Microsoft’s HoloLens Looks More Promising Than VR, but May Be Ahead of Its Time

If you haven’t heard of Microsoft’s HoloLens, it might be time to learn up. HoloLens is a next-gen augmented reality headset, with the potential to surpass already impressive virtual reality technology such as the Oculus Rift.

[ThinkThink]

It definitely holds more promise than VR outside of the gaming space, I don't many would disagree. With regards to gaming, I would think most would tend to lean towards VR but that's just me. I do agree though, IF HaloLens works, it will truly be ahead if its time, which I don't see as a bad thing necessarily as long as its focus isn't gaming.

[fr0sty]

HoloLens has some excellent gaming capabilities as well, assuming it works as well as they claim it does when actually in the wild and not just some well controlled demo room. However, just as you can do many things with HoloLens that you can't do with VR when it comes to games, the same applies to the other way around. In fact, if either was more limiting than the other, it would be HoloLens.

Also, it's quite likely that HoloLens will cost a good bit more, since it has to have a kinect strapped into the headset. I doubt that display is cheap either.

[kneon]

That's the problem with all forms of AR, your surroundings will affect how well it will work in each use case.

[Fatal-Aim]

It has its own GPU too which is going to jack up the cost.

[fr0sty]

and people say Morpheus will cost a fortune... HoloLens is on track to make you have to mortgage your house to buy it.

[kickerz]

Quite interesting/intelligent comments here. Good to see guys

[raymantalk1]

amazes me fr0sty you make intelligent comments and get loads of disagrees just shows how immature most people are on this site.

bubbles for you :)

[darthv72]

There have been lots of ideas that are ahead of their time. some failed because they were just too advanced but given another chance... they make their return to be a success.

Look at surface, i can remember when that was first demonstrated by Bill at a CES and the demo was the size of a table where he created a custom snow board and showed how easy it was to simply touch the surface and drag things around with your finger.

then many years later we get surface in a much smaller size and much broader aray of mfg's making them. We know them as tablets.

it took several years for that tech to reach mass market appeal and im sure it will take several for this tech to do the same. Unless, of course, something really compelling comes up that truly makes use of it to the point where it is viewed as a must have, cant live without, where have you been all my life... kind of thing.

We wont know the answer to that until it releases. just like with VR.

[jeromeface]

A lot of halo lenses appeal is its ability to enhance your environment digitally. If this hardware doesn't map the rooms well and we have digital objects not matching up with non this thing will fall on its face. They can fake this in demo's by hand placing objects themselves. We'll see how everything pans out if it ever releases.

[krypt1983]

No that table is actually something you can buy, you just ain't going to buy it unless your extremely wealthy ...

[Mega24]

Trying to read your comment made my brain hurt.

On topic, yes, if executed correctly. It will bring a level of technology for all professional fields. Imagine what doctors, engineers, architects, etc, could do with this. But again, if executed correctly, not the way they pitched the first kinect, and demos they did that were never in actual real time, all where recorded and choreographed with actors. Star Wars demo looked so promising, but totally disappointing when I actually bought it.

[DarXyde]

I didn't really think much of HoloLens in the gaming space either, but then I considered the implications, particularly horror games. Can you imagine the feeling of some abomination in the same room that you and your family/roommates hang out in? From a psychological perspective, it's mortifying. If you forget yourself and that you're wearing the Hololens with time, you see some monstrosity in your living room and for a fleeting moment before you realize you're playing the game, you're probably thinking, "where did this come from? How did it get into my home without me seeing or hearing it?" To me, that would be nerve racking and very efficient. On the other hand, you feel safe in your living room. Where VR plucks you out of your world and you're left in an unfamiliar space, that could be very unsettling as well.

That said, I think VR would do more for the gaming space. My experience isn't indicative of everyone's but when I play games, I like to step outside of my world. Make me forget the world I'm in for a bit and it's nice.

I think both are very interesting pieces of technology, but it remains to be seen if HoloLens is really shaping up to be something magic. Morpheus, Vive, and Oculus Rift are receiving pretty positive feedback which I like. Now, we just have to wait and see what HoloLens brings.

I'm skeptical, but I think the technology will impress on all fronts.

[Fatal-Aim]

Just like kinect was so promising.

Everything Microsoft advertise before its released gets the same hype exposure and never works as intended. Remember Milo?

This Hololens is no different. Pull the actors out of the equation and the thing is just another fad that doesn't work.

[ThinkThink]

That could be said about literally any piece of technology from Microsoft and Sony. You're entitled to your opinion though, I respect that.

[wcas]

I agree, it will probably be about as useful and popular as Kinect. Hololens like Kinect will be super hyped and pushed hard by MS $$. However, in all reality doesn't appear to be something that will go mainstream. It will have it's niche like Kinect does.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Too many "coulds" and "ifs". No doubt its interesting stuff, but right now VR is more practical and works. As VR starts getting done more and more, its just going to get more cheaper and become more of a standard for gaming.

Hololens and AR really need something to get it out there for it to be even considered in the mix.

[Lennoxb63]

Why do people keep saying it's not for games? It's for anything you want it to be for. Education, TV, some jobs may use it.

[ninsigma]

I don't think it's not about it not being for games, I'm sure there will be plenty developed for the device that would suit it, but I can't imagine playing the likes of halo or forza using it. Other than that you're right, there are a lot of possibilities for it. Even to go beyond what you said, I'd add medical applications to its list of things it could do. I did my college thesis on whether or not the kinect 1.0 would be a viable device for physical rehabilitation. I'd wager that an application similar to the one I developed to go along with my thesis would hold much more potential than the camera. It's potential is so high, I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on this one!

[Gazondaily]

Well imagine playing halo and having your glasses display the hud instead oF your tv screen. That would be sick.

[Lennoxb63]

There will be plenty of things to do with the Hololens for games. For Forza you could customize a 3D version of your car sitting right in front of you. Halo could throw debris and bullets through the tv at you. Same with Forza. Imagine drifting and seeing smoke form around the floor, or dirt and mud being thrown at you.

[ninsigma]

But what about the backrounds?? The game world is going to get overlayed onto the real world so the image won't be smooth because real world objects will still be there breaking the immersion.

[aviator189]

Definitely excited for HoloLens.
Hopefully, the price is reasonable.

[iamnsuperman]

Like how Kinect, voice commands, the other AR headsets, 3D have not revolutionised squat (even outside of gaming) the same will be said for hololens. I remmeber seeing similar articles being said about the kinect and how schools, businesses....... will use it but it never happened. The reasons is because it was a complex, device heavy solutions to things that didn't need "solving". For Hololens there are adequate ways of doing AR that use current, easily available devices (phones). You don't need a complex headset to show a plumber a problem and for him to help you. Pointing a smart phone at it does the same thing (also that driving point, made by Tsunoda, is just damn dangerous and was why Google Glass was going to be banned while driving)

As a gaming device it would never work. We have said for years how X game looks realistic and that is because you solely concentrate on one thing. But put it against a real backdrop and the short falls of graphics become much more apparent.

Hololens looks cool but we have heard the same thing time and time again. In reality it does not have much of a leg to stand on (especially when business what stupidly simple and cheap ways/products for their workforce)

[Kavorklestein]

Yeah kinect wasn't responsive or precise enough to be worth most dev's time. This may suffer a dream bigger than the reality- like kinect did, but considering it is actually going to DISPLAY images and not just make you waggle your arms with no precision like kinect 1.0 did, I'd say it's more likely to succeed and be supported... If they price it right. And just the space and science classroom stuff/activities and things you could do in schools with HoloLens instantly makes it more interesting than kinect.

[iamnsuperman]

I am a classroom teacher in a school that prides itself on giving half the cohort an ipad and Hololens will never make its way into my school. Headsets will never make it into schools. It is an unnecessary expense

[rainslacker]

It all depends on implementation. Games would have to be tailored to take advantage of what Hololens can do. I can't see it practical for every type of game and genre. Same goes for VR, but VR is more like a HMD for everything if it doesn't take advantage of VR features.

That being said, I tried thinking of a good example of an AR game that was good and meaningful, and couldn't. The Minecraft demo we saw was cool, but I think we all know it would never be like that in reality. That would take an immense amount of power to make work. Even Sony's dinosaur AR demo was cool, but hard to imagine it being practical for game play.

[Kavorklestein]

To me, The fact that this got announced out of thin air like it did says that they have big dreams and ideas a-brewin'
I can't wait to see what starts happening when more devs use it and explore the possibilities.

[jairusmonillas]

VR is more promising.

HoloLens is useless, it's just like searching something from google. Totally worthless, Atleast VR gives you the feeling of being somewhere.

[StrayaKNT]

Vr is like having a screen right Infront of your eyes. How is that promising? Ar looks so much more promising; don't know if your being sarcastic or not lol

[DigitalRaptor]

VR is like nothing you mentioned, whilst you simply said the technology of your console of choice is better than what others are using without anything at all to back it up.

Why should it have to be sarcasm or a joke? VR has already proven itself time and time again as being the infinitely more immersive gamer-driven device, via Oculus Rift and the numerous Project Morpheus demos that actually take those using it to a place that they actually believe is not their own living room.

Meanwhile, AR will never take you away from your living room, but embellish it with game assets.

Could you come back to this conversation when you've worn a VR headset and experienced the kind of presence that comes from having a "screen in front of your eyes"?

I don't think I've seen gamers today seriously welp about EyePet or playing a scaled back version of Minecraft in their living rooms. Just like Kinect, it's very likely that HoloLens is going to be more applicable to areas outside our here hobby than inside.

[Yetter]

one of them cuts you off from your senses, the other works with your senses. Which do you think we be more immersive?

[DLConspiracy]

So useless that NASA is using it...

[wakeNbake]

Day 1 buy for me :)

@above
like searching google? What the hell are you talking about?

[Adamon1]

I feel like this is gonna be the Kinect all over again.

[Godmars290]

Including the baseless praise and unshakable defense.

[ninsigma]

Well I don't know how you could compare the two really. Virtual reality tech such as the occulous is for gaming purposes while the hololense is more like a pc that you wear and therefore will have more applications other than games. Occulous doesn't do anything other than games but it will do games better than hololense imo because it will offer deeper immeraion than the AR tech. But then at the same time hololense will perform a lot more tasks that occulous was never designed to do. So at the end of the day they are two different techs aimed at two different audiences. I think if hololense has some solid tech to back up the idea, then it will hit mainstream more than or before any vr machines because it will have much more application to everyday needs.

[SteamPowered]

I certainly don't think AR is > than VR. VR is fully immersive while AR puts 3d objects on a fixed point in the room. They may both have their audience but VR is all encompassing while AR has limited uses.
Plus the fact that VR is being developed by everyone from cell phones to Steam to Hollywood makes me think VR will be out and viable loooooong before these hololens take hold.

[DLConspiracy]

What's to stop it from displaying an entire screen in front of your eyes? Possibly with a black cover over the glasses to prevent light.

Just spitballing here but its not exactly a bad thing to be able to put a screen anywhere you want. We don't even know how long someone can wear VR helmets on before they need to take them off. Its somewhat a deprivation helmet. That could possibly leave us not wanting to wear it that much. Where AR is a bit more open and could be less claustrophobic. I have not tried either yet.

[SteamPowered]

VR works so well because it blocks out all surrounding light so that you get full immersion. I don't see how AR would achieve that without becoming a headset as well. I see AR as akin to google glass. I've worn an oculus for around 2-3 hours at a time. Even with the poor refresh rate and low res on the Dev kit, I only felt motion sickness once with the Star Wars Xwing demo. Claustrophobia will be the last thing on your mind when you put a headset on. VR feels scary-real so I doubt people will even notice the headset.

[EvilWay]

I think it has not potential and I would be much more willing to buy it over VR. I don't need device on my face to feel immersed in the game so VR is pointless imo

[theFAYEsorceress]

whatever format porn supports, that will be the winner.

[DLConspiracy]

If they could display someone laying in your bed, couch and in your room... Performing said activities... It would be interesting to see which would 'get off' the ground better. :p

[vega275]

I see myself using this for more than just gaming. I see great potential for people who travel a lot like myself. Also it would be great if my company would use this for meeting like in the movie kingsmen. That would be so cool instead of conference calls every quarter

[Neo_Zeed]

I'm not sure what to think about it. I can't tell what to expect from the way they show it. At first I thought it was like CastAR. Now I believe it's like Google Glass.

[ArnoDorian]

Hololens :)
I smell YuGiOh out of it

[hkgamer]

hololens or AR capabilities will be amazing in the future. its definitely a long way away but it will be able to do a lot more than what vr can do.

however it wont do much for gaming unless it emulates what vr does.

anyway, why hololens concept at this moment in time is great because it will put 3d images on top of what we see in real life unlike mobile phones where it puts an image on top of a videofeed which we are holding in front of us and can only see through that device.

anyway, that hololens concept is so far from being a reality and it just reminds me of that glass concept video that was around a few years back.

[Scatpants]

It looks promising, but I'm afraid it's going to be like Kinect looking all cool before you get it, but then everything is all crappy when you actually use it.

[TheCommentator]

Sega Master System had 3D glasses. Anyone remember those?

[mochachino]

The only thing that would make it ahead of its time would be a price that consumers can't afford. Hololense looks amazing and revolutionary.

[MasterCornholio]

I believe that VR is better for gaming than AR. But that's just me.

[JasonKCK]

HoloLense reminds me of Deus Ex. Who doesn't want a personal HUD? MS just needs to throw this thing at PC.

[StrayaKNT]

Would you rather have a screen infront of your eyes or would you rather play your games in your house and combine them in your world? I don't even have to think about it I know what I want.

[MasterCornholio]

Id rather be in the game then to have to clear up my living room so i can include my minecraft constructions in it.

I know which one im going with. AR will be great for other applications though. Like online shopping for example.

[StrayaKNT]

Lmaooooo online shopping. Did you miss the part in the trailer where you can have a screen on your wall and you drag it to make the size bigger making it look like you own a projector? Lol plus there are like 5 different vr devices out now so it will be niche no matter how much you think it will be or not. AR is the future and even gaming sites know that hololenz destroys all vr devices

[SirBradders]

Couldn't really see the benefit of this in everyday homes. It's just a pc monitor blown out proportion like the movie, it could actually lead to cocounterproductivy having to jump around the room to do stuff. Where the keyboard lol.

[Yetter]

Really excited for both, but I feel like AR is going to bring the real innovation. Having my house as the set piece for a horror game would be unbelievable. Really just one of many, many ideas I've had or heard of. Online table top board games? May final be possible with hololens. Can't see it being under 1000.00 though and at that price, its going to be a tough sell

[strickers]

More promising that VR? Please. Utter nonsense. VR has so many applications and it massively more game or film applicable.
You guys are idiots if AR "is more exciting to you". Try thinking about what you saying.

[Moldiver]

In this whole AR Vs VR debate, ya'll left out one...extremely important thing; The adverse effects of using VR over prolonged period of time. AR does not have those issues. We dont know the Price of hololens. At all. We do have a rough idea of the cost of a VR headset, and they are already in consumers hands so we can talk about VRs chances of commercial success more easily.

I dont see them as competitors to be be honest. hololens has implimentations far beyond gaming, so its commercial success is not riding on gaming like VR is. It also does not have the negative health side effects. As for its success in gaming, well that depends on the software, which will only be available on W10 based PCs and X1 anyway. Its success in gaming is dependant only on MS and its gaming consumers. But it will be succesful even without it in the creative/productivity/science/ industrial/design spaces.

One thing about MS...They think big...real big. If they integrate this with an updated and improved kinect (which is already a maturing platform, with its key tech components constantly being improved at MS) they could be on to something...

VR success will be determined my PC gamers. I dont see morpheus being a big seller for sony. Most sony fans dont like yearly subs or DLC...good luck to sony, trying to convince the same people to shell out for an accessory that will no doubt cost almost as much as the PS4 itself. VR on PC will benefit from the wealthier PC gamer who spends serious money on hardware regularly. This is just another toy to add for them. And PC owners love their expensive toys...

[JasonKCK]

Lot of minds are going to change once gamers try and do 10 hour gaming sessions with VR.

[feraldrgn]

I guess the Vita & 3DS are ahead of their time also then.
It's not completely new tech, it's just improved.

[Tuviejacalata]

Innovation like this makes us excited for the crazy future. What we once saw or read about that high tech future becoming reality. Can't wait for more news on hololens and its future.

[ScaryMonkey]

3D, Kinect, VR, and now this, just another gimmick destined to fail.

[SpinalRemains138]

Sweet.

Its basically the ARI Com like Heavy Rain.