Tag Archives: Headset

Best of Razer’s gadgets launched at CES 2023 – Gamers take note

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Just like every year, Razer is stealing the limelight at CES 2023 with its gaming-centric gear and peripherals. They’ve revealed gaming laptops, PC soundbar, cloud gaming handhelds, advanced webcams and a geeky headrest. Let’s have a look at what caught our attention from the Razer camp.

Designer: Razer

1. Kiyo Pro Ultra

This webcam has the biggest camera sensor (as per Razer) ever, the Sony 1/1.2″ STARVIS 2 sensor with (2.9 μm pixel size) to offer DSLR comparable detail. The accessory has an f/1.7 aperture lens for superior low-light performance, and streamers with a low-light setup will want to own it. Razer claims that the webcam is capable of capturing four times more light than other options on the market.

In-built features on the Kiyo Pro Ultra include AI-powered face tracking, autofocus and background blur. It supports HDR at 30FPS and the inbuilt processor can directly convert 4k 30fps footage to uncompressed 4K 24fps, 1440p 30fps or 1080p 60fps. The peripheral connects to your setup via USB 3.0 port. It is the predecessor to the Kiyo Pro that was launched a couple of years ago, so yes, this one is a worthy upgrade at $300.

2. Leviathan V2 Pro soundbar

Again Razer etches the “world’s first” tag onto this accessory for gamers and streamers. The beamforming soundbar is a unique offering with head-tracking AI that always keeps listener in the sweet spot no matter how much you move around. This fancy feature is achieved via the IR camera that monitors the position and beams the audio accordingly.

The sound system on this one is developed by THX and the beamforming technology comes courtesy Audioscenic. The soundbar has two modes for 3D audio – THX Spatial Audio Virtual Headset for stereo content, and the THX Spatial Audio Virtual Speakers for multi-channel audio. Leviathan V2 Pro demands a price tag of $400 with availability from February 2023 onwards.

3. Razer Edge

Gaming handhelds are here to stay and Razer Edge cloud gaming system wants to cash-in on the trend. The compact Android-powered handheld console is powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform (with an active-cooling system) mated to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The device gets a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with 2400 x 1080 resolution (144Hz refresh rate) and HyperSense haptic feedback for immersive gaming on the go.

Razer Edge has a couple of digital mics, a 3.5mm headphone jack and stereo speakers loaded with Verizon Adaptive Sound. The gadget comes in two variants, a Wi-Fi-only version for $400 and a 5G model that’ll be Verizon Wireless exclusive for $600 – both up for grabs from 26 January 2023. Just so that nerds don’t complain, the handheld has Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband support for the respective variants.

4. Project Carol

The most interesting accessory from the lot is this geeky head cushion designed specifically to elevate in-game immersion. Currently in the concept stage, Project Carol brings audio and tactile response right to your gaming chair with near-field surround sound and haptics.

The audio beaming from this unique accessory comes courtesy the HyperSense technology, delivering 7.1 surround sound made possible by intelligent near-field surround sound tech. This will come really handy while playing FPS games where you need to be spot-on with the sound source. The accessory can be paired with your mobile device or PC via the 2.4 GHz wireless connection. Razer estimates a battery life of about 8 hours before a recharge, and it fits any gaming chair out there just for the records.

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Here’s a complete look at the latest HTC Vive XR Elite glasses that debuted at CES 2023

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The company cryptically leaked an image to The Verge in December, but now we have more details as HTC finally revealed the Vive XR Elite, their $1099 standalone headset designed to offer mixed reality experiences with full-color passthrough video.

The new images offer a clearer view of what the headset looks like, and HTC does point out that at 625 grams, the Vive XR Elite is lighter than Meta’s Quest Pro. It comes with a wraparound design that includes a battery pack at the back, but can also be used in ‘glasses mode’ (shown below) with the battery module removed, bringing down the weight of the device ‘significantly’, according to HTC. The headset offers a screen resolution of around 2K pixels per eye, a 110-degree diagonal field of view, a 90Hz refresh rate, 12GB of memory, and 128GB of storage. Notably, it also features color cameras and a depth sensor for additional situational awareness, something Meta left out of the Quest Pro.

Designer: HTC Vive

The Vive XR Elite is a standalone headset that can also be used while tethered to a PC for more immersive movies or games with better graphics, or for productivity tools and immersive 3D modeling and viewing. It can be used along with controllers but also supports hand tracking that lets you interact with virtual elements naturally. The headset is designed to even be worn by people who usually wear prescription eyewear. Lens diopter adjusting within the headset lets you set the power for each eyepiece, so people can wear the XR Elite without specs, and the eyepieces can be moved closer or further apart so as to provide a precise fit without causing blurry images or headaches. The headset charges over USB-C, and its controllers are also rechargeable, offering a battery life of closer to 10 hours.

The $1099 device ships with the battery module and two controllers. It’s a bit of a tough sell, considering it’s almost thrice as expensive as the Quest 2, which pretty much offers the same experience while being cheaper and lighter. The only perceivable difference in features seems to be the availability of ‘passthrough AR’, which is still experimental at best. Moreover, HTC claims the Vive XR Elite will offer much better data privacy than any of Meta’s devices, although paying nearly thrice as much for this benefit may not really sit well with everyone.

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Pokemon GO creator Niantic Labs is making an AR headset for outdoor use

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Pokemon is an extremely large gaming franchise, but despite its popularity, only those who would label themselves as gamers would actually have any first-hand experience with it. That was, of course, until Pokemon GO exploded to the point that many smartphone owners have met a virtual critter or two at least once in their lifetime. It has been more than six years since then, and AR game developer Niantic Labs has attempted to recreate that magic with other popular franchises with very little success. To its credit, it hasn’t given up on its AR dreams just yet, and its next big moonshot is an AR headset that’s specifically designed to be worn and used outdoors.

Designer: Niantic Labs

Many people might be surprised that Pokemon GO would be considered an augmented reality game, mostly because it doesn’t fit the image of what an AR application or game should look like. Although it does technically add a virtual layer on top of reality, mostly through location data, most people presume that AR would mean seeing those digital artifacts right in front of our eyes and not through smartphone screens. That would, of course, be ideal, but we still have ways to go to get there, especially with the current generation of AR headsets.

There are already a number of AR headsets available in the market today, but very few are designed for casual use. The majority are, in fact, made to be used indoors, often in professional or industrial settings, where bright sunlight isn’t a problem and comfort is almost secondary to utility. For Niantic Labs’ purposes, however, comfort and convenience are actually the top priorities, and it has designed working prototypes around those requirements.

The prototypes the game developer showed off definitely look sleeker and less bulky compared to many AR and VR headsets. It balances the weight of the headset by moving some of the parts to the back of your head rather than having everything in front. The two parts are joined together by what seems to be a flexible band covered with fabric. That might not be a good idea, though, considering how that material will come in contact with sweat and dirt most of the time.

The most important part of Niantic’s demonstration is that, at least according to the video, the prototypes work as advertised already. Wearers can clearly see both the real world as well as virtual objects like robots and ninjas outdoors in bright light. Unsurprisingly, the most prominent application of this device revolves around AR games, but navigation and mapping are also perfect for outdoor AR headsets like these. Niantic Labs hasn’t given any timeline for this hardware, and it remains to be seen whether it will be able to truly pull it off and, more importantly, make a profit from it.

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Meta Quest Pro is an expensive gamble on the future of the metaverse

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Although almost everyone still refers to it as Facebook, changing its official name to Meta shows just how much the company, or at least CEO Mark Zuckerberg, believes that the metaverse is the future not just of computing but also of social. After a few months of hype and buzz, some of the narratives around the metaverse have died down a bit. There is even news that Meta itself is taking a step back to reflect on its grand plans. That’s not to say that Meta has given up on those ambitions, though, and it is, in fact, making an even bigger gamble on that future. It has just launched a new mixed reality headset that aims to take the metaverse beyond games and entertainment, but it carries a rather high price that almost makes that dream even more unreachable for most people.

Designer: Meta

The Meta Quest Pro is the latest headset to come from the company formerly known as Facebook, and it combines two of its major designs and strategies when it comes to virtual reality. Like the Quest 2, the Quest Pro is a standalone device that doesn’t require tethering to a PC that would limit the wearer’s mobility. Like the old Oculus Rift system, however, it boasts enough power and features that enable a wider variety of experiences and, in Meta’s words, enable the metaverse.

It definitely looks refined and more streamlined than even the Meta Quest 2, so you finally won’t look ridiculous wearing one for “serious business.” It’s no longer front-heavy like almost all standalone VR headsets due to the battery being relocated to the back of the strap, creating a more balanced design. Pancake lenses also help make the entire assembly thinner while also providing an even better view of the wearer’s field of vision. More than just the design upgrade, however, the Meta Quest Pro also offers more power and flexibility in how it mixes the virtual and the real.

Full-color outward-facing cameras, for example, will let you see the real world beyond the headset, allowing Meta’s system to seamlessly merge virtual objects with physical ones or vice versa. Inward-facing cameras, on the other hand, are able to track not only where your eyes are pointing but also your expressions that can be reflected on your avatar’s face. Even the new controllers themselves have their own cameras so that they can keep track of their location and position independently and more accurately.

All of these do translate to a metaverse-oriented device that offers more flexibility and more options that go beyond the usual applications of VR and AR. In fact, Meta envisions the Quest Pro more as a productivity and work tool that can help you get your job done, no matter where you are in the physical world. All that power comes with a hefty price, though; $1,499, to be exact. That’s almost four times the price of the $399 Meta Quest 2, but it does also pack a lot more features. Still, it’s a pricey investment even for companies who might be able to afford it, especially for a metaverse future that few people can see.

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Logitech Chorus headset for Meta Quest 2 brings richer audio to the Metaverse experience

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The Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset has quite a few undeniable merits – it’s lightweight, comfortable and can run graphics-intensive games without twitching. The self-contained VR headset could be the best out there depending on the user’s requirements – be it raw power or the ease of use for long hours of roaming in the Metaverse.

Built-in speakers on the VR headset deliver stereo sound, but if you are looking for a more immersive listening experience to match the visuals in virtual reality, Logitech has just got the right accessory.

Designer: Logitech

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The off-ear headphones (they don’t sit over the ears like regular ones) christened “Chorus” bring ultra-realistic audio to the listener’s VR experience. The fact that they don’t encapsulate ears means you’ll still be listening to outside ambient sound, something similar to the open ring design of the niche Sony LinkBuds. While personally, I like a secure seal to get fully engulfed in the music, games or movies I watch while being plugged in, there’s still a huge market for such audio listening accessories.

Specifically designed for the Meta Quest 2 headset, these headphones strap onto the VR headset on each side. Mind you, they are compatible with Meta’s Elite straps. The speakers on either side can swivel to adjust the preferred position for listening which is great for customizing the audio being delivered. The thing is powered by the VR headset’s USB-C port and the volume is controlled by the Quest 2 volume rocker button itself.

According to Logitech the speakers weighing 182 grams in total come with custom-tuned drivers capable of delivering the “biggest moments and the tiniest details in the Metaverse.” The open-back design means the sound signature is going to be on the warmer side. Looking around in the playing field, the first similar competition that comes to mind is the HTC Deluxe Audio strap which has a pair of decent-sounding headphones and a set of straps for a similar effect as that of the Chorus.

Matt Green, senior manager, acoustics engineering at Logitech summed up the existence of the headphones by saying that Chorus is more than the next step in audio for VR, it represents years of feedback from developers, gamers, and the VR community, and we couldn’t be more excited for this addition to the immersive VR experience.

Logitech Chorus is soon going to be available from the official Logitech portal and so on Amazon for a price tag of $99. For someone who doesn’t mind shelling out $399 on a VR headset, adding this pair of accessories won’t shake things up that much.

Click Here to Buy Now

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Blueparrot S650-XT is a 2-in-1 flagship headphone for complete freedom while driving

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How many times have you longed for those headphones to be a potent headset and vice versa? With the Blueparrot S650-XT you get the best of both worlds without any compromises, and your wish granted. A flagship-grade convertible headphone that’s meant to give you the freedom of crystal-clear hands-free calls when driving.

ANC headphones come in plenty, there’s no dearth on the market for sure. But rarely do we come across a dual-duty audio listening accessory that solves two purposes in one. Case in point, as a potent headset for taking up call, and a quality headphone for listening to music on the go. The end-user for this cool audio accessory, well, drivers who are mostly on the road. Although the designer envisions Blueparrot S650-XT for the tough truckers, the audience could be much wider than that. Anyone who has to take a lot of calls in the daytime, and as the evening hits, have quality audio beaming pair of cans to wind-off listening to music.

Designer: Doyle Wang

This cool design is a part of the Blueparrot JAWS project which aims to bring flagship-level 2-in-1 convertible wireless headset to the end-users who actually need them. The convertible S650-XT headset promises safe hands-free communication for taking calls while driving in mono mode where the earcup on the right-hand side is completely removable. When it’s time to jive to some grooves, the Blueparrot turns into an ANC headset again by reconnecting the earcup.

Durability is going to be the key for rugged use and the Blueparrot’s offering doesn’t disappoint. It gets the IP5-rated protection for dust, water and moisture protection for any kind of harsh conditions that you might encounter. The headset has a range of 100 meters which is quite impressive, and 36 hours of talk time limit before you need to recharge them. So, the 2-in-1 headphone is well tailored for the long haul. Add to the mix, the customizable button for fast access to favorite functions (including speed dial, mic mute or push-to-talk) and you are destined for maximum freedom while on the go.

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Layer Design’s meditation headset uses biomorphic patterns to elevate your state-of-mind

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While most of us are stressed out the whole day, a tech-infused meditation headset to wind down is a liberation we all could do very well with.

Life has become stressful in modern times with deadlines and other human-induced factors pushing us to the limit of physiological and psychological turmoil. Meditation is one thing that liberates one from the cyclical patterns of daily struggles – infusing a new sense of excitement to experience life to the fullest. When meditation is aided by the sensory input it’s bliss for the pineal gland!

Layer Design has once again demonstrated its knack for winning creations with the LightVision meditation headset designed for US-based tech startup Resonate. The headset is an array of LED lights that create a layer of magic to the visual feed for the user – literally turning the natural videos being cast into a sequence of biomorphic patterns. Amazingly, these patterns are visible to the closed eyes as the ever-changing kaleidoscope of sequences creates a sensory input. This triggers the brain’s “frequency-following response” according to Layer Design.

The minimally designed headset wrapped in textile casing sets a new precedence for the meditation regimes – be it in the morning or while winding down in the night. The ergonomic form of the headset sits comfortably around the face and the eyes for a distraction-free restful state of mind. The latter as you know is very hard to achieve since the mind wanders into realms you otherwise don’t want it to. The whole design of the LightVision headset puts forth a tactile experience to take your meditation routine to the next level.

While one question still lingers on my mind – won’t the play of light and colors for a long duration or even on a daily basis tire the eyes? Won’t it juxtapose with the very calm state of mind that it wants to achieve in the first place? If Layer Design has those issues sorted out, this headset for Resonate could be the catalyst the stressed-out world needs!

Designer: Layer Design for Resonate

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Augmented Reality Helmet concept aims at revolutionizing how firefighters rescue civilians

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Brave - Augmented Reality Helmet for Firefighters

Technology is best put to use when it gives us powers we didn’t have before. Whether it’s being able to fly using airplanes, see through skin and bones using X-rays, or send each other messages using radio waves and satellites. I’ve long believed that augmented reality has the ability to positively impact life as we know it, beyond just entertainment and games. Microsoft’s Hololens has often demonstrated how AR tech can help remote learning and servicing, whether it’s something as simple as sending instructions to a technician fixing a faulty circuit box or plumbing pipe, or as game-changing as helping doctors learn more about the human body by literally being able to see inside it using virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. A Red Dot Design Concept Award-winning entry, however, is pushing the capabilities of augmented reality imaging to help firefighters effectively assess buildings, find structural weak spots, avoid infernos, locate and rescue victims, and quickly plot safe escape routes.

Brave - Augmented Reality Helmet for Firefighters

The Brave is an AR Headset with a helmet attachment purpose-built for firefighters to use while training and in action. The headset itself comes with an array of cameras along the front that allows the internal chip to effectively plot out its surroundings, and a HUD under the headset’s main visor helps project digital elements on the physical world while the firefighters move around. The outer visor also covers the upper half of the face, preventing dust and debris from making its way into the firefighter’s eyes, while a mask on the lower half of their face remains unobstructed or untouched.

When paired along with the helmet, the Brave is complete as a state-of-the-art imaging, safety, and rescue tool. The helmet comes with lights built into the front and the back, illuminating the path while allowing firefighters to see each other in smoke-filled corridors. The rear of the helmet even comes with a camera lens that allows the AR headset to see what’s behind the wearer too, informing them of any developments. Finally, the hard-hat helmet works as the ultimate head-protecting device, softening the impact from debris that may fall from above, and overall helping the firefighter effectively perform rescue missions without getting hurt. Along with the AR headset, however, the Brave is the ultimate rescue tool. It helps firefighters effectively see behind walls, beyond floors, and observe the building in a way that the eyes cannot.

The Brave AR Helmet is a winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award for the year 2021.

Designers: Kim Hyewon & Shin Alim

Brave - Augmented Reality Helmet for Firefighters

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HTC’s leaked Vive VR headset are honeyed goggles that give you a bug-eyed minion-like look!

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Remember the HTC Project Proton concept VR headset shown off in early 2020 that looked like a mix of glasses and ski goggles? The Vive Flow VR headset is the evolution of that very concept and it is coming soon – in fact just a day away from official release at the “Go with the Flow” event set to happen on October 14.

Interestingly the internet is going crazy with the freshly leaked images of the insect eyes like HTC headset that gives off the futuristic vibe. The person in question is trusted leaker Evan Blass who has posted convincing images of HTC’s next-gen VR headset. The big question arises – will this HTC VR headset be able to compete with Oculus Quest 2? Evan has been posting a constant stream of tweets with photos of the said headset, building anticipation for the tech community. For neutral viewers, these images give a much better idea of how the Vive Flow VR headset will look like. It is not much different than the Project Proton concept headset in terms of the alienating presence.

From the images so far, it seems the headset will have a tethered connection to a tube-shaped device to power up the advanced processing of the gadget. There are no straps apparent in these leaked images which suggests HTC has finally found a way to ditch the strap design. How they have managed to balance the weight out will only be clear once the headset is out there for real. Also, the images are highly suggestive of a snap-on face cushion for comfort, adjustable lenses, immersive spatial audio and an active cooling system.

Talking of the possible use case scenarios, the headset will mostly be used for multimedia content consumption and gaming. According to rumors the VR headset will have a microchip less powerful than the Oculus Quest 2, but will come with six degrees of freedom tracking. There are no controllers in view so it is presumed the headset will not ship with one. This will be a major limitation if it wants to go head-butting against the Quest 2.

One of the images suggests the HTC Vive Flow VR headset will be up for pre-order starting October 15th, and shipments are promised in early November. Interestingly it will cost almost $200 more than the Quest 2, at a debut price tag of $499, so it better be good. For all that money you’ll also get seven free virtual reality content and carrying case.

Designer: HTC

 

The ViXion is a mixed-reality headset designed specifically for people with low-vision and night-blindness

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Partnering with Japan-based startup ViXion, Nendo has unveiled an eponymously named mixed-reality headset that’s designed specifically for people with reduced visibility. ViXion is a sleek headset that helps the legally blind (or people suffering from night blindness) see around them. The headset comes with a camera that captures the world ahead of the wearer, while an internal processor increases the visibility of the footage by amping up the brightness and the contrast, and projects the images onto the wearer’s eyes, allowing them to see better.

Fundamentally doing exactly the opposite of what sunglasses do, the ViXion is a headset that aids people with low vision, low peripheral vision, or night blindness, by brightening what’s ahead of them. The headset is characterized by a slim visor with a fisheye camera at the center, capturing footage across a wide periphery. The footage is processed to increase its visibility and then projected onto a semitransparent mirror display in front, for the viewer to clearly see. The wearer can also switch between black and white vision, black and white inversion, and high-contrast colors to match their visual needs.

Designer: Nendo