Virtual reality headsets of the future will soon only need a single cable to connect to a PC. Rather than requiring a multitude of cables for today’s PC-based VR experiences, an industry consortium led by Nvidia, Oculus, Valve, AMD, and Microsoft wants to simplify connecting VR headsets with PCs by using the new VirtualLink specification, which relies on a single USB-C connector on the headset. VirtualLink is based on the Alternate Mode of USB-C, and it allows future headsets to replace the HDMI, USB, and power cables with a single cable in the future.
“VirtualLink enables next-generation VR headsets to connect with a PC or other device using a single, high-bandwidth USB Type-C connector,” the consortium said in a statement. “That includes support for four lanes of HBR3 DisplayPort for high-resolution displays, USB3.1 Gen2 SuperSpeed for headset cameras and sensors, and up to 27 watts of power delivery.”
Similar to how USB-C can handle video, USB data, and power on today’s laptops and desktops, the VirtualLink standard’s single USB-C cable will simplify the VR experience and cut down on cable clutter. A single cable will be easier and quicker for consumers to set up, reducing any friction to VR adoption.
Described as a connectivity standard that was purpose-built for virtual reality, VirtualLink claims that the connector is optimized to reduce latency and handle VR’s bandwidth demands. The standard could also help PC-based virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality experiences compete against mobile-first devices, like Samsung’s Oculus-based Gear VR headset, which relies on a smartphone, rather than a PC.
Additionally, whereas today’s virtual reality experiences are limited to PCs that can handle multiple connectors, relying on a single cable will help VirtualLink bring virtual reality to more form factors, like thin and light notebooks and other small-form-factor devices.
While serious VR and AR experiences will still require more advanced processors and graphics chips, casual PC users won’t need to get HP’s Omen X backpack, for example, to get started with VR. Given Microsoft’s involvement, it may be just a matter of time before we see VirtualLink crop up on a future Windows Mixed Reality headset. “We have been involved on VirtualLink from the beginning and are supportive of industry-standard approaches for emerging Windows experiences including mixed reality,” Microsoft Mixed Reality general manager Scott Evans said.
Given that this is a new standard, only future headsets that support USB-C will be able to take advantage of single-cable benefit of VirtualLink.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.