And Airbnb's unique offer |
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We kick off the week with a look at a pair of high-tech simulator boots that could end the problem of knocking into walls when using your VR headset. Speaking of headsets, we also report on where Apple might be going with its own mixed-reality device — assuming it actually exists. And finally, we share news of a special opportunity offered by Airbnb involving a year-long stay in Italy. Enjoy! |
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Airbnb is offering the unique chance for someone to live in a recently restored heritage home in Sicily, Italy — and the rent will cost absolutely nothing.
If you're lucky enough to get selected, you can stay at the gorgeous three-story property for up to a year — so long as you agree to manage the place for visiting guests. You'll be rewarded for your efforts, too, as Airbnb will let you keep all of the earnings generated by the home during your stay.
The initiative is geared toward boosting tourism and bringing new faces to the Italian village of Sambuca — population around 6,000 — as part of a broader effort to bolster rural areas and cultural heritage in Europe, according to Airbnb.
Sambuca hit the headlines in 2019 during a "1 Euro House" campaign that saw derelict properties offered for sale for little more than a single U.S. dollar.
In a bid to rejuvenate the village in a timely fashion, buyers were asked to refurbish their property soon after buying it. After snapping up one of the Sambuca homes, Airbnb has managed to turn its own purchase into something really rather special.
And now it needs someone to run it ... |
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"It's about the continuity of the experience," said Brad Factor. "It's about maintaining that immersion. It's about ease of use and the learning curve: not needing to teach somebody how to use VR, but just being able to put on the headset and experience the virtual world naturally. That's a lot of what we're focusing on."
Factor, the founder and CEO of a company called Ekto VR, has invented what is, in essence, a pair of chunky, cyberpunk-looking moonwalking boots for use in virtual reality environments. If Dorothy wore ruby slippers to travel in safety through the magical, technicolor land of Oz in The Wizard of Oz, then Factor's invention is designed to allow similarly safe travel through VR.
Ever wonder how it's possible to create a convincing VR scenario that lets you, say, trek through the Sahara Desert without the painful, immersion-breaking experience of colliding with a wall in your apartment? Ekto VR believes it has the answer: Slip on a pair of the company's simulator boots over your regular shoes, don a VR headset, and you're able to experience walking through virtual environments that are far, far larger than the physical space you're contained within.
Ekto VR's boots work by using an array of motorized wheels on their underside, which spin counter to the speed that the user is walking in. In order to avoid motion sickness, the boots allow the wearer to initially take several steps forward ... |
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Recent weeks have seen a huge upsurge in news surrounding Apple's heavily rumored mixed-reality headset, with leaks speculating on its release date, power capabilities, and even its name. Yet rather than clarify the device, these tidbits have just served to muddy the waters. Assessing the situation, it feels like Apple's headset is just as ephemeral as it has always been.
The problem is that no one can seem to agree on what the device will actually bring to the table. We know people will wear it on their head, but that's about the only detail that seems to be actually nailed down.
Yet with so much uncertainty surrounding almost every aspect of the device, Apple is fast running out of time to perfect it. Unlike some of its rivals, Apple is not the type of company to release a half-baked product and then improve it over subsequent generations (cough, Samsung, cough). To me, that leaves two possibilities ... |
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TIPS, TRICKS, & TECHNIQUES |
Super Bowl 2022 is coming up, and it's easier than ever to watch the big game in detailed resolution. Pair something like 4K with a quality HDTV, and you'll see things so clearly you'll be able to call the plays yourself — it's the perfect setup for game day.
But for 4K, you'll need to know where and how to watch the Super Bowl first, along with what limitations the broadcaster, NBC, has in place, and what kind of entertainment system can make the best of it.
Our guide will show everything you need, including the right devices and where to go for the highest-resolution game footage ... |
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