture Pro holds up to Xreal Air 2 Pros, decent for gaming (especially with Viture Neckband)
Videos
Neurodiverse Friends: Schizophrenia SKIT
I’m now a fan of this animator’s output. Their series on Neurodiverse Friends uses animated cats to accurately describe expressions of conditions on the spectrum.
Queen Coke Francis: Ranking Mr. Birchum Yaoi
Context: Mr. Birchum is an unfortunate adult animated series produced by the right-wing website Daily Wire which attempts to be a comedy. Not only are the jokes a collective dud, but quite a few conservatives themselves are turned off by the presence of one (1) openly-gay character in the cast, who is meant to be the butt of the jokes anyway.
Anyway, here’s a ranking of the yaoi made of the series.
F.D. Signifier: Kanye was never good
This puts Kanye and his downfall in a new light.
Mashups
In a way, I’m glad that YouTube is not the total repository for fan-created music out there.
- Chemical Rhythm, by nobuyuki (Fur Affinity) – mashup of “Chemical Plant Zone” from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 OST and “Rhythm Nation” by Janet Jackson.
- Justify My Love, by LupineAssassin (Fur Affinity) – mashup of Justify My Love by Madonna and Flava in Ya Ear by Craig Mack
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