Facebook&rsquo;s virtual reality content production unit, Oculus&#39; Story Studio, is shuttering its doors to shift focus on supporting external content makers, the company said, two years after the in-house studio launched.

Oculus, which makes virtual reality headsets Rift and Gear VR, will allocate $50 million to directly fund creators of non-gaming VR content, Jason Rubin, the company&#39;s vice president of content, said in a blog post.

Rubin added that Oculus is &quot;still absolutely committed to growing the VR film and creative content ecosystem.&quot;

Facebook paid $3 billion to acquire Oculus and retain its employees in 2014. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said he believed the medium that offers a 360-degree panoramic view using headsets &quot;will become a part of daily life for billions of people.&quot;

Oculus tapped talent from both Oscar-winning animation company Pixar and the video gaming world to head up Story Studio, which it launched in January 2015 at the Sundance Film Festival.

Facebook&#39;s VR ambitions have been threatened somewhat by a lawsuit from video game publisher ZeniMax Media Inc accusing Facebook and Oculus of infringing ZeniMax&#39;s copyrighted software code.

A jury found in ZeniMax&#39;s favour in February, awarding it $500 million. Oculus has asked for a new trial. 
Vive, a unit of HTC, and Sony are also racing to bring virtual reality products to a mass audience.

Oculus debuted its first short film called &quot;Lost&quot; at Sundance two years ago, a story of an animated mechanical creature in a forest.

Last year, Story Studio won an Emmy for original interactive programme for its short VR film &quot;Henry,&quot; and at Sundance this year, it premiered &quot;Dear Angelica,&quot; an illustrated film of a mother and daughter.

But internally, Oculus has undergone some changes in its management in the past year.

Brendan Iribe stepped down as CEO in December, saying he was going to head up the PC division of the VR company. In March, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, who created the prototype Oculus headset, parted ways with Facebook.

(Reuters)

Oculus, which makes virtual reality headsets Rift and Gear VR, will allocate $50 million to directly fund creators of non-gaming VR content

Facebook’s virtual reality content production unit, Oculus' Story Studio, is shuttering its doors to shift focus on supporting external content makers, the company said, two years after the in-house studio launched. Oculus, which makes virtual reality headsets Rift and Gear VR, will allocate $50 million to directly fund creators of non-gaming VR content, Jason Rubin, the company's vice president of content, said in a blog post. Rubin added that Oculus is "still absolutely committed to growing the VR film and creative content ecosystem." Facebook paid $3 billion to acquire Oculus and retain its employees in 2014. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said he believed the medium that offers a 360-degree panoramic view using headsets "will become a part of daily life for billions of people." Oculus tapped talent from both Oscar-winning animation company Pixar and the video gaming world to head up Story Studio, which it launched in January 2015 at the Sundance Film Festival. Facebook's VR ambitions have been threatened somewhat by a lawsuit from video game publisher ZeniMax Media Inc accusing Facebook and Oculus of infringing ZeniMax's copyrighted software code. A jury found in ZeniMax's favour in February, awarding it $500 million. Oculus has asked for a new trial. Vive, a unit of HTC, and Sony are also racing to bring virtual reality products to a mass audience. Oculus debuted its first short film called "Lost" at Sundance two years ago, a story of an animated mechanical creature in a forest. Last year, Story Studio won an Emmy for original interactive programme for its short VR film "Henry," and at Sundance this year, it premiered "Dear Angelica," an illustrated film of a mother and daughter. But internally, Oculus has undergone some changes in its management in the past year. Brendan Iribe stepped down as CEO in December, saying he was going to head up the PC division of the VR company. In March, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, who created the prototype Oculus headset, parted ways with Facebook. (Reuters)

Facebook's virtual reality unit Oculus shutters film studio

A new Google Earth Virtual Reality (VR) feature allows users to visit any address in the world and fly over it in 3D with the help of a headset system, according to the company.

Using a new updated feature on Google Earth VR, people can choose their own destinations, as long as they know the address or name of the location.

&quot;People want to quickly find and revisit the places that mean the most to them, whether it is a childhood home or favourite vacation spot,&quot; Joanna Kim, a product manager at Google Earth VR said in a blog post.

Users can type an address or the name of a location, and visit it with a 3D headset system, Kim said.

Sightseers can also visit 27 handpicked locations that are now available on Google Earth VR, including Neuschwanstein Castle that inspired the castle in Disney&#39;s &quot;Sleeping Beauty&quot;, Table Mountain in South Africa and the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.

&quot;When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying,&quot; said Kim.

&quot;You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you did not even know existed,&quot; Kim added.

(PTI)&nbsp;

You can fly over it in 3D with the help of a headset system, the company says

A new Google Earth Virtual Reality (VR) feature allows users to visit any address in the world and fly over it in 3D with the help of a headset system, according to the company. Using a new updated feature on Google Earth VR, people can choose their own destinations, as long as they know the address or name of the location. "People want to quickly find and revisit the places that mean the most to them, whether it is a childhood home or favourite vacation spot," Joanna Kim, a product manager at Google Earth VR said in a blog post. Users can type an address or the name of a location, and visit it with a 3D headset system, Kim said. Sightseers can also visit 27 handpicked locations that are now available on Google Earth VR, including Neuschwanstein Castle that inspired the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty", Table Mountain in South Africa and the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina. "When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying," said Kim. "You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you did not even know existed," Kim added. (PTI)

New Google Earth Virtual Reality to take you to any address in world

Facebook&#39;s virtual reality unit Oculus VR is facing a lawsuit alleging it incorporated without authorisation a smaller competitor&#39;s patented technology into its Rift headset.

Techno View IP, a Newport Beach, California-based technology licensing firm, sued Facebook and Oculus for infringing a 3D imaging patent owned by the VR headset maker ImmersiON-VRelia.

According to the complaint filed in federal court in Delaware, ImmersiON-VRelia, which has offices in Spain and California, agreed to let Techno View litigate the patent on its behalf.

The lawsuit comes as Facebook weighs its options following a $500 million verdict in an unrelated lawsuit brought over its VR technology by video game developer ZeniMax Media. A Dallas federal jury in February found Oculus used copyrighted computer code developed by video game designer John Carmack while employed at ZeniMax.

Lawyers for Oculus and Facebook have said they will seek to have the verdict set aside.

ImmersiON-VRelia makes VR headsets similar to the Oculus Rift, as well as a VR device for use with smartphones. Techno View said in its lawsuit ImmersiON-VRelia&#39;s chief executive, Manuel Gutierrez Novelo, attained several patents between 2003 and 2006 on various aspects of VR technology.

Techno View said Oculus and Facebook specifically infringed a patent held by ImmersiON-VRelia on a method of generating left and right perspectives in a 3D video game. Techno View said it may add claims relating to other patents owned ImmersiON-VRelia at a later date.

Facebook acquired Oculus for an estimated $3 billion in 2014. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has predicted that virtual reality &quot;will be part of people&#39;s daily lives,&quot; revolutionising industries like media, education and medicine.

Facebook and Oculus did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Techno View&#39;s lawsuit.

(Reuters)

Facebook acquired Oculus for an estimated $3 billion in 2014

Facebook's virtual reality unit Oculus VR is facing a lawsuit alleging it incorporated without authorisation a smaller competitor's patented technology into its Rift headset. Techno View IP, a Newport Beach, California-based technology licensing firm, sued Facebook and Oculus for infringing a 3D imaging patent owned by the VR headset maker ImmersiON-VRelia. According to the complaint filed in federal court in Delaware, ImmersiON-VRelia, which has offices in Spain and California, agreed to let Techno View litigate the patent on its behalf. The lawsuit comes as Facebook weighs its options following a $500 million verdict in an unrelated lawsuit brought over its VR technology by video game developer ZeniMax Media. A Dallas federal jury in February found Oculus used copyrighted computer code developed by video game designer John Carmack while employed at ZeniMax. Lawyers for Oculus and Facebook have said they will seek to have the verdict set aside. ImmersiON-VRelia makes VR headsets similar to the Oculus Rift, as well as a VR device for use with smartphones. Techno View said in its lawsuit ImmersiON-VRelia's chief executive, Manuel Gutierrez Novelo, attained several patents between 2003 and 2006 on various aspects of VR technology. Techno View said Oculus and Facebook specifically infringed a patent held by ImmersiON-VRelia on a method of generating left and right perspectives in a 3D video game. Techno View said it may add claims relating to other patents owned ImmersiON-VRelia at a later date. Facebook acquired Oculus for an estimated $3 billion in 2014. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has predicted that virtual reality "will be part of people's daily lives," revolutionising industries like media, education and medicine. Facebook and Oculus did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Techno View's lawsuit. (Reuters)

Facebook?s VR unit Oculus sued for infringing imaging patent

Facebook-owned Oculus slashed the price of its Rift headsets to speed the pace at which the virtual reality technology is working its way into homes. Rift headsets bundled with Touch controllers for letting people reach into faux worlds began selling for $598 as Oculus lopped $200 off the price of buying the VR hardware that hit the market last year.

The price of the Rift alone was dropped to $499 and Touch controllers to $99. Oculus broke the news at an annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco where scores of titles were being shown off for play using Rift, or competing hardware such as HTC Vive or Sony PlayStation VR headsets.

&quot;Our mission at Oculus is to drive VR into as many people&#39;s homes as we can,&quot; Oculus vice president Jason Rubin told AFP.

&quot;We believe this is a massive step; and the people coming in at the lower price have a ton of software they can use.&quot; 
The prices of computers needed to power Rift VR experiences has also come down hundreds of dollars in the past year in an overall cost reduction that he hoped would entice a new wave of customers to follow the &quot;early adopters.&quot; 
Rubin referred to the new Rift and Touch prices as &quot;aggressive,&quot; but declined to discuss how much money Oculus was making on each sale other than to say that the price is &quot;sustainable.&quot;

Virtuous cycle

The more VR gear that sells, the more developers of games or other experiences will be motivated to create software for the technology in what Rubin called a budding &quot;virtuous cycle&quot; where sales of hardware are fueled in return.

&quot;We look at is as an opportunity; it&#39;s a new frontier,&quot; Gunfire Games development director Ben Gabbard told AFP during a demonstration of its latest VR title, science fiction shooter game &quot;From Other Suns.&quot;

&quot;Being at the forefront of a special and interesting medium to tell stories and make games has been very awesome for us, even though it hasn&#39;t taken off to the stratosphere.&quot;

While games standout when it comes to using VR, Oculus believes &quot;ultimately the killer app is social&quot; with people interacting at virtual venues. Virtual reality sought its stride at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas early this year, where despite being a hot topic there was little sign that the technology was racing into mainstream culture.

Show floor space devoted to virtual reality abounded with companies diving into the market with headsets, content, or tools for better creating or delivering immersive experiences. Vive, PlayStation VR and Rift have been wooing software developers and refining hardware to better entice users.

(AFP)

The price of the Rift alone was dropped to $499 and Touch controllers to $99

Facebook-owned Oculus slashed the price of its Rift headsets to speed the pace at which the virtual reality technology is working its way into homes. Rift headsets bundled with Touch controllers for letting people reach into faux worlds began selling for $598 as Oculus lopped $200 off the price of buying the VR hardware that hit the market last year. The price of the Rift alone was dropped to $499 and Touch controllers to $99. Oculus broke the news at an annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco where scores of titles were being shown off for play using Rift, or competing hardware such as HTC Vive or Sony PlayStation VR headsets. "Our mission at Oculus is to drive VR into as many people's homes as we can," Oculus vice president Jason Rubin told AFP. "We believe this is a massive step; and the people coming in at the lower price have a ton of software they can use." The prices of computers needed to power Rift VR experiences has also come down hundreds of dollars in the past year in an overall cost reduction that he hoped would entice a new wave of customers to follow the "early adopters." Rubin referred to the new Rift and Touch prices as "aggressive," but declined to discuss how much money Oculus was making on each sale other than to say that the price is "sustainable." Virtuous cycle The more VR gear that sells, the more developers of games or other experiences will be motivated to create software for the technology in what Rubin called a budding "virtuous cycle" where sales of hardware are fueled in return. "We look at is as an opportunity; it's a new frontier," Gunfire Games development director Ben Gabbard told AFP during a demonstration of its latest VR title, science fiction shooter game "From Other Suns." "Being at the forefront of a special and interesting medium to tell stories and make games has been very awesome for us, even though it hasn't taken off to the stratosphere." While games standout when it comes to using VR, Oculus believes "ultimately the killer app is social" with people interacting at virtual venues. Virtual reality sought its stride at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas early this year, where despite being a hot topic there was little sign that the technology was racing into mainstream culture. Show floor space devoted to virtual reality abounded with companies diving into the market with headsets, content, or tools for better creating or delivering immersive experiences. Vive, PlayStation VR and Rift have been wooing software developers and refining hardware to better entice users. (AFP)

Facebook?s Oculus slashes price of Rift VR set by $200

With VR taking a major role in the education sector, we found the ways in which VR is immensely helpful for better learning.

Virtual Reality has matured a lot since it’s inception and it seems like it has no intentions of stopping in further development. And people have realized the impact it is having, so much so that people have started taking advantage of it in the education sector. With the implementation of mobiles, tablets and various learning applications that have been made available to students these days, the latest is VR in immersive learning, and it changing the education sector for the better: Inspires Learning Virtual Reality can help merge the line of difference between education and technology. It can help students explore and learn. VR brings interactiveness in education to a whole new level, which the old methods could not. Role of Virtual Reality in Education (Others) × VR with the help of educational but fun games will help students retain their imagination. It also offers students to work together thereby promoting team-building. An Interactive Teaching-Learning Environment With the help of VR, teachers can take lectures from home or other environments. It gives them an opportunity to show the students various artifacts from around the world which they otherwise may not be able to visit and see. Some of the schools in rural areas have started to utilize VR technology, to provide their students with top class education even when they are not able to bring in teachers with high qualifications to teach. For instance, a school can get pre-recorded lessons from highly qualified teachers. The interactive session allowed the teacher to come live from her computer to answer the questions that the students were curious about. Education is more Engaging VR helps the educators to add a more interactive way of teaching in their establishments. This will help them make subjects which the students feel are difficult easy for them with the help of subject based games. Role of Virtual Reality in Education (Others) × In the recent times, companies like Google have made huge efforts to push VR in education by getting engaging educational games and lessons provided in their databases. Helps Students Perform better There are many benefits of VR to Educational Sector, one of which is that the students will be more attentive and engaged while playing educational games, getting virtual lectures, etc. This will aid them in retaining what they have learned at a greater level, which will inturn help them perform better. Conclusion With the implementation of VR in education, there are chances of students getting better grades and get equal level of knowledge from highly qualified educators. This will also help improve kids attention spans and also help them develop their imagination. Written By - Karanveer Singh Arora

Role of Virtual Reality in Education

A US jury ordered Facebook and creators of its Oculus Rift to pay $500 million to gaming software firm ZeniMax in a lawsuit that claimed the virtual reality technology was stolen.

The Texas jury made the award in a trial in which Oculus was accused of basing its Rift headset on technology stolen from ZeniMax&#39;s virtual reality software, court documents showed.

The lawsuit claimed Oculus founder Palmer Luckey and his colleagues developed the virtual reality gear using source code illegally obtained from the gaming firm.

The jury dismissed the charge that Oculus stole or misappropriated trade secrets but found Oculus liable for copyright infringement and other violations.

Luckey was ordered to pay $50 million of the award and another former Oculus executive, Brendan Iribe $150 million. 
The two executives were accused of violating a non-disclosure agreement with ZeniMax and copying the source code and other documents on a USB storage device.

ZeniMax had sought $4 billion in damages in the case, in which Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg testified to defend his company.

ZeniMax pleased, Oculus appeals

Maryland-based ZeniMax said it was &quot;pleased&quot; about the award for &quot;unlawful infringement of our copyrights and trademarks, and for the violation of our non-disclosure agreement with Oculus pursuant to which we shared breakthrough VR technology that we had developed and that we exclusively own.&quot;

Robert Altman, ZeniMax&#39;s chairman and chief executive, said in the statement: &quot;Technology is the foundation of our business and we consider the theft of our intellectual property to be a serious matter.&quot;

In its statement, Oculus said: &quot;The heart of this case was about whether Oculus stole ZeniMax&#39;s trade secrets, and the jury found decisively in our favour.&quot;

Oculus said it plans to appeal the verdict and was &quot;undeterred&quot; in its efforts to bring virtual reality technology to consumers.

&quot;Our commitment to the long-term success of VR remains the same, and the entire team will continue the work they&#39;ve done since day one - developing VR technology that will transform the way people interact and communicate,&quot; the Oculus statement said.

&quot;We look forward to filing our appeal and eventually putting this litigation behind us.&quot;

Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014 for more than $2 billion and last year began selling the Rift headsets as part of the social network&#39;s push into virtual reality.

According to the ZeniMax allegations, the &nbsp;four founders of Oculus had no expertise or backgrounds in VR other than Palmer Luckey.

But ZeniMax said Luckey &quot;could not code the software that was the key to solving the issues of VR.&quot;

The ZeniMax statement added that &quot;we will consider what further steps we need to take to ensure there will be no ongoing use of our misappropriated technology, including by seeking an injunction to restrain Oculus and Facebook from their ongoing use of computer code that the jury found infringed Zenimax&#39;s copyrights.&quot;

The news came as Facebook was releasing its earnings for the fourth quarter.

Zuckerberg, in his opening statement to analysts, sad Facebook would &quot;keep making big investments in VR content, and I am excited about what is coming in 2017 from games to more immersive experiences.&quot;

(AFP)

Facebook's Oculus was accused of basing its Rift headset on technology stolen from ZeniMax's virtual reality software

A US jury ordered Facebook and creators of its Oculus Rift to pay $500 million to gaming software firm ZeniMax in a lawsuit that claimed the virtual reality technology was stolen. The Texas jury made the award in a trial in which Oculus was accused of basing its Rift headset on technology stolen from ZeniMax's virtual reality software, court documents showed. The lawsuit claimed Oculus founder Palmer Luckey and his colleagues developed the virtual reality gear using source code illegally obtained from the gaming firm. The jury dismissed the charge that Oculus stole or misappropriated trade secrets but found Oculus liable for copyright infringement and other violations. Luckey was ordered to pay $50 million of the award and another former Oculus executive, Brendan Iribe $150 million. The two executives were accused of violating a non-disclosure agreement with ZeniMax and copying the source code and other documents on a USB storage device. ZeniMax had sought $4 billion in damages in the case, in which Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg testified to defend his company. ZeniMax pleased, Oculus appeals Maryland-based ZeniMax said it was "pleased" about the award for "unlawful infringement of our copyrights and trademarks, and for the violation of our non-disclosure agreement with Oculus pursuant to which we shared breakthrough VR technology that we had developed and that we exclusively own." Robert Altman, ZeniMax's chairman and chief executive, said in the statement: "Technology is the foundation of our business and we consider the theft of our intellectual property to be a serious matter." In its statement, Oculus said: "The heart of this case was about whether Oculus stole ZeniMax's trade secrets, and the jury found decisively in our favour." Oculus said it plans to appeal the verdict and was "undeterred" in its efforts to bring virtual reality technology to consumers. "Our commitment to the long-term success of VR remains the same, and the entire team will continue the work they've done since day one - developing VR technology that will transform the way people interact and communicate," the Oculus statement said. "We look forward to filing our appeal and eventually putting this litigation behind us." Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014 for more than $2 billion and last year began selling the Rift headsets as part of the social network's push into virtual reality. According to the ZeniMax allegations, the four founders of Oculus had no expertise or backgrounds in VR other than Palmer Luckey. But ZeniMax said Luckey "could not code the software that was the key to solving the issues of VR." The ZeniMax statement added that "we will consider what further steps we need to take to ensure there will be no ongoing use of our misappropriated technology, including by seeking an injunction to restrain Oculus and Facebook from their ongoing use of computer code that the jury found infringed Zenimax's copyrights." The news came as Facebook was releasing its earnings for the fourth quarter. Zuckerberg, in his opening statement to analysts, sad Facebook would "keep making big investments in VR content, and I am excited about what is coming in 2017 from games to more immersive experiences." (AFP)

Facebook ordered to pay $500 million for stealing VR technology

Facebook has hired Hugo Barra, the most prominent global executive at Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, to lead its virtual reality business including the Oculus unit, said Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg.

The 32-year-old Facebook founder has spoken about virtual reality as an important part of the company&#39;s future business, especially as the technology becomes less expensive and its uses clearer. Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014, believing it to be the next major computing platform.

&quot;Hugo shares my belief that virtual and augmented reality will be the next major computing platform. They&#39;ll enable us to experience completely new things,&quot; Zuckerberg said in a post on Facebook.

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Earlier this week, Barra said he was stepping down as Xiaomi&#39;s vice president after three-and-a-half-years, citing health concerns and a new job.

His exit comes at a time when Xiaomi is trying to adjust its strategy. The company pulled back from several overseas markets, including Singapore and Brazil, in 2016. It is increasing its offline retail presence and aims to develop artificial intelligence and internet finance as growth areas.

Barra, under whom Xiaomi was for a time China&#39;s best-selling brand, described his experience with the company as a &quot;spectacular&quot; journey, but said it was time to return home for a &quot;new adventure&quot;.

At Barra&#39;s instigation, Xiaomi made some overseas breakthroughs, notably in Southeast Asia, Russia, and especially India - where he achieved $1 billion in annual revenue.

Despite his efforts, Xiaomi still depends on the Chinese market for the overwhelming majority of its sales.

(WION with inputs from Agencies)

Facebook has hired Hugo Barra to lead its virtual reality business

Facebook has hired Hugo Barra, the most prominent global executive at Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, to lead its virtual reality business including the Oculus unit, said Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg. The 32-year-old Facebook founder has spoken about virtual reality as an important part of the company's future business, especially as the technology becomes less expensive and its uses clearer. Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014, believing it to be the next major computing platform. "Hugo shares my belief that virtual and augmented reality will be the next major computing platform. They'll enable us to experience completely new things," Zuckerberg said in a post on Facebook. Earlier this week, Barra said he was stepping down as Xiaomi's vice president after three-and-a-half-years, citing health concerns and a new job. His exit comes at a time when Xiaomi is trying to adjust its strategy. The company pulled back from several overseas markets, including Singapore and Brazil, in 2016. It is increasing its offline retail presence and aims to develop artificial intelligence and internet finance as growth areas. Barra, under whom Xiaomi was for a time China's best-selling brand, described his experience with the company as a "spectacular" journey, but said it was time to return home for a "new adventure". At Barra's instigation, Xiaomi made some overseas breakthroughs, notably in Southeast Asia, Russia, and especially India - where he achieved $1 billion in annual revenue. Despite his efforts, Xiaomi still depends on the Chinese market for the overwhelming majority of its sales. (WION with inputs from Agencies)

Hugo Barra leaves Xiaomi to join Facebook

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand in Dallas federal court and denied an allegation by a rival company that the virtual-reality technology of Facebook&#39;s Oculus unit was stolen.

Zuckerberg, the founder of one of the world&#39;s largest companies, faced hours of tough, public questioning about where Oculus obtained its ideas and how much he knew about the startup when Facebook bought it for $2 billion.

A jury is hearing evidence in a civil lawsuit brought by videogame publisher ZeniMax Media against Oculus in 2014, in the middle of the Facebook-Oculus deal. ZeniMax said that Oculus unlawfully used its intellectual property to develop the virtual-reality system that includes the Rift headset.

During one heated exchange with ZeniMax lawyer Tony Sammi, Zuckerberg told a jury in the crowded courtroom that the technology was not even fully formed when Facebook bought it.

&quot;Improving on that technology doesn&#39;t make it yours,&quot; Sammi countered. &quot;If you steal my bike, paint it and put a bell on it, does that make it your bike?&quot;

Zuckerberg, wearing a dark suit and striped tie rather than his typical T-shirt and jeans, answered&nbsp;&quot;no&quot;, but then added: &quot;The idea that Oculus technology is based on someone else&#39;s is just wrong.&quot;

The 32-year-old Facebook founder has spoken about virtual reality as an important part of the company&#39;s future business, especially as the technology becomes less expensive and its uses clearer.

The Oculus acquisition was more expensive than the $2 billion price tag indicated, Zuckerberg said in court, describing $700 million spent to retain employees and $300 million in payouts for reaching milestones. Oculus originally wanted $4 billion, he said.

Sammi questioned whether Facebook knew what it was doing when it made the acquisition. Zuckerberg said the Oculus deal was done over a weekend in 2014, which Sammi said did not show sufficient due diligence. Zuckerberg said, though, in later testimony that Facebook researched Oculus for months.

At the time, Zuckerberg testified, he was not aware of any theft claims against Oculus.

&quot;It&#39;s pretty common when you announce a big deal that people just come out of the woodwork and claim they own some part of the deal,&quot; Zuckerberg said.

On the stand, he also gave details about Facebook&#39;s $22 billion purchase of messaging service WhatsApp in 2014. While the deal was in progress, another company he did not identify made a last-minute bid that was higher, Zuckerberg said, but WhatsApp declined because of its good relationship with Facebook.

The Oculus lawsuit, in the sixth day of a jury trial, relates in part to programmer John Carmack.

Well-known for helping to conceive games such as &quot;Quake&quot; and &quot;Doom&quot;, Carmack worked for id Software LLC before that company was acquired by ZeniMax. He is now the chief technology officer at Oculus.

Zuckerberg denied that Carmack has unfairly used computer code from his previous position. &quot;There is no shared code in what we do,&quot; he said.

Zuckerberg said he has been interested in virtual reality since he was a student, but thought it was decades away from happening before he encountered Oculus. He told jurors how he used virtual reality to capture his daughter&#39;s first steps, so her grandparents could experience it later.

&quot;We want to get closer to this kind of perfect representation, so you can capture a moment you had,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

Zuckerberg testified that he was not aware of any theft claims against Oculus at the time of acquisition

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand in Dallas federal court and denied an allegation by a rival company that the virtual-reality technology of Facebook's Oculus unit was stolen. Zuckerberg, the founder of one of the world's largest companies, faced hours of tough, public questioning about where Oculus obtained its ideas and how much he knew about the startup when Facebook bought it for $2 billion. A jury is hearing evidence in a civil lawsuit brought by videogame publisher ZeniMax Media against Oculus in 2014, in the middle of the Facebook-Oculus deal. ZeniMax said that Oculus unlawfully used its intellectual property to develop the virtual-reality system that includes the Rift headset. During one heated exchange with ZeniMax lawyer Tony Sammi, Zuckerberg told a jury in the crowded courtroom that the technology was not even fully formed when Facebook bought it. "Improving on that technology doesn't make it yours," Sammi countered. "If you steal my bike, paint it and put a bell on it, does that make it your bike?" Zuckerberg, wearing a dark suit and striped tie rather than his typical T-shirt and jeans, answered "no", but then added: "The idea that Oculus technology is based on someone else's is just wrong." The 32-year-old Facebook founder has spoken about virtual reality as an important part of the company's future business, especially as the technology becomes less expensive and its uses clearer. The Oculus acquisition was more expensive than the $2 billion price tag indicated, Zuckerberg said in court, describing $700 million spent to retain employees and $300 million in payouts for reaching milestones. Oculus originally wanted $4 billion, he said. Sammi questioned whether Facebook knew what it was doing when it made the acquisition. Zuckerberg said the Oculus deal was done over a weekend in 2014, which Sammi said did not show sufficient due diligence. Zuckerberg said, though, in later testimony that Facebook researched Oculus for months. At the time, Zuckerberg testified, he was not aware of any theft claims against Oculus. "It's pretty common when you announce a big deal that people just come out of the woodwork and claim they own some part of the deal," Zuckerberg said. On the stand, he also gave details about Facebook's $22 billion purchase of messaging service WhatsApp in 2014. While the deal was in progress, another company he did not identify made a last-minute bid that was higher, Zuckerberg said, but WhatsApp declined because of its good relationship with Facebook. The Oculus lawsuit, in the sixth day of a jury trial, relates in part to programmer John Carmack. Well-known for helping to conceive games such as "Quake" and "Doom", Carmack worked for id Software LLC before that company was acquired by ZeniMax. He is now the chief technology officer at Oculus. Zuckerberg denied that Carmack has unfairly used computer code from his previous position. "There is no shared code in what we do," he said. Zuckerberg said he has been interested in virtual reality since he was a student, but thought it was decades away from happening before he encountered Oculus. He told jurors how he used virtual reality to capture his daughter's first steps, so her grandparents could experience it later. "We want to get closer to this kind of perfect representation, so you can capture a moment you had," he said. (Reuters)

Facebook's Zuckerberg questioned at trial over 'stolen' Oculus VR technology

Mark Zuckerberg introduced the world to &quot;Jarvis&quot;, an artificial intelligence system the Facebook chief created in his spare time, which can choose and play music, turn on lights, and recognise visitors, deciding whether to open the front door.

Jarvis, named after the virtual assistant in the Iron Man movies, could be a step toward a new product, Zuckerberg wrote, although he cautioned that the system he had created in 100 hours over the last year was customised for his house.

Zuckerberg announced results of the project, a personal challenge he set for himself this year, as digital home assistants by Google and Amazon.com compete for holiday sales and are expected to outsell popular emerging gadgets such as virtual reality headsets and drones.

Creating Jarvis proved humanity is &quot;both closer and farther off&quot; from an AI breakthrough than we imagine, Zuckerberg <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-zuckerberg/building-jarvis/10154361492931634">wrote</a>.

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Diagram of the systems connected to build Jarvis. (Facebook)
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Computers are getting very good at pick out patterns, such as face recognition, but it is difficult to teach them new things, he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-zuckerberg/building-jarvis/10154361492931634">wrote</a>.

&quot;Everything I did this year - natural language, face recognition, speech recognition and so on - are all variants of the same fundamental pattern recognition techniques,&quot; he wrote. &quot;But even if I spent 1,000 more hours, I probably wouldn&#39;t be able to build a system that could learn completely new skills on its own.&quot;

By the end of the year, Jarvis was able to respond to text and voice commands and it could run music, air conditioning, doors, and other systems. It could recognise visitors, start a toaster and even shoot t-shirts from a cannon in his closet. 
With more effort to broaden Jarvis&#39; use beyond Zuckerberg&#39;s own house, the experiment &quot;could be a great foundation to build a new product,&quot; he wrote.

A dearth of internet-connected devices, lack of common standards for connected devices to communicate and challenges related to speech recognition and machine learning were all obstacles, he said.

At the same time, he said challenges lead to eureka moments.

Adjustments made to help Jarvis recognise context in commands ultimately helped the system respond to less specific requests in a better fashion, such as asking the system to &quot;play me some music&quot;.

&quot;I&#39;ve found we use these more open-ended requests more frequently than more specific asks. No commercial products I know of do this today, and this seems like a big opportunity,&quot; he wrote.

(Reuters)

It's a result of a personal challenge he set for himself in the beginning of 2016

Mark Zuckerberg introduced the world to "Jarvis", an artificial intelligence system the Facebook chief created in his spare time, which can choose and play music, turn on lights, and recognise visitors, deciding whether to open the front door. Jarvis, named after the virtual assistant in the Iron Man movies, could be a step toward a new product, Zuckerberg wrote, although he cautioned that the system he had created in 100 hours over the last year was customised for his house. Zuckerberg announced results of the project, a personal challenge he set for himself this year, as digital home assistants by Google and Amazon.com compete for holiday sales and are expected to outsell popular emerging gadgets such as virtual reality headsets and drones. Creating Jarvis proved humanity is "both closer and farther off" from an AI breakthrough than we imagine, Zuckerberg wrote. Diagram of the systems connected to build Jarvis. (Facebook) × Computers are getting very good at pick out patterns, such as face recognition, but it is difficult to teach them new things, he wrote. "Everything I did this year - natural language, face recognition, speech recognition and so on - are all variants of the same fundamental pattern recognition techniques," he wrote. "But even if I spent 1,000 more hours, I probably wouldn't be able to build a system that could learn completely new skills on its own." By the end of the year, Jarvis was able to respond to text and voice commands and it could run music, air conditioning, doors, and other systems. It could recognise visitors, start a toaster and even shoot t-shirts from a cannon in his closet. With more effort to broaden Jarvis' use beyond Zuckerberg's own house, the experiment "could be a great foundation to build a new product," he wrote. A dearth of internet-connected devices, lack of common standards for connected devices to communicate and challenges related to speech recognition and machine learning were all obstacles, he said. At the same time, he said challenges lead to eureka moments. Adjustments made to help Jarvis recognise context in commands ultimately helped the system respond to less specific requests in a better fashion, such as asking the system to "play me some music". "I've found we use these more open-ended requests more frequently than more specific asks. No commercial products I know of do this today, and this seems like a big opportunity," he wrote. (Reuters)

This is what Mark Zuckerberg created in his spare time this year

Foraying into virtual reality, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has announced its first VR headset in India. Priced at Rs 999, the Mi VR Play is an entry-level product that aims to bring the VR experience to a much wider audience.

The Mi VR Play seems to have significantly improved upon the design when compared with VR products in the same price segment. As Xiaomi explains, the Mi VR Play is wrapped in lightweight, durable Lycra for long-lasting comfort.

The two-way zipper running along it is said to provide a secure grip for a wide range of 4.7- to 5.7-inch smartphones. The dual openings on the front allow for slight positioning adjustments and ventilation.

The Mi VR Play is certified to work with Google Cardboard apps. It will be available exclusively on Mi.com and in offline channels from December 21.

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Mi VR Play is Google Cardboard compatible, giving you access to an amazing library of videos and apps on Google Play. (Others)
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Besides the VR headset, Xiaomi India has also introduced Mi Live - the company&rsquo;s live streaming app with locally sourced content. According to Xiaomi, Mi Live is the only live streaming app in India to support VR live streaming.

Mi Live is <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wali.live">available for free on the Google Play store</a>. 
 
(WION)

The Mi VR Play virtual reality headset will be available in India from December 21

Foraying into virtual reality, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has announced its first VR headset in India. Priced at Rs 999, the Mi VR Play is an entry-level product that aims to bring the VR experience to a much wider audience. The Mi VR Play seems to have significantly improved upon the design when compared with VR products in the same price segment. As Xiaomi explains, the Mi VR Play is wrapped in lightweight, durable Lycra for long-lasting comfort. The two-way zipper running along it is said to provide a secure grip for a wide range of 4.7- to 5.7-inch smartphones. The dual openings on the front allow for slight positioning adjustments and ventilation. The Mi VR Play is certified to work with Google Cardboard apps. It will be available exclusively on Mi.com and in offline channels from December 21. Mi VR Play is Google Cardboard compatible, giving you access to an amazing library of videos and apps on Google Play. (Others) × Besides the VR headset, Xiaomi India has also introduced Mi Live - the company’s live streaming app with locally sourced content. According to Xiaomi, Mi Live is the only live streaming app in India to support VR live streaming. Mi Live is available for free on the Google Play store. (WION)

Xiaomi launches its first virtual reality headset in India at Rs 999

Expectant parents may soon be able to watch their unborn baby grow and even listen to its heartbeat using a 3D virtual reality device, say scientists who have developed a new technology that creates a realistic model of the foetus using MRI and ultrasound data.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides high-resolution foetal and placental imaging with excellent contrast.

It is generally used in foetal evaluation when an ultrasound cannot provide sufficiently high-quality images.

Researchers created virtual reality 3D models based on foetal MRI results. Sequentially-mounted MRI slices are used to begin construction of the model.

A segmentation process follows in which the physician selects the body parts to be reconstructed in 3D.

Once an accurate 3D model is created - including the womb, umbilical cord, placenta, and foetus - the virtual reality device can be programmed to incorporate the model.

&quot;The 3D foetal models combined with virtual reality immersive technologies may improve our understanding of foetal anatomical characteristics and can be used for educational purposes and as a method for parents to visualise their unborn baby,&quot; said Heron Werner from the Clinica de Diagnostico por Imagem in Brazil.

The virtual reality foetal 3D models are remarkably similar to the postnatal appearance of the newborn baby.

They recreate the entire internal structure of the foetus, including a detailed view of the respiratory tract, which can aid doctors in assessing abnormalities.

For the virtual reality device, researchers used the latest-generation Oculus Rift 2 headset. Oculus Rift 2 places the user in an immersive environment, complete with heartbeat sounds derived from the ultrasound of the foetus.

Users can study the 3D foetal anatomy simply by moving their head.

The technology has numerous potential applications, including assessment of foetal airway patency.

Airway patency, or the state of airways being open and unblocked, is an important issue for a developing foetus.

For example, if ultrasound showed an abnormal mass near the foetal airway, physicians could use the 3D images and the headset to assess the entire length of the airway and make better-informed decisions about delivery.

&quot;The physicians can have access to an immersive experience on the clinical case that they are working on, having the whole internal structure of the foetus in 3D in order to better visualise and share the morphological information,&quot; Werner said.

&quot;We believe that these images will help facilitate a multidisciplinary discussion about some pathologies in addition to bringing a new experience for parents when following the development of their unborn child,&quot; he said.

(DNA and PTI)

The virtual reality foetal 3D models are remarkably similar to the postnatal appearance of the newborn baby

Expectant parents may soon be able to watch their unborn baby grow and even listen to its heartbeat using a 3D virtual reality device, say scientists who have developed a new technology that creates a realistic model of the foetus using MRI and ultrasound data. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides high-resolution foetal and placental imaging with excellent contrast. It is generally used in foetal evaluation when an ultrasound cannot provide sufficiently high-quality images. Researchers created virtual reality 3D models based on foetal MRI results. Sequentially-mounted MRI slices are used to begin construction of the model. A segmentation process follows in which the physician selects the body parts to be reconstructed in 3D. Once an accurate 3D model is created - including the womb, umbilical cord, placenta, and foetus - the virtual reality device can be programmed to incorporate the model. "The 3D foetal models combined with virtual reality immersive technologies may improve our understanding of foetal anatomical characteristics and can be used for educational purposes and as a method for parents to visualise their unborn baby," said Heron Werner from the Clinica de Diagnostico por Imagem in Brazil. The virtual reality foetal 3D models are remarkably similar to the postnatal appearance of the newborn baby. They recreate the entire internal structure of the foetus, including a detailed view of the respiratory tract, which can aid doctors in assessing abnormalities. For the virtual reality device, researchers used the latest-generation Oculus Rift 2 headset. Oculus Rift 2 places the user in an immersive environment, complete with heartbeat sounds derived from the ultrasound of the foetus. Users can study the 3D foetal anatomy simply by moving their head. The technology has numerous potential applications, including assessment of foetal airway patency. Airway patency, or the state of airways being open and unblocked, is an important issue for a developing foetus. For example, if ultrasound showed an abnormal mass near the foetal airway, physicians could use the 3D images and the headset to assess the entire length of the airway and make better-informed decisions about delivery. "The physicians can have access to an immersive experience on the clinical case that they are working on, having the whole internal structure of the foetus in 3D in order to better visualise and share the morphological information," Werner said. "We believe that these images will help facilitate a multidisciplinary discussion about some pathologies in addition to bringing a new experience for parents when following the development of their unborn child," he said. (DNA and PTI)

New virtual reality device lets parents watch unborn babies in 3D

The Natural History Museum in Berlin is a leading science research institute and a world-class visitor attraction.

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It recently joined hands with Google&rsquo;s Cultural Institute to bring dinosaurs to life through virtual reality.&nbsp;The museum only has space to display 25,000 of its 80 million specimens at one time. But with virtual reality, visitors can now view 300,000 digital specimens, including fossils from dinosaurs, mammoths and the dodo.&nbsp;

The initiative comes with the motive of inspiring the next generation to think critically about sustainability and nature, while expanding the scope of scientific research.&nbsp;NHM is just one of 60 natural history museums around the world to partner with Google.

Berlin's Natural History Museum has partnered with Google to create a virtual reality experience

The Natural History Museum in Berlin is a leading science research institute and a world-class visitor attraction. It recently joined hands with Google’s Cultural Institute to bring dinosaurs to life through virtual reality. The museum only has space to display 25,000 of its 80 million specimens at one time. But with virtual reality, visitors can now view 300,000 digital specimens, including fossils from dinosaurs, mammoths and the dodo. The initiative comes with the motive of inspiring the next generation to think critically about sustainability and nature, while expanding the scope of scientific research. NHM is just one of 60 natural history museums around the world to partner with Google.

Video: Dinosaurs roar back to life through virtual reality

Japan&#39;s, Sony Corp, on Wednesday, lifted the sales target for its games division next year on hopes for its new virtual reality headset, and said it would re-enter robots a decade after it last abandoned the business. 
 
But the electronics giant cut its outlook for image sensor sales amid slowing demand for smartphones, and maintained its operating profit target of 500 billion Yen ($4.9 billion) for the year beginning April. 
 
The announcement comes as company watchers rely on sensors to continue driving Sony&#39;s revival after years of struggle. 
 
While the sensor slowdown is likely to disappoint, investors can take comfort in the unchanged profit target, which highlights that Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai is keeping to a recovery track and has not given up on new technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. 
 
Hirai at a news conference said the games business was set to be Sony&#39;s biggest growth driver, helped by strong console sales, a rise in subscribers to its PlayStation network and the launch of its virtual reality headset. 
 
The headset will be sold from October for $399, in competition with, the $599 of a rival product from Facebook Inc&#39;s Oculus Rift. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s an area where Sony can leverage its expertise in cameras, filming, content production as well as entertainment assets,&quot; Hirai said, lifting the division&#39;s sales target range to 1.8 trillion to 1.9 trillion yen ($17.6 billion to $18.6 billion) from 1.4 trillion to 1.6 trillion yen. 
 
He also confirmed Sony aimed to introduce a robot &quot;capable of forming an emotional bond&quot;. 
 
Sony was a pioneer in robotics, launching dog AIBO in 1999 and humanoid QRIO in 2003. But efforts stalled during a decade-long struggle to cut costs in its consumer electronics business amid price competition from Asian rivals. It produced its last AIBO and QRIO in 2006. 
 
Sensor slowdown &#39;inevitable&#39; 
 
Sony cut its sales outlook for its devices division, which includes image sensors used in smartphones, to a range of one trillion to 1.05 trillion Yen from 1.3 trillion to 1.5 trillion Yen. 
 
Strong demand from smartphone makers such as Apple Inc had helped Sony recover from a slump in sales of consumer electronics such as television sets. 
 
But Apple and other smartphone makers have seen slowing sales of high-end handsets since late last year, prompting Sony to recently cancel the development of advanced camera modules designed for high-end smartphones. 
 
&quot;The ongoing slowdown in profit growth appears inevitable through fiscal 2017,&quot; Hirai said. 
 
Asked about the impact of Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union, Hirai said Sony aims to achieve its targets regardless of consequent currency swings. 
 
(Reuters)

Sony Corporation to slow down image sensor manufacturing due to decrease in demand for smart phones

Japan's, Sony Corp, on Wednesday, lifted the sales target for its games division next year on hopes for its new virtual reality headset, and said it would re-enter robots a decade after it last abandoned the business. But the electronics giant cut its outlook for image sensor sales amid slowing demand for smartphones, and maintained its operating profit target of 500 billion Yen ($4.9 billion) for the year beginning April. The announcement comes as company watchers rely on sensors to continue driving Sony's revival after years of struggle. While the sensor slowdown is likely to disappoint, investors can take comfort in the unchanged profit target, which highlights that Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai is keeping to a recovery track and has not given up on new technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Hirai at a news conference said the games business was set to be Sony's biggest growth driver, helped by strong console sales, a rise in subscribers to its PlayStation network and the launch of its virtual reality headset. The headset will be sold from October for $399, in competition with, the $599 of a rival product from Facebook Inc's Oculus Rift. "It's an area where Sony can leverage its expertise in cameras, filming, content production as well as entertainment assets," Hirai said, lifting the division's sales target range to 1.8 trillion to 1.9 trillion yen ($17.6 billion to $18.6 billion) from 1.4 trillion to 1.6 trillion yen. He also confirmed Sony aimed to introduce a robot "capable of forming an emotional bond". Sony was a pioneer in robotics, launching dog AIBO in 1999 and humanoid QRIO in 2003. But efforts stalled during a decade-long struggle to cut costs in its consumer electronics business amid price competition from Asian rivals. It produced its last AIBO and QRIO in 2006. Sensor slowdown 'inevitable' Sony cut its sales outlook for its devices division, which includes image sensors used in smartphones, to a range of one trillion to 1.05 trillion Yen from 1.3 trillion to 1.5 trillion Yen. Strong demand from smartphone makers such as Apple Inc had helped Sony recover from a slump in sales of consumer electronics such as television sets. But Apple and other smartphone makers have seen slowing sales of high-end handsets since late last year, prompting Sony to recently cancel the development of advanced camera modules designed for high-end smartphones. "The ongoing slowdown in profit growth appears inevitable through fiscal 2017," Hirai said. Asked about the impact of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Hirai said Sony aims to achieve its targets regardless of consequent currency swings. (Reuters)

Sony: virtual reality up and image sensor down

Formula E, the world&#39;s first fully electric car racing series, is planning a virtual race in Las Vegas next January with a likely $1-million jackpot for the winner. 
 
Series chief executive Alejandro Agag told Reuters in London on Tuesday that the event, pitting regular race drivers against a handful of fans on simulators, could even become a round of the regular championship in future. 
 
&quot;We think e-sports (electronic sports) is a huge opportunity and we want to be the first ones fully immersed in that,&quot; he said. 
&quot;This will be the first virtual race with 20 professional drivers of a racing championship on a big stage and with a very large prize fund.&quot; 
 
The Spanish entrepreneur said the race would be part of the January 5-8 global Consumer Electronics Show (CES). 
 
While insiders indicated $1 million as the likely prize, Agag said only that the amount would be &quot;significantly plus of six figures&quot;. 
 
To qualify, &#39;Race to Vegas&#39; competitions will be launched three months in advance for gamers to sign up and compete online. Five are likely to secure slots. 
 
Just like the real Formula E races, the drivers, and the fans, would only see the virtual track for the first time on the morning of the race. They would practise, qualify, and then race the same day. 
 
Many sports, including Formula One which raced in the past in Las Vegas and has been linked to a return to the famed strip, are experimenting with virtual reality (VR) technology to engage fans and attract new audiences. 
 
Tech giants like Google, Facebook and Samsung are investing heavily in VR with some predicting the immersive technology will have the same effect on television as the internet on newspapers. 
 
(Reuters)

This will be the first virtual race with 20 professional drivers of a racing championship on one stage, says Formula E chief Alejandro Agag

Formula E, the world's first fully electric car racing series, is planning a virtual race in Las Vegas next January with a likely $1-million jackpot for the winner. Series chief executive Alejandro Agag told Reuters in London on Tuesday that the event, pitting regular race drivers against a handful of fans on simulators, could even become a round of the regular championship in future. "We think e-sports (electronic sports) is a huge opportunity and we want to be the first ones fully immersed in that," he said. "This will be the first virtual race with 20 professional drivers of a racing championship on a big stage and with a very large prize fund." The Spanish entrepreneur said the race would be part of the January 5-8 global Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While insiders indicated $1 million as the likely prize, Agag said only that the amount would be "significantly plus of six figures". To qualify, 'Race to Vegas' competitions will be launched three months in advance for gamers to sign up and compete online. Five are likely to secure slots. Just like the real Formula E races, the drivers, and the fans, would only see the virtual track for the first time on the morning of the race. They would practise, qualify, and then race the same day. Many sports, including Formula One which raced in the past in Las Vegas and has been linked to a return to the famed strip, are experimenting with virtual reality (VR) technology to engage fans and attract new audiences. Tech giants like Google, Facebook and Samsung are investing heavily in VR with some predicting the immersive technology will have the same effect on television as the internet on newspapers. (Reuters)

Virtual formula race on cards in Vegas

While for many the big news at E3 was all about consoles, there was major news but on a smaller scale. 
 
So although the games on mobiles may be simpler in technology and graphics, their place in the gaming industry is solid. 
 
&quot;I think it&#39;s just that everyone has a phone at the ready,&quot; explained Eric Brummel, of independent developer Loot Interactive. &quot;They have it in their pocket and so it&#39;s just a real convenient way to game and people love to game and it&#39;s right there and it&#39;s super easy to pull out your phone and kill some time.&quot; 
 
Tencent Holdings Ltd, one of the China&#39;s leading social network and online entertainment company,&nbsp;is nearing a $6.6 billion deal to buy a majority stake in Finland&#39;s Supercell Oy, a person familiar with the matter said, in what would be the biggest-ever purchase of a mobile games maker. 
 
Tencent&#39;s purchase of Supercell would surpass the previous record gaming acquisition in November 2015, when Blizzard paid $5.9 billion for &#39;Candy Crush Saga&#39; creator King Digital Entertainment. 
 
Tong Xu, CEO of Locojoy Ltd, a renowned mobile game developer, displayed Locojoy&#39;s latest game &#39;Dragon Raja&#39; at E3. That game has only been released in South Korea where it grossed $2 million dollars in the first month of its release. 
 
&quot;The mobile gaming industry will never die, it will just keep growing and growing everywhere and will become part of your life,&quot; Xu said. 
 
According to private equity investment firm Digi-Capital, the mobile games industry was worth $29 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow to $45 billion by 2018. 
 
The games on release are not all new, but sometimes recoded or rebooted popular games of the past. 
 
Brummel, who was at E3 showing a reboot of the 1982 classic arcade game Q*bert explained &quot;You know how fashion is very cyclical, a lot of video games are like that as well. People, once they get to the point of playing a lot of modern games, they kind of have a yearning to sort of go back and play some of the games they played during their childhood and sort of go back to the more simple clean game mechanics that games like Q*bert will provide.&quot; 
 
&#39;Dragon Raja&#39; was just one of the mobile games on show with graphics that rivalled those on the larger consoles. According to Xu, the power of the mobile shouldn&#39;t be underestimated. 
 
&quot;The capacity of the mobile is just becoming bigger and bigger and a lot of things can be streamed so that&#39;s why that although the device is small the experience doesn&#39;t have to be small so that&#39;s why our team in Korea are bringing PC games to your mobile so that you can enjoy it everywhere you go,&quot; she said. 
 
She added &quot;The market in some of the developed countries has pretty much stabilised because everyone has got enough smartphones but in some developing countries like India, we talk to them and they have 300 million smartphones and they are still developing rapidly so this industry keeps growing.&quot; 
 
Bethesda Softworks, who are behind numerous console blockbusters including &#39;The Elder Scrolls&#39;, &#39;Doom&#39; and &#39;Dishonored&#39; were also showing off some of their content which was also available on mobiles including &#39;Fallout Shelter&#39; and &#39;The Elder Scrolls: Legends&#39;. 
 
&quot;&#39;Fallout Shelter&#39; was on nobody&#39;s radar but literally a year ago today nobody knew it even existed and we announced it and launched it that night and a year later 50 million people have played it so you can approach it any number of ways but there&#39;s no one platform that&#39;s going to dominate like &#39;Oh everything&#39;s going to this&#39;. I think they all have a place and role in making the industry grow and making it that much more viable,&quot; said&nbsp;Pete Hines, Bethesda&#39;s Vice President of PR and Marketing. 
 
Many mobile games are free to download but make their revenue by selling extra functions or options within the games. According to recent research of US based mobile gamers by Newzoo, there is an almost even split between male and female consumers although men are significantly more likely to spend more on the games.

Easy access hike up mobile games demand though the majority of them are basic in technology and graphics

While for many the big news at E3 was all about consoles, there was major news but on a smaller scale. So although the games on mobiles may be simpler in technology and graphics, their place in the gaming industry is solid. "I think it's just that everyone has a phone at the ready," explained Eric Brummel, of independent developer Loot Interactive. "They have it in their pocket and so it's just a real convenient way to game and people love to game and it's right there and it's super easy to pull out your phone and kill some time." Tencent Holdings Ltd, one of the China's leading social network and online entertainment company, is nearing a $6.6 billion deal to buy a majority stake in Finland's Supercell Oy, a person familiar with the matter said, in what would be the biggest-ever purchase of a mobile games maker. Tencent's purchase of Supercell would surpass the previous record gaming acquisition in November 2015, when Blizzard paid $5.9 billion for 'Candy Crush Saga' creator King Digital Entertainment. Tong Xu, CEO of Locojoy Ltd, a renowned mobile game developer, displayed Locojoy's latest game 'Dragon Raja' at E3. That game has only been released in South Korea where it grossed $2 million dollars in the first month of its release. "The mobile gaming industry will never die, it will just keep growing and growing everywhere and will become part of your life," Xu said. According to private equity investment firm Digi-Capital, the mobile games industry was worth $29 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow to $45 billion by 2018. The games on release are not all new, but sometimes recoded or rebooted popular games of the past. Brummel, who was at E3 showing a reboot of the 1982 classic arcade game Q*bert explained "You know how fashion is very cyclical, a lot of video games are like that as well. People, once they get to the point of playing a lot of modern games, they kind of have a yearning to sort of go back and play some of the games they played during their childhood and sort of go back to the more simple clean game mechanics that games like Q*bert will provide." 'Dragon Raja' was just one of the mobile games on show with graphics that rivalled those on the larger consoles. According to Xu, the power of the mobile shouldn't be underestimated. "The capacity of the mobile is just becoming bigger and bigger and a lot of things can be streamed so that's why that although the device is small the experience doesn't have to be small so that's why our team in Korea are bringing PC games to your mobile so that you can enjoy it everywhere you go," she said. She added "The market in some of the developed countries has pretty much stabilised because everyone has got enough smartphones but in some developing countries like India, we talk to them and they have 300 million smartphones and they are still developing rapidly so this industry keeps growing." Bethesda Softworks, who are behind numerous console blockbusters including 'The Elder Scrolls', 'Doom' and 'Dishonored' were also showing off some of their content which was also available on mobiles including 'Fallout Shelter' and 'The Elder Scrolls: Legends'. "'Fallout Shelter' was on nobody's radar but literally a year ago today nobody knew it even existed and we announced it and launched it that night and a year later 50 million people have played it so you can approach it any number of ways but there's no one platform that's going to dominate like 'Oh everything's going to this'. I think they all have a place and role in making the industry grow and making it that much more viable," said Pete Hines, Bethesda's Vice President of PR and Marketing. Many mobile games are free to download but make their revenue by selling extra functions or options within the games. According to recent research of US based mobile gamers by Newzoo, there is an almost even split between male and female consumers although men are significantly more likely to spend more on the games.

Mobile games market bullish despite competition from consoles

Virtual reality has yet to take off with the bulk of video gamers, but the industry is doubling down on its bet that one day it will. 
 
At the annual E3 video game showcase in Los Angeles this week, attendees strapped on Virtual Reality (VR) headsets to peer into fantasy worlds, battle robotic creatures and command starships. Meanwhile, game publishers announced investments that showed they believe VR is ready to go mainstream. 
 
&quot;This is clearly the coming-out party for VR,&quot; said P.J. McNealy, chief executive officer and founder of Digital World Research. &quot;The interest is there, the hardware is coming to market, and the content developers are figuring out how to take advantage of it.&quot; 
 
E3, or the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is an annual spectacle devoted to serious gaming. Sales of games played on consoles or PCs still lead the $99.6 billion global gaming industry, according to data from research firm Newzoo. But an explosion in mobile games, plus a shift toward virtual reality hardware and software, could change that. 
 
Sony Corp unveiled a $399 PlayStation VR headset at E3 that will hit stores in October. Fifty games will be available by year&#39;s end, including VR versions of blockbuster franchises &quot;Resident Evil&quot; and &quot;Batman.&quot; 
 
Some games will be exclusive to PlayStation VR, including &quot;Star Wars: Battlefront X-Wing VR Mission.&quot; Star Trek fans can command a Starfleet vessel &quot;Star Trek: Bridge Crew,&quot; which will be playable on PlayStation VR, Facebook&#39;s Oculus Rift headset, and the HTC Vive VR device. 
 
Microsoft will have a new version of its Xbox, dubbed Project Scorpio, that will support VR in time for the 2017 holiday season. The company is also is developing its HoloLens augmented reality glasses, which overlay images as holograms onto a user&#39;s real-life field of vision. 
 
Many in the industry are still skeptical about VR&#39;s potential. They question how many gamers will shell out hundreds of dollars for a headset after investing in a gaming console. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re going to find out what&#39;s good and bad about virtual reality in the months and years to come,&quot; said Steve Boxer, a gaming journalist from Britain who tried out games at E3. 
 
&quot;Personally I don&#39;t want to have to sit there wearing a virtual reality helmet for more than 20 minutes.&quot; Sony is working with developers to adapt console games to a VR environment, said John Koller, vice president, Sony Interactive Entertainment America. 
 
&quot;VR is going to be shorter, very intense bursts,&quot; Koller said. &quot;We see it chopped up into these experiences that are very exciting and emotionally driven.&quot; 
 
The industry isn&#39;t abandoning traditional games. 
 
While companies are trying to build a new market in VR, &quot;even more time and more money is being spent to maintain the cash cow of the business with new titles,&quot; said Mark Goodman, an analyst with Strategy Analytics. 
 
Among the games generating buzz at E3 was Horizon Zero Dawn, a role-playing game featuring a female hunter, and a new installment in the God of War franchise, analysts said. 
 
Companies staged over-the-top booths with pulsating music, flashing lights, and giant video screens. Organisers limited decibel levels to keep the noise in check. 
 
Developer 2K Czech set up a two-story, New Orleans-style bar and sent a live jazz band marching through the convention halls to promote its game, &quot;Mafia.&quot; 
 
Nintendo erected a makeshift cave to mimic the world of the new Legend of Zelda game, attracting a line of hundreds of people and earning positive reviews. 
 
Zelda could be a big enough hit to entice people to buy Nintendo&#39;s next-generation console called NX when it comes out next year, McNealy said. 
 
&quot;Anybody who&#39;s going to buy a console may buy one for that,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#39;s a new version of a huge franchise for them.&quot; 
(Reuters)

Major gaming players like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are set to launch virtual reality-based games involving Resident Evil, Batman, others

Virtual reality has yet to take off with the bulk of video gamers, but the industry is doubling down on its bet that one day it will. At the annual E3 video game showcase in Los Angeles this week, attendees strapped on Virtual Reality (VR) headsets to peer into fantasy worlds, battle robotic creatures and command starships. Meanwhile, game publishers announced investments that showed they believe VR is ready to go mainstream. "This is clearly the coming-out party for VR," said P.J. McNealy, chief executive officer and founder of Digital World Research. "The interest is there, the hardware is coming to market, and the content developers are figuring out how to take advantage of it." E3, or the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is an annual spectacle devoted to serious gaming. Sales of games played on consoles or PCs still lead the $99.6 billion global gaming industry, according to data from research firm Newzoo. But an explosion in mobile games, plus a shift toward virtual reality hardware and software, could change that. Sony Corp unveiled a $399 PlayStation VR headset at E3 that will hit stores in October. Fifty games will be available by year's end, including VR versions of blockbuster franchises "Resident Evil" and "Batman." Some games will be exclusive to PlayStation VR, including "Star Wars: Battlefront X-Wing VR Mission." Star Trek fans can command a Starfleet vessel "Star Trek: Bridge Crew," which will be playable on PlayStation VR, Facebook's Oculus Rift headset, and the HTC Vive VR device. Microsoft will have a new version of its Xbox, dubbed Project Scorpio, that will support VR in time for the 2017 holiday season. The company is also is developing its HoloLens augmented reality glasses, which overlay images as holograms onto a user's real-life field of vision. Many in the industry are still skeptical about VR's potential. They question how many gamers will shell out hundreds of dollars for a headset after investing in a gaming console. "We're going to find out what's good and bad about virtual reality in the months and years to come," said Steve Boxer, a gaming journalist from Britain who tried out games at E3. "Personally I don't want to have to sit there wearing a virtual reality helmet for more than 20 minutes." Sony is working with developers to adapt console games to a VR environment, said John Koller, vice president, Sony Interactive Entertainment America. "VR is going to be shorter, very intense bursts," Koller said. "We see it chopped up into these experiences that are very exciting and emotionally driven." The industry isn't abandoning traditional games. While companies are trying to build a new market in VR, "even more time and more money is being spent to maintain the cash cow of the business with new titles," said Mark Goodman, an analyst with Strategy Analytics. Among the games generating buzz at E3 was Horizon Zero Dawn, a role-playing game featuring a female hunter, and a new installment in the God of War franchise, analysts said. Companies staged over-the-top booths with pulsating music, flashing lights, and giant video screens. Organisers limited decibel levels to keep the noise in check. Developer 2K Czech set up a two-story, New Orleans-style bar and sent a live jazz band marching through the convention halls to promote its game, "Mafia." Nintendo erected a makeshift cave to mimic the world of the new Legend of Zelda game, attracting a line of hundreds of people and earning positive reviews. Zelda could be a big enough hit to entice people to buy Nintendo's next-generation console called NX when it comes out next year, McNealy said. "Anybody who's going to buy a console may buy one for that," he said. "It's a new version of a huge franchise for them." (Reuters)

Video game makers plunge deeper into virtual reality

The annual stampede of gaming enthusiasts yesterday marked the return of the Electronic Entertainment Expo - more commonly known as E3 - as hundreds of trade professionals raced each other to get a first glimpse at the new hardware and software available. 
 
Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the event is solely for gaming industry insiders and journalists. 
 
Matt Jeffery, who is Head of Development at Rebellion and has been visiting the annual show for over a decade explained, &quot;E3 is important for a number of reasons. Firstly it&#39;s a good opportunity for us to show off our games in the run-up to the busiest part of the year. Christmas, January and February is when most games are sold and E3 gives us the opportunity to show games which are almost ready for release and the best chance for buyers and journalists and fans to see that content.&quot; 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a focal point for all of us who are developers and publishers to bring their content together and it acts as a critical mass because everyone is here. Everyone catches up on a social level but on a technical level it&#39;s a chance for us to find out what new technology is coming,&quot; he added. 
 
There are always a number of big announcements at E3 every year. One of the most popular was the latest in the &#39;Call of Duty&#39; series, which is the highest-grossing gaming franchise. 
 
Despite its large fan base, Chad Findley, one of the&nbsp;project directors&nbsp;of &#39;Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare&#39;,&nbsp;admitted E3 had all the elements needed to launch a game. &quot;Everyone that loves gaming has their eye on this because they&#39;re looking for what is the new thing and when is it coming out and why should I play it and why is it cool and what&#39;s new about it and what are you bringing to the table for me to care about it. 
&quot;And because everyone is actually asking those questions, we get to show to people, we get to release trailers, we get everybody watching and seeing the trailers and playing the game and getting hands-on time with it and finally getting to see the thing that we&#39;ve been working on for years and finally we get to show it off,&quot; Finley said. 
 
Although it was the core subject of last year&#39;s E3, virtual reality (or VR as it&#39;s now called) has now become a reality with game developers having a number of games available to play at the convention. 
 
Steve Boxer, a freelance journalist from the UK, admitted this is the beginning in a whole new trend in gaming. 
 
&quot;Well I think we&#39;re going to find out what&#39;s good and bad about virtual reality in the months and years to come. Basically I have an idea about what&#39;s good practice and what&#39;s bad practice. Personally I don&#39;t want to have to sit there wearing a virtual reality helmet for more than 20 minutes so I think that games that take that into account and Sony has been very good. Playstation&#39;s VR games have really gone out of its way to make sure they&#39;re all bite size.&quot; 
 
John Koller, the vice president for Sony Interactive Entertainment America, admitted they had worked hard with developers to ensure that VR gaming will be sustainable. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve worked really closely on making sure the experiences are done correctly for VR although I think VR is necessarily different from your normal session gaming experiences. We see a lot of games you see behind us here, people play some of these games six or seven hours at a time. VR is not going to be like that. VR is going to be shorter, very intense bursts and the way we see the development going is we see it chopped up into these experiences that are very exciting and emotionally driven and done in shorter durations so the development has to change a little bit and we have to help direct that as we go through it,&quot; Koller said. 
 
Although Steve Boxer didn&#39;t agree with some of the announcements at E3, he had no complaints about the games he got to play. 
 
&quot;In general, I&#39;d say things are very healthy this year at E3. The Xbox One and Playstation 4 have really reached maturity now and the developers are just churning out really really top quality games for them so this is a good time to be a gamer,&quot; he said. 
(Reuters)

One of the most popular announcements at the expo this year was the latest in the highest grossing game series, 'Call of Duty'

The annual stampede of gaming enthusiasts yesterday marked the return of the Electronic Entertainment Expo - more commonly known as E3 - as hundreds of trade professionals raced each other to get a first glimpse at the new hardware and software available. Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the event is solely for gaming industry insiders and journalists. Matt Jeffery, who is Head of Development at Rebellion and has been visiting the annual show for over a decade explained, "E3 is important for a number of reasons. Firstly it's a good opportunity for us to show off our games in the run-up to the busiest part of the year. Christmas, January and February is when most games are sold and E3 gives us the opportunity to show games which are almost ready for release and the best chance for buyers and journalists and fans to see that content." "It's a focal point for all of us who are developers and publishers to bring their content together and it acts as a critical mass because everyone is here. Everyone catches up on a social level but on a technical level it's a chance for us to find out what new technology is coming," he added. There are always a number of big announcements at E3 every year. One of the most popular was the latest in the 'Call of Duty' series, which is the highest-grossing gaming franchise. Despite its large fan base, Chad Findley, one of the project directors of 'Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare', admitted E3 had all the elements needed to launch a game. "Everyone that loves gaming has their eye on this because they're looking for what is the new thing and when is it coming out and why should I play it and why is it cool and what's new about it and what are you bringing to the table for me to care about it. "And because everyone is actually asking those questions, we get to show to people, we get to release trailers, we get everybody watching and seeing the trailers and playing the game and getting hands-on time with it and finally getting to see the thing that we've been working on for years and finally we get to show it off," Finley said. Although it was the core subject of last year's E3, virtual reality (or VR as it's now called) has now become a reality with game developers having a number of games available to play at the convention. Steve Boxer, a freelance journalist from the UK, admitted this is the beginning in a whole new trend in gaming. "Well I think we're going to find out what's good and bad about virtual reality in the months and years to come. Basically I have an idea about what's good practice and what's bad practice. Personally I don't want to have to sit there wearing a virtual reality helmet for more than 20 minutes so I think that games that take that into account and Sony has been very good. Playstation's VR games have really gone out of its way to make sure they're all bite size." John Koller, the vice president for Sony Interactive Entertainment America, admitted they had worked hard with developers to ensure that VR gaming will be sustainable. "We've worked really closely on making sure the experiences are done correctly for VR although I think VR is necessarily different from your normal session gaming experiences. We see a lot of games you see behind us here, people play some of these games six or seven hours at a time. VR is not going to be like that. VR is going to be shorter, very intense bursts and the way we see the development going is we see it chopped up into these experiences that are very exciting and emotionally driven and done in shorter durations so the development has to change a little bit and we have to help direct that as we go through it," Koller said. Although Steve Boxer didn't agree with some of the announcements at E3, he had no complaints about the games he got to play. "In general, I'd say things are very healthy this year at E3. The Xbox One and Playstation 4 have really reached maturity now and the developers are just churning out really really top quality games for them so this is a good time to be a gamer," he said. (Reuters)

Virtual Reality transcends into the real world at Electronic Entertainment Expo

<div style="text-align: justify;">DO NOT PUBLISH 
 
Microsoft Corp unveiled &#39;Project Scorpio&#39;, a new Xbox console that will support ultra-high resolution gaming and virtual reality, while also launching a slimmer version of its Xbox One console- Xbox One S console. 
 
Project Scorpio, which will have the ability to power virtual reality experiences and 4K gaming, is expected to be available during the holiday season in 2017. 
 
The console will be compatible with Xbox One games and accessories. Details on its pricing were not disclosed. 
 
The new Xbox One S console, an updated version of the Xbox One launched in 2013, will bring new features such as streaming support for 4K videos, which provides four-times the resolution of high-definition content. 
 
The Xbox One S will be available in August and its base model will be priced at $299. 
 
Microsoft also announced a number of new games at the conference, including Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3. 
 
The company also introduced Xbox Play Anywhere, that allows gamers to buy a game once and play it on both their Windows 10 PC and Xbox One console. 
 
Microsoft launched a partnership with Oculus Rift last year, which made some Xbox One games playable on Oculus&#39; virtual reality platform. 
 
Sony Corporation&nbsp;also said at the conference it would launch its virtual reality headset for PlayStation in the United States by mid-October. 
 
Sony said it would add new titles to its PlayStation console, including Marvel&#39;s Spider-Man, God of War and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.</div>

Microsoft's latest "Project Scorpio" will have the ability to use virtual reality and Xbox One S is the slimmer version of Xbox One

DO NOT PUBLISH Microsoft Corp unveiled 'Project Scorpio', a new Xbox console that will support ultra-high resolution gaming and virtual reality, while also launching a slimmer version of its Xbox One console- Xbox One S console. Project Scorpio, which will have the ability to power virtual reality experiences and 4K gaming, is expected to be available during the holiday season in 2017. The console will be compatible with Xbox One games and accessories. Details on its pricing were not disclosed. The new Xbox One S console, an updated version of the Xbox One launched in 2013, will bring new features such as streaming support for 4K videos, which provides four-times the resolution of high-definition content. The Xbox One S will be available in August and its base model will be priced at $299. Microsoft also announced a number of new games at the conference, including Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3. The company also introduced Xbox Play Anywhere, that allows gamers to buy a game once and play it on both their Windows 10 PC and Xbox One console. Microsoft launched a partnership with Oculus Rift last year, which made some Xbox One games playable on Oculus' virtual reality platform. Sony Corporation also said at the conference it would launch its virtual reality headset for PlayStation in the United States by mid-October. Sony said it would add new titles to its PlayStation console, including Marvel's Spider-Man, God of War and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

Microsoft launches slimmer Xbox and reveals latest Xbox console; Sony's VR headset to hit US in October

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