“It’s the future!” they said. “This will be just like the 80’s, you nerds,” others doubted.
Since Microsoft announced HoloLens (the company’s foray into the augmented and virtual reality market), there have been countless rumors circulating about what the exact specifications of the potentially revolutionary product are going to be. To begin, the pricing and release date (major factors) are still unknown, and the developer kit is only expected sometime in 2016. The mystery leaves our team begging for details but, even with these crucial uncertainties floating around, we can confidently say that this groundbreaking platform will be a public boost for the already exploding world of augmented reality. Or, if not, at least it’s not called ‘headgear.’
You may already be aware of the HoloLens’ promoted look and style. Simply put, they’re a pair of terminator glasses that are held on your head by a thick plastic band. Sexy…
In all seriousness though, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the HoloLens could very likely be the first significant move in bringing PC’s off our desktops – and onto our heads. According to Microsoft, “HoloLens is the first fully untethered, see-through holographic computer.” Which, in everyman’s language, basically means we’ll soon all be little Terminators walking around — minus (hopefully) the violence, of course.
The world saw the first live HoloLens experience at the E3 Gaming Conference held in Los Angeles, this past June. Microsoft debuted at a gaming conference in order to show off progress on Minecraft (a popular game that Microsoft paid roughly $2.5 billion for the rights to). To watch the video of the HoloLens in action at the E3 conference, click here.
As Marvel movie lovers, HoloLens reminds us a bit of Tony Stark (or Ironman, for the less savvy) who often builds the blueprints for his technology with the tips of his fingers in a Minority Report kind of way. From what we have seen, HoloLens is the next step in all of our (let’s be honest) quest to be more like Tony Stark.
But what does it do?!
Unless Microsoft is taking us all for a ride, it seems that users will be able to do things like check Facebook wall posts, play games, do work, check weather (and even have virtual toucan pets?) on the actual wall of their home. Scroll, click, and type all with the swipe of your hand. Maybe you can pin a holographic Pinterest recipe on your refrigerator as you cook. Don’t want to leave the TV, but need to do a few things around the house? With HoloLens, the TV can be wherever you go. Now you can watch the big game AND clean the toilets! The possibilities are endless.
Since the conception of the HoloLens, Microsoft has developed a ‘5 year plan’ for its eventual release. In short, it likely means that developers like us will get a pair hopefully sometime in the calendar year of 2016. After that, it will be rolled out for select businesses to try (to make sure there are no massive show stoppers). After it makes its way through these channels, it will reach consumers. Whether this takes just a year or two, a full 5 years or longer, from everything that Microsoft has shown us thus far, it will be worth the wait.
As developers in the space, these are exciting times that we are about to embark on. HoloLens will prove to be a next generation platform in the world of not only augmented reality, but technology as a whole. This will be due to the advancements in hardware, but even more-so, we see excitement in the incredible ways developers and consumers will use this technology to things that have never before been possible. At Gravity Jack, we are a team that will be ready and capable of delivering our share of the incredible games, apps and technology that will make HoloLens so special.
