Let the games begin! The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are in full swing, but instead of staring at a flat-screen TV thinking about what it would be like to actually be there in person, this year you can get closer to the action with VR. Here’s how!
To watch the 202o Tokyo Games in VR, you need an Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2 and the NBC Olympics VR by Xfinity app, available on the Oculus app store. In addition, this partnership with Xfinity allows Oculus users to host Watch Parties with up to three other Oculus friends exclusively in the U.S.
This viewing experience will allow all viewers to watch live and replay coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies and sports, including boxing, track and field, volleyball, basketball, and more. Additionally, pre-games leading up to the opening ceremony will be available.
Do not let the name Xfinity scare you; you will be able to watch live events and full-event replays through authentication of your cable or satellite provider. The authentication is pretty simple: All you have to do is simply log in to your cable or satellite provider, which will grant you access to the live events. If you do not have a cable provider, you will only have access to the featured content available on the app.
In previous years of the event, VR was available to watch on smartphones via Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, and more.
The experience with the NBC Olympics VR by Xfinity app places you right in the action. Since there will not be an audience in attendance, people who can view the event via VR will get a front-row view. The Oculus Quest allows this experience to be wireless. Users can either stand or sit down to view the event and utilize the Oculus controls to navigate the app and watch the various events that are taking place. This VR experience will give you a 360-degree view of the events. Furthermore, the featured content will show you various training that athletes partake in for The Games, and it even places you in Tokyo to learn more about them.
Note that not every sporting event taking place during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be available in VR. Virtual reality requires special cameras to be placed in various spots, and with sports such as cycling, you can imagine the technical undertaking to cover the track and the constant movements.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.