Comment by schaefer
3 years ago
I own a Varjo Aero. A comparably priced PC VR headset (after including graphic cards costs) that runs only under windows. I bought this setup for productivity – not gaming.
I want to give a quick reaction to apple vision pro from that perspective. On the Aero, under windows I quickly came to learn that while the screens were clear and legible… The primary drawback was lack of software. Specifically there was no true 3d window manager.
I couldn’t arrange 10 different programs spatially around me, like some cliché virtual hacker’s den. I couldn’t layout a pillar of source code that expanded hundereds of pages above and below my current focus…
I was locked into looking at my 2d windows desktop, projected onto a plane, in a 3d virtual space. I wasn’t in 3d at all. I was still trapped in 2d.
---
The window manager in apple vision is already far better than that! So, here’s my prediction.
Just like when microsoft sat out the race to mobile (iphone v. android), they are decidedly on the sidelines here too. VR productivity seems to be almost exclusively apple’s for the taking. (yes, I’m aware that FB has some offerings in this space, but no way in hell do they get telemetry on my literal eyeballs).
Just as products like the ipad haven’t exactly challenged microsoft windows, they have diminished it’s roll in people’s lives, apple vision seems to be a product with that kind of potential.
–
Last but not least, in the old days, I owned an ipad pro, which I supposedly bought for productivity. It had some weird limitation where I couldn’t run apps side by side in the way that I wanted. Eventually I gave the ipad away. Sooo… this time around apple doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. I’ll pretty much have to demo one and personally confirm my top use cases before I’d consider buying.
What's so weird is that Microsoft had the Hololens years ago. It had a similar price, hand-based interaction, entirely self-contained, etc. I used one once, and it was astonishing. A totally magical AR experience
Of course the FOV was narrow and the resolution was probably too small for virtual monitors, and I don't know what the battery life was like. But this was so long ago, and then they just... stopped. I can't remember the last time Microsoft announced anything in mixed-reality. Maybe that Minecraft demo?
I'd love to be a fly on that wall
A good 20 years ago there was a bit of software called SphereXP that arranged windows in a 3D sphere around you, I really liked it and I’m glad the tech is coming back!
I with you, productivity is what I really want to use this for. Did you ever find any other VR tools that could do what you're describing? Because that's pretty much exactly what I'm hoping for too.
TLDR:
I found things, yes. But they weren’t a fit for me.
Things I found:
### SimulaVR [1]
A linux native VR headset with an entire open ecosystem of software. On the plus side: they actually have an open source VR native window manager!!! Cons include: The hardware hasn’t shipped yet. The hardware is already multiple generations behind. (11th gen intel NUC). For productivity – I think video pass-through is essential. Which both this and the Aero lack. Tragically, the software stack for developed by Simula is not compatible with the Aero. Because the Simula Window Manager is linux native, and the Aero is Windows Native… (damn, I bought the wrong hardware.)
### Immersed [2]
This is a software solution that basically lets you remote into a desktop running an appropriate server to sling pixels at your VR headset. It’s heavily oriented towards FB headsets. The Aero isn’t supported. So I’ve never tried it. Also, it’s required that you are serving up actual screen pixels… so If you want to run headless there are wierd display port dongle hacks…
### UltraTerm / CyberGem
There is a developer that has a terminal running in the unreal game engine. In this case you can essentially design a level that is your workspace… It feels weird to even be talking about this, but if you just want linux terminals in VR… this can get you there in a very unique way. I have to say there’s a part of me that’s super into the idea of designing a virtual scene with embedded computing.
### The state of play, as I understand it
In general, you can take it for granted that you can serve up your actual desktop to whatever PC VR solution you get your hands on. Which may be enough for you. But for me, no way! To repeat myself, For VR to be compelling for productivity, I want to be able to arrange my actual application windows in 3d space.
Even the Apple Vision seems to have this “2d desktop” limitation (If you are looking very, very closely). Your desktop share from your macbook seems to be limited to just a 2d desktop. So it appears as if to use the 3d window manager you have to be running Vision native apps only.
I hope I’m wrong on this, but if Ipad is any indication, Vision will never get the heavy hitters. X Code, Visual studio…. Etc.
--
I have been so used to commodity PC hardware for so long, that when I impulse bought VR hardware during the pandemic, I assumed the software would be there to support it. But as far as I can tell, it’s largely not.
[1]: https://simulavr.com/ [2]: https://immersed.com/ [3]: https://twitter.com/ultraterm
> The hardware is already multiple generations behind. (11th gen intel NUC).
They upgraded all units to 12th-gen some time ago. WiFi changed to 6E, and I can't remember what else changed. Specs at:
https://shop.simulavr.com/
> For productivity – I think video pass-through is essential. Which both this and the Aero lack.
Video pass-through is shown in their WM demo, so IDK what you mean.
> Tragically, the software stack for developed by Simula is not compatible with the Aero. Because the Simula Window Manager is linux native, and the Aero is Windows Native… (damn, I bought the wrong hardware.)
The WM is linux-native, but any x86 OS should be installable on the onboard computer. Also, it's supposed to have the option to be used without the onboard computer, using an external computer with SteamVR or OpenXR, both of which seem to support Windows. (Alas, Windows doesn't expose any API for WM development, AFAIK).
3 replies →