Oculus

Facebook’s Oculus ordered pay $500 mn in suit on stolen tech

AFP Feb 2, 2017

WASHINGTON: A US jury on Wednesday 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…

Xiaomi executive Barra joins Facebook to lead virtual reality business

Reuters Jan 26, 2017

ScienceTechnology

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, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said. 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. Joining Facebook as VP of virtual…

Sony enters virtual reality race with PlayStation VR headset

Reuters Oct 12, 2016

TOKYO: Sony Corp will join the race for virtual reality (VR) dominance on Thursday with the $399 PlayStation VR, a headset the Japanese electronics group hopes will beat pricier rivals and revive its reputation as a maker of must-have gadgets.

Facebook’s Oculus pushes virtual reality with new gear

AFP Oct 7, 2016

Must ReadScienceTechnology

SAN JOSÉ: Facebook on Thursday worked to ramp up enthusiasm for its virtual reality line, unveiling new gear including a lower-end wireless headset prototype. The company's Oculus virtual reality division is set to release in coming months a new "Touch" controller and a more affordable computer for powering virtual experiences using Rift headsets. "We are here to make virtual reality the next major computing platform," Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg said at the third annual Oculus Connect developers…

Facebook Messenger hits one billion users

AFP Jul 20, 2016

ScienceTechnology

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook said the number of users of its Messenger application had topped one billion, a key milestone as it seeks to expand the platform to new services.

Apple quietly working on virtual reality: report

AFP Jan 30, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple has a team secretly working on virtual and augmented reality gear in a budding challenge to Facebook-owned Oculus Rift and Microsoft HoloLens, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Google says cardboard virtual reality headgear a hit

Web Desk May 30, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO: Google said this week one of its least expensive innovations -- virtual reality headgear made of cardboard -- has become a huge hit.

Facebook talks up need for virtual reality, big tech bets

Raza Haidery Mar 28, 2015

SANFRANCISCO: Virtual reality, artificial intelligence and drones will enable Facebook Inc to create a more lifelike and useful social network, the company said in its clearest explanation so far for technology projects that have puzzled some investors and analysts.

Facebook’s Oculus unveils new virtual reality prototype device

Azhar Khan Sep 21, 2014

LOS ANGELES: Facebook Inc's Oculus VR unit announced an upgraded prototype of its virtual reality headset that has higher resolution and built-in audio, but the company said it is not ready to sell a device to consumers.