Nreal opens pre-orders for its mixed reality headset dev kit and teases in-house games

Dev_Kit.jpeg

Nreal is taking mixed reality (MR) seriously and wants to convince you to do the same. Today, the Beijing-based startup has opened pre-orders for the dev kit of its Nreal Light headset, an inconspicuous, sunglasses-looking device that plugs right into your Android smartphone via a USB-C cable. It comes with a touch-sensitive controller, computing unit equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, the glasses itself and other minor accessories.

These MR glasses will allow you to run any Android apps layered onto the real world, Iron Man-style, as well as dedicated software for the device. That's where developers come in. Nreal’s SDK allows devs to develop their own applications for the device as well as migrate native Android apps to Nreal MR. The dev kit, priced at $1199, comes with all you need to start developing for the Nreal Light.

Some of the highlight features include:
  • 6DoF Space Recognition: gives applications information about the physical structures of the environment the glasses are in.
  • Plane Detection: detect flat surfaces (both horizontal and vertical) in the real world.
  • Hand Tracking: allows users to manipulate or interact with their MR environment using their very own hands.
  • Multiplayer Mode: enables users to share a single MR environment, and allows developers to build collaborative applications and games.
To have an idea of what's possible with the device, the company just shared a footage on Twitter taken in real-time with the Nreal Light:


And yes, if you've been wondering, games are also in the works. Nreal shared a teaser of a tower defense-styled game developed in-house, called Nreal Tower, giving a taste of what's possible with the SDK and that more games could be in the works from the company:



If you're not a developer, Nreal plans to release its consumer version at a later time, priced at $499. It shows promise and definitely sits on the more affordable end of the spectrum when it comes to MR devices. Would you like to try it on?

:arrow: SOURCE: GBAtemp Inbox
:arrow: Nreal Developer Page
 

Xzi

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Fuck VR and it's bulky lame headsets, no glasses friendly options and damn headaches. MR is the future!
Huh? I've owned two different VR headsets and my glasses fit inside both of them just fine. You can also order prescription lenses that fit inside the headset so you don't have to wear glasses at all while using it.

AR/MR is indeed the future, but it's the distant future. People already complain about having to spend $300-$600 on a high-end VR headset, while this and Microsoft's HoloLens 2 come in at over $2000 and produce only smartphone-level graphics.
 
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duwen

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So, it's 'cheap' Android version of Hololens, but with more emphasis on the gaming scene?
I'm ok with that... but I'm more keen to see what we get when all these competing technologies start incorporating each others ideas and features... The Future!
 

spotanjo3

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NO THANKS! Look at this ridiculous price too!

By the way.. Not good for your eyes. I refused wear it! Our eyes are not design for those things. Not safe and not good!
 

eyeliner

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Do you mean about backing it? That I understand, but you shouldn't hate an entire major city just because it has some bad people.
Not the city, but the country's government, where everything and anything goes, from copying from blatantly stealing other's works.
@DinohScene
Also, for some reason, my post was deleted, because necrobump? I thought this was posted yesterday. My bad.
 
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DinohScene

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Not the city, but the country's government, where everything and anything goes, from copying from blatantly stealing other's works.
@DinohScene
Also, for some reason, my post was deleted, because necrobump? I thought this was posted yesterday. My bad.

Hah, autofill on mobile fucked up, cheers for pointing it out!
 

DinohScene

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You are preventing my rise in exp ranks. I demand restitution in a post that gives me over 9 thousand temps.

I could give you a mixed reality restitution : D

Anyway, I'd love to try it out.
Oculus Rift puts a lot of strain on me eyes and gave me a headache.
Tho I got to admit, the DK2 was better then the DK1, haven't done anything VR related since then.
 

Prans

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For those interested, they just released a longer gameplay footage of the game shot in real-time:

 

KingVamp

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The design is almost appealing to me, they did a good job!
I'm not excited for a world where this is as popular as smartphones, people are going to miss use this. I'm tired of people bumping into me, or text driving as it is.
Great for professionals, movie and gaming enthusiast!
At least more people would be most likely be looking up then.

According to a news post about it from last sept the fov is 52, which is god awful (and 1080p per eye)
I mean, this would still be bigger than a phone or even a small tablet, no?

AR/MR is indeed the future, but it's the distant future. People already complain about having to spend $300-$600 on a high-end VR headset, while this and Microsoft's HoloLens 2 come in at over $2000 and produce only smartphone-level graphics.
I don't think that's a good comparison. AR/MR glasses have more use cases and are much more portable. I feel like once they are slim and design well enough, it would be easier for big companies to push them into the mainstream. At least, easier than VR.

I just wonder how many people would jump on an apple one.
 

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AR/MR glasses have more use cases and are much more portable.
More portable, sure, but that also comes with its own set of hurdles to overcome, like low FoV and weak graphics performance. More use cases, though? I'm not so sure, seems like most people are only excited about having access to information from social media in front of them 24/7. Which is something that can easily be accessed in VR or even just on your smartphone.

Then there's the issue of privacy concerns with anybody able to take pictures or video of you without your knowledge or consent, but I suppose that's a whole other can of worms.

I feel like once they are slim and design well enough, it would be easier for big companies to push them into the mainstream. At least, easier than VR.
The concept is probably easier to market, but I don't expect it will gain traction with the mainstream at a faster rate than VR has. Convincing people this is a product they need just to save themselves the two seconds it takes to pull their smartphone out of their pocket is not going to be easy. Kinda the same problem that smartwatches have. We're also at least a decade out from a "killer app" for AR/MR comparable to Half-Life Alyx.
 
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KingVamp

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More portable, sure, but that also comes with its own set of hurdles to overcome, like low FoV and weak graphics performance. More use cases, though? I'm not so sure, seems like most people are only excited about having access to information from social media in front of them 24/7. Which is something that can easily be accessed in VR or even just on your smartphone.
Bigger FOV would be great, of course, but if the display is bigger than your phone, it already adding value. People use phones for more than social media, I don't see why that wouldn't be the same for AR/MR glasses. I like to see someone going about their whole day with a VR headset on, let alone carry it with them everywhere. lol

Then there's the issue of privacy concerns with anybody able to take pictures or video of you without your knowledge or consent, but I suppose that's a whole other can of worms..
As much as I sympathies with privacy concerns, the same issue came up with cameras on phones, yet that didn't stop smartphone nor get rid of the cameras. In fact, it feels like the whole back of phones are just going be filled with cameras. Ideally, both would have better privacy protection, like simply having a cover. That said, while not right either way, if people really want to record you, they wouldn't be using such obvious tech to do so.

The concept is probably easier to market, but I don't expect it will gain traction with the mainstream at a faster rate than VR has. Convincing people this is a product they need just to save themselves the two seconds it takes to pull their smartphone out of their pocket is not going to be easy. Kinda the same problem that smartwatches have. We're also at least a decade out from a "killer app" for AR/MR comparable to Half-Life Alyx.
Well, to be fair, smartwatches have gotten to the point where you can just leave your phone in the car or home, if you don't plan to use it for heavy media use. Which is great for people that wanted small phones, in the first place. Doesn't need a killer app. Just needs to provide a bigger screen while remaining as portable as a phone. All it took was for phones to get bigger to push out most small tablets out of the market.
 

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Bigger FOV would be great, of course, but if the display is bigger than your phone, it already adding value.
You can increase the FoV of a phone just by putting it closer to your face, and 52 degrees is a really low bar to clear.

People use phones for more than social media, I don't see why that wouldn't be the same for AR/MR glasses.
Social media, crappy F2P games, and some light productivity apps, sure. Like I said before, they're going to have a hard time convincing people that any of this can really be "enhanced" by AR/MR. At 1080p per eye, it's going to have some very blurry text unless you make it huge.

Doesn't need a killer app.
I gotta disagree there. Remember how fast the 3DS' AR capabilities were forgotten about with no software to specifically take advantage of them? I just don't see people rushing out to spend $500+ on a slightly different type of display for their smartphone, at least not without some highly-rated exclusive software used to demonstrate all its functionality. The exception of course being Apple drones, but they'd happily spend thousands on a garbage bag full of used diapers as long as it has the Apple logo stamped on it.

VR is likely to always be better for gaming, because it'll always have more horsepower driving it with either a home console or PC. AR/MR glasses are more akin to the Nintendo Switch, but without any built-in customer base and without the charm and polish of Nintendo software. The technology has a long way to go just to reach the point of niche appeal, let alone mainstream.
 
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