Meta reveals the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset

Meta has announced the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset at its annual Connect keynote. Rumors have been swirling for months that the company was working on a cheaper follow-up to the impressive Quest 3, and now it’s here and priced at $300.

This is pretty dang close to the original Quest 3, which costs $500. The latest headset uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 processor and boasts 8GB of RAM, so it can easily handle Quest 3 exclusives like the forthcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow. It offers the same full-color passthrough for mixed reality apps and games and ships with the same controllers as last year’s model. The refresh rate also hovers between 90Hz and 120Hz. 

Meta

The external sensors/cameras also seem nearly identical to the standard Quest 3. There are two RGB cameras to create the stereoscopic color passthrough and four VGA cameras for hand tracking and controller tracking. These also help determine user movements and position in 3D space. Finally, there are two flood LEDs for illumination.

So what’s the catch? Meta has to make up for that lost $200 somehow. First of all, there are no pancake lenses and there’s no 4K content. These look to be the same Fresnel lenses as found with the Meta Quest 2, with a resolution of 1832 x 1920 per eye and 20 PPD (pixels per degree.) The field of view is also slightly reduced when compared to the regular Quest 3 headset.

The storage gets a major hit. The base model comes with 128GB, though there’s a 256GB model available for $400. Meta has lowered the price of the 512GB Quest 3 to $500, from $650, so the entry-level 3S features around a quarter of the storage.

On the plus side, the battery life is actually a bit better with the Quest 3S when compared to the Quest 3. Meta says it should get around 2.5 hours of use per charge, compared to 2.2 hours with the Quest 3.

There’s also a nice little bonus for the holiday season. Customers who orders any Quest 3 or 3S model will get a free digital copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow when it’s released this October. The company did the same thing with the criminally underrated Asgard’s Wrath 2 last year. The promotion goes until April.

The Quest 3S works with most Quest 3 accessories, which is good news because it also ships with the standard, and totally uncomfortable, headstrap. That Elite Strap is a wise investment, especially the one with the battery.

Preorders are open right now and there’s a shipping date of October 15. With the pending release of the Quest 3S, Meta’s phasing out the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro. The Zuck gives and the Zuck takes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-reveals-the-budget-friendly-quest-3s-vr-headset-171843107.html?src=rss 

How to pre-order the Meta Quest 3S VR headset

Meta has announced a new virtual reality headset, and it’s called the Quest 3S. As rumored, this is a lower-cost variant of the Meta Quest 3, which we consider the best VR headset for most people, and the entry-level replacement for the popular but aging Quest 2. Meta is aiming it squarely at VR newbies, those upgrading from an older headset and anyone else who’s been holding out for a more affordable option — if you’re thinking about taking the plunge, here’s what to know before you pre-order.

To make way for the new headset, Meta has discontinued the Quest 2 and more expensive Quest Pro. The company says both headsets will remain available either through the end of the year or until stock runs out. It plans to sell official accessories for the two “for a bit longer,” however. 

The Quest 3, meanwhile, will now include 512GB of storage at its standard $500, giving it another advantage over its new sibling. Previously, the higher-capacity Quest 3 cost $650, while the base model came with 128GB of space. Meta will now sell that 128GB model for $430, but only while supplies last. If you order a 512GB Quest 3 by April 30, you can get the same Batman: Arkham Shadow bundle included with the Quest 3S.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/how-to-pre-order-the-meta-quest-3s-vr-headset-171958398.html?src=rss 

Meta AI can now talk to you and edit your photos

Over the last year, Meta has made its AI assistant so ubiquitous in its apps it’s almost hard to believe that Meta AI is only a year old. But, one year after its launch at the last Connect, the company is infusing Meta AI with a load of new features in the hopes that more people will find its assistant useful.

One of the biggest changes is that users will be able to have voice chats with Meta AI. Up till now, the only way to speak with Meta AI was via the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. And like last year’s Meta AI launch, the company tapped a group of celebrities for the change.

Meta AI will be able to take on the voices of Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Keegan Michael Key and Kristen Bell, in addition to a handful of more generic voices. While the company is hoping the celebrities will sell users on Meta AI’s new abilities, it’s worth noting that the company quietly phased out its celebrity chatbot personas that launched at last year’s Connect.

In addition to voice chat support, Meta AI is also getting new image capabilities. Meta AI will be able to respond to requests to change and edit photos from text chats within Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp. The company says that users can ask the AI to add or remove objects or to change elements of an image, like swapping a background or clothing item.

Meta is testing AI-generated content recommendations in the main feed of Facebook and Instagram.

Meta

The new abilities arrive alongside the company’s latest Llama 3.2 model. The new iteration, which comes barely two months after the Llama 3.1 release, is the first to have vision capabilities and can “bridge the gap between vision and language by extracting details from an image, understanding the scene, and then crafting a sentence or two that could be used as an image caption to help tell the story.” Llama 3.2 is “competitive” on “image recognition and a range of visual understanding tasks” compared with similar offerings from ChatGPT and Claude, Meta says.

The social network is testing other, potentially controversial, ways to bring AI into the core features of its main apps. The company will test AI-generated translation features for Reels with “automatic dubbing and lip syncing.” According to Meta, that “will simulate the speaker’s voice in another language and sync their lips to match.” It will arrive first to “some creators’ videos” in English and Spanish in the US and Latin America, though the company hasn’t shared details on rollout timing.

Meta also plans to experiment with AI-generated content directly in the main feeds on Facebook and Instagram. With the test, Meta AI will surface AI-generated images that are meant to be personalized to each users’ interests and past activity. For example, Meta AI could surface an image “imagined for you” that features your face.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-ai-can-now-talk-to-you-and-edit-your-photos-172853219.html?src=rss 

Meta will stop selling the Quest 2 and Quest Pro by the end of the year

Meta just revealed the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset at its annual Connect keynote event, but it also made a sad announcement about some of its previous headsets. The company will stop selling both the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro by the end of the year.

“With Quest 3S on the shelf, we’re officially winding down sales of Quest 2 and Pro. We’ll be selling our remaining headsets through the end of the year or until they’re gone, whichever comes first,” the company wrote in a blog post that also announced the pending launch of the Quest 3S.

The company will be selling Quest 2 and Pro accessories for “a bit longer” after the stock of headsets runs out. This includes the carrying case, the Touch Pro controllers and bundles like the Quest 2 Active Pack. Meta recently lowered the price of the Quest 2 to $200, and it’s still a decent headset for beginners. The Quest 3S is better in every way, but it starts at $300, while the standard Quest 3 costs $500.

It’s the end of an era for the Quest 2. This was a hugely successful headset, as it launched during the dog days of COVID-19. For many, it became a crucial item to survive endless isolation, along with stuff like Zoom and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. 

It’s the end of an error (see what I did there?) for the Quest Pro. This headset never caught on, likely because it was originally priced at $1,500 before being quickly lowered to $1,000. It still costs a grand from Meta, but can typically be found for around $900 via Amazon and other retailers.

As they say, out with the old and in with the new. The Quest 3S is, essentially, the new Quest 2. It starts at $300, boasts the same CPU as the original Quest 3 and handles full-color passthrough.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-will-stop-selling-the-quest-2-and-quest-pro-by-the-end-of-the-year-173704500.html?src=rss 

Dead Space leads Sony’s PlayStation Plus lineup for October

Starting on October 1, you’ll be able to play Dead Space for free with your PlayStation Plus membership. Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed additional titles to its PS Plus lineup, which includes the remake version of the sci-fi/horror classic. Dead Space for the PS5 (as well as for PCs and Xbox Series X|S) adds voiced lines for the previously silent protagonist Isaac Clarke. It was built from scratch to feature better graphics and lighting, new gameplay mechanics and a transition system that does away with loading screens between levels. Like the original release, the remake still revolves around Clarke, a starship engineer, as he explores an abandoned spacecraft taken over by undead monsters. 

In addition to Dead Space, subscribers will also get free access to WWE 2K24 for the PS4 and the PS5, particularly the “40 Years of WrestleMania” edition that comes with retellings of historic WrestleMania moments over the past four decades. Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! will also be added to the PS Plus Library. While its promotional materials make it look like an anime dating sim, it’s actually a psychological horror with some pretty disturbing themes. Finally, those paying for the more expensive PlayStation Plus extra and premium subscriptions will also get access to The Last of Us Part I starting on September 26. 

SIE has announced new iridescent DualSense wireless controller and PS5 console cover color options, as well. Chroma Pearl, it says, moves through a range of chic pinks and creams, while Chroma Indigo shifts colors from deep blues to vivid purples, depending on how you look at it. Both options will be available on November 7. And then there’s Chroma Teal, which was designed to look like anything from yellow-green to blue-green and will be released on January 23 next year. The new controller options will sell for $80, while the console covers will set you back $65. 

Sony Interactive Entertainment

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/dead-space-leads-sonys-playstation-plus-lineup-for-october-160042239.html?src=rss 

Meta’s AI chatbot will soon speak in the voices of John Cena and other celebrities

Meta has secured deals with several actors, including Kristen Bell, John Cena and Judi Dench, to use their voices for the Meta AI chatbot, Reuters reports. Users will be able to talk to the chatbot while listening to answers in the voice of their favorite celebrities. Other celebrities include Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key, a source told Reuters.

Besides these five voices, the source also said that there are more generic voice options if users prefer them. All voices will be available this week in the US and other English-speaking regions, though the source didn’t give any other specific locations.

The news follows a report from last month which claimed Meta was negotiating with actors to secure the rights to use their voices for its AI projects. Now, the deals have reportedly been struck, and the chatbot found when using Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp could feature these famous voices soon. The company had intended to finalize agreements before the Connect conference, where Reuters’ source says it will announce the new voice options.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/metas-ai-chatbot-will-soon-speak-in-the-voices-of-john-cena-and-other-celebrities-160603365.html?src=rss 

Evacuation Zones From Hurricane Helene: Florida County Shelters After Storm Hits

Multiple counties across the west coast of Florida have issued mandatory evacuations. Find out where storm shelters and other information can be found to prepare for Hurricane Helene.

Multiple counties across the west coast of Florida have issued mandatory evacuations. Find out where storm shelters and other information can be found to prepare for Hurricane Helene. 

Prime Day deals include the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam for a record low of $50

There’s a major Prime Day sale lined up for October, but Amazon has been getting the festivities started early with discounts on many of its own products. As part of that, it’s holding a sale on Ring devices, several of which have dropped to record low prices.

Take, for instance, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, which was unveiled back in May. The device is on sale for $50. That’s a discount of $30 and its lowest price to date.

There’s no prizes for guessing what this camera can do — it has a motorized base that can rotate 360 degrees to give you a complete view of the room (as long as it’s positioned optimally, of course). The camera also has a tilt range of 169 degrees and it captures HD video. It has the same features as other indoor Ring cams, such as Live View and two-way talk. Those with a Ring Protect Plan will gain access to additional features. There’s also a physical privacy shutter that disengages the mic and camera.

Elsewhere, the regular Ring Indoor Cam has dropped to $30, which again marks a record low. It’s 50 percent off the usual price of $60. Likewise, the Ring Stick Up Camera Pro is half off and has reached a record low price. This model, which is designed to withstand regular rain and snow while capturing footage in 1080p HDR, is on sale for $90.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-the-ring-pan-tilt-indoor-cam-for-a-record-low-of-50-144458768.html?src=rss 

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