Microsoft solved the problems

And a Mems Laser display did it.

Thanks Joe D.

Hololens at CNN & other places.

What we're waiting for is for the news to start going viral. It hasn't yet.

This is still an open secret. 


CNN


Kim Komando

(If you aren't familiar with Kim Komando, she has a lot of fans a tech website, and has a syndicated radio show. This is fertile ground for attention.)

Microsoft's next-gen HoloLens

Not to be outdone by all the crazy smartphone hoopla, Microsoft also unveiled the HoloLens 2, it's follow up to the "mixed reality" glasses it announced in 2015. Like its predecessor and other augmented reality gadgets, the HoloLens 2 superimposes computer-generated images on the real world, delivering one-of-a-kind experiences. Think Iron-Man/Tony Stark-like interactions with your immediate surroundings, that's how cool and practical Mixed Reality could be.

Improving on the tech introduced by the first HoloLens, the HoloLens 2 is more powerful, better-balanced, efficient and Microsoft managed to double its field of view. Its new design with improved "thermal management" also makes it more comfortable to wear with extended use, even with users who wear glasses.

Unfortunately, the HoloLens 2 is still priced out of the regular consumer's range. Tagged at $3,500, it's still aimed at large businesses and the military. Hopefully, the HoloLens 3 will be primed for mass adoption and its price will finally be within reach of you and me,
Game Reactor

"I'm really excited to see what people end up doing with the product," Han admits. "But it's very clear that from our customer and market signal perspective we're really focused on the first-line and task workers. Look, people are going to dream with this thing, and that's really the most exciting part of it, people are going to tell us what they want to go and do, and I think the future for mixed reality and these type of devices is very promising."

Gaming and consumer versions will happen. (They made that clear during the presentation, and clearly there is interest.)

Hololens Reality News UPDATE

I found this to be an excellent summary article...

News getting out is going to be what gets the stock price moving. Most of the world is still ignorant of AR, MR Hololens, Magic Leap, and all the others. Nearly everyone exposed to it expresses disbelief that it can be done.

Messed up on the key link yesterday, so this is a repost.

This is one source that found

AND.... it references Microvision through the link mentioning the patent 



Hololens Reality News

"During the presentation at MWC, Alex Kipman, Microsoft technical fellow and head honcho of HoloLens, noted that the HoloLens 2 employs a microelectromechanical (MEMS) laser scanner to achieve the wider field of view, a fact that was foreshadowed by a patent application published by the US Patent and Trademark Office in last June and filed by Microsoft in Dec. 2016." --- They found Microvision here.


The display is arguably the most important aspect of any augmented reality headset. One of the biggest criticisms of the original HoloLens was its limited field of view of around 35 degrees. For the sequel, Microsoft has managed to more than double the field of view while maintaining image fidelity at 47 pixels per degree of sight.

Azure Connect

The description and visuals on this look very familar...

Hololens news since announcement.... (will be updates)

Those of us who have been watching have a benefit now, the media isn't yet reporting where Hololens' laser scanning display is coming from.

Things will get very interesting if the tech reporters put pieces together, and then also see us at MWC with STM and Lidar  and in the Blackview Phone.

Then they'll dig a little and see interactive display...

Things could start getting REALLY interesting....

I'd REALLY like to see this and will travel to do so... if anyone can get me hands on with one, I'm there...(Alaska Airlines?)




Clearly with Epic Games participating with Hololens, this will not be an enterprise only kind of device. I believe they were included on purpose to make that case clearly.

*****

Business Insider

Epic, the creator of "Fortnite," has thrown around its considerable weight to put pressure on Apple and Google, and the 30% cut that they take from most app transactions. Now, Epic is pledging long-term support for HoloLens, citing this policy of openness as a reason why.

But in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment that may have gone overlooked, chief HoloLens inventor Alex Kipman made another, related announcement that has much larger implications for the industry: Microsoft committed to allowing anybody to operate their own app store for the HoloLens or any Windows-powered headsets like it.

It's a commitment that comes among a broad discussion about the economics of smartphone app stores. Apple, in particular, has come under scrutiny for requiring developers to fork over 30% of most App Store transactions, while also disallowing competitors to open their own alternative iOS app storefronts.

*****
 
I also very much liked their emphasis on freedom. (not going to lock you in to Microsoft browser, etc. That developers will be able to sell without being funneled through Microsoft store first.

I also love that it's for people who DO stuff -- it helps people do things. Not for sitting at a desk working on a computer, it's for taking that kind of information with you when you go out to work with your hands.

The applications I think that can take Hololens mainstream quickly is using it to teach processes. (like the person installing truck interiors during the presentation.) If that becomes as seamless as I think it will be, it will be able to immensely improve human performance, and pay for itself very quickly.



And at 1:10 they start talking about the new display at the Verge... wonder when they'll figure out the connection.

"No competition for the next two years that can come close to this level of fidelity."

Hololens 2 -- Today (UPDATES)

Watch Here 9AM Pacific

Powered by our New MEMS Laser Display

The VERGE HOLOLENS 2 Article

Then there’s power: lasers, oscillating mirrors, and custom chips to handle the computing for all of that must chew through battery. But Alam tells me that even with all of that, it still manages to require less power than the alternative. The mirrors oscillate in resonance, so it takes less energy to move them, sort of like they’re the fastest metronomes ever. Lasers are also less lossy than LEDs, and custom silicon can be optimized to its specific task.

Walking Cat

The Verge

Mobile World Congress Twitter
HOLOLENS TWITTER

Pokemon Go Hololens

Clearly there will be no consumer interest in Hololens and AR.

The top video is a peek at Pokemon go in Hololens. (unlikely to be through the device itself, but rendered on another computer screen.) Remember when you're seeing it in person it will all be 3D -- a dimension that can't be appreciated looking at it on screen.

The bottom video is Pokemon Go players chasing some Pokemonster through the streets of Taipei.

Nintendo Soup

Apples biggest manufacturer becomes its top rival

On the Motley Fool.... I suspect it's only a matter of time before the Fool talks about a cool new smartphone feature for smartphones from Foxconn/Sharp.

Foxconn’s Sharp overtakes Sony as the country’s second largest smartphone maker.

Leo Sun
(TMFSunLion)
Feb 20, 2019 at 6:30PM

Foxconn (NASDAQOTH:HNHAF), the Taiwanese contract manufacturing giant that makes Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhones, has transformed its Sharp subsidiary into Apple's biggest rival in Japan over the past three years. Research firm Canalys claims that Sharp controlled 9.8% of Japan's smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2018, putting it in second place after Apple's 56% share.

Apple still holds a commanding lead, but Sharp's growth -- which helped it surpass Sony's (NYSE: SNE) 8.6% share during the fourth quarter -- could be a worrisome development for the iPhone maker. Is Foxconn quietly evolving from a longtime partner into a formidable rival?

What is Foxconn's strategy?

Foxconn, which has manufactured every iPhone to date, generates nearly half of its revenue from Apple. Therefore, slowing sales of iPhones are a major threat to its core business. To reduce its dependence on Apple and other contract manufacturing clients, Foxconn acquired Sharp in 2016 and revived the struggling consumer electronics brand by launching new OLED TVs and smartphones.

****

So why is Sharp gaining ground in Japan?

In the past, smartphone makers in Japan benefited from aggressive subsidies and carrier promotions. This made premium handsets like iPhones cheaper and more appealing. However, Japanese regulators now want carriers to stop subsidizing device sales with monthly subscriptions in a bid to simplify contracts and promote fair competition.

This means that the cost of iPhones, which are already at historic highs, will keep rising and cause Japanese consumers to either shun upgrades or buy cheaper devices from lower-end device makers like Sharp. However, Canalys also expects Sharp to struggle with the elimination of subsidies, which made its cheap devices even cheaper.

A Visit to Comotion at the University of Washington

I had a chance to go try Magic Leap today. Of the major players this is the last one for me to try. (although everything will probably change in less than a week.)

If I were to make my best guess it would be that the displays contained in Magic Leap are the same as in the recent version of the Hololens.

As far as I could tell, the field of view, opacity and brightness are identical. -- caveat being that I'm operating from memory on the Hololens... although I did go back and see Hololens last weekend.)

I think MicroVision can be included in every company's near eye displays, just like they can use the same lightbulbs or processors in numerous applications. Nomad had better field of view.

The differences in user interface, setup and content are significant.

COmotion Labs AR/VR/MR

Unlike the Hololens (current version) the computer isn't self-contained in the head mount. The Round puck thing the same size as the phone needs to be carried with the unit. It fits over a pocket (half in the pocket, half out, which is pretty smart and convenient. Although it does get dropped.)

The little device seen through the head piece is a "wand" that you use as a pointer. When you use this as you're using the device, it's as though you have a laser wand, and you use it to point and click. I'd say it's more intuitive than the gesture control of the Hololens, but it is an extra piece that you need to keep track of.

Regular users I think would prefer the gesture control, because then after a short learning curve you don't need extra tools.

I wasn't allowed to take pictures in the space. There were a number of groups of people working on some very interesting looking things, and a lot of people sitting at desks looking at code.

Here's what they're working on
They do seem to have some interesting company in the building. 

Thanks for the tour Xuny!

Hololens in Flight?

I'm a flight instructor. I have mixed feelings about making it this easy.

Microsoft Link to Barcelona MWC

No guarantee we're in it, but it sure looks good.

Microsoft at MWC19

Blackview to Visit MWC

They may get some good press... 

Gizmo China

Blackview is going to announce a mix of high-end and mid-level devices. They want to conquer every type of market with its rugged yet powerful devices. The Chinese electronics maker is set to announce BV9800 and BV 9800 Pro with some astonishing features. As per the leaks and reports, BV9800 is said to feature a triple rear camera module with Sony IMX586 48 MP camera sensor on the front side. It will be the first rugged device to feature a 48 MP camera along with improvised Night photography feature.

Further, there will be significant improvements in the BV9800 Pro device which has thermal imaging functions.

Moving onto the BV9700 which is reported to carry a huge performance advancement along with appearance. It is expected to feature night vision only camera also. Blackview 9700 will comes with Air detection, Air pressure detection, and Heart rate detection sensors. It is also reported to be the first 5G supported phone from the company.

Well, Blackview Max 1 is already available on the Aliexpress with MediaTek Helio P23 Octa Core Octa Core CPU coupled with 6GB RAM. It carries an inbuilt projector which can project anything on a flat surface anywhere and anytime. Moreover, it packs a 16-Megapixel sensor on either the front and back side of the device. There’s a 6.21-inch display with the resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels. It is a tri-proof device that will also be made available at MWC 2019.

Looks like it has a compatible remote too... interesting.

Apple Preparing for life after iPhone

Interesting stuff.

As you read this, remember that Apple just created its first head of AR Marketing.

They're also talking here about a lot of video streaming.

Writing off display-only is WAY premature.

Wall Street Journal

Apple Inc. AAPL -0.22% is shaking up leadership and reordering priorities across its services, artificial intelligence, hardware and retail divisions as it works to reduce the company’s reliance on iPhone sales.

The changes, which can be traced back to last year, have included high-profile hires, noteworthy departures, meaningful promotions and consequential restructurings. They have rattled rank-and-file employees unaccustomed to frequent leadership changes and led Apple to put several projects on hold while new managers are given a chance to reassess priorities, according to people familiar with the matter.

The primary reasons for the shifts vary by division. But collectively, they reflect Apple’s efforts to transition from an iPhone-driven company into one where growth flows from services and potentially transformative technologies.

*************

“This is a sign the company is trying to get the formula right for the next decade,” said Gene Munster, a longtime Apple analyst and managing partner at venture-capital firm Loup Ventures. “Technology is evolving, and they need to continue to tweak their structure to be sure they’re on the right curve.”

*************

Apple spent $14.24 billion on research and development last year, a 23% increase from the year prior. Though it continues to work on projects in the augmented reality, autonomous vehicle and health sectors, it hasn’t yet released a major new product in those areas. Sales of its latest gadgets—Apple Watch, AirPods and HomePod—have been mixed, and none have offered the pricing power or volumes of the iPhone, one of the best-selling products in history.

Mr. Cook, who prides himself on his long-term management focus, has been anticipating the maturation of the smartphone industry since as early as 2010 and planning for how to grow as phone sales slow, former employees say. Apple this year stopped reporting the number of iPhones it sells, a move many observers interpreted as an end of the smartphone salad days.

Though the iPhone still contributes about two-thirds of Apple sales, the company has encouraged investors to focus on a growing services business, which includes streaming-music subscriptions, app-store sales and mobile payments. Services are expected to top $50 billion in sales by fiscal 2020 and contribute more than about 60% of Apple’s total revenue growth over five years, according to Morgan Stanley , which estimates the iPhone fueled 85% of growth during the prior five years.

Foxconn's own brand of phone

I suspect they'll have some new and unique features to add to their own phones.... 

Thx W!

Jari Twitter (Good catch!)

Forbes

Foxconn Technology is best known as the company that assembles iPhones for Apple. The Taiwanese firm chaired by billionaire Terry Gou pumps out the handsets and other gear for U.S. tech giant and other developers at mega-factories in China. But Foxconn, probably seeking income that contract work can't fetch, is essentially making its own phones now via a stake in HMD, the Finnish company behind the Nokia brand of handsets. Foxconn’s subsidiary FIH Mobile owns 6% of HMD and manufactures the phones that its Finnish partner designs. HMD, which is two years into its agreement for use of the Nokia name that runs through to 2026, had thus far been faring better than many had expected.

Now smartphone sales across brands are declining after years of growth, and they’re not expected to rebound just yet. That makes it hard for HMD to gain market traction. Or does it?

“Looking at HMD’s growth over the past couple of quarters, it has not been underwhelming at all considering the global slowdown and the competition from Chinese players,” says Kiranjeet Kaur, research manager with IDC's Asia-Pacific Client Devices. Still, she says, “it is a steep uphill task to continue to grow and compete with other players who have a strong grasp on certain distribution channels, or deep pockets to spend on marketing.”

Zuckerberg's AR vision

Oculus is right down the Street from MicroVision.

It's in an unmarked building. (I found the building, took a picture of it, and ironically, my phone asked if I wanted to publish the photo taken at Oculus.)

They are planning to put more facilities there.

Not sure if everything is connected, but it is a very interesting coincidence.
This was before Oculus Moved to Redmond  (or as they started)

Kid needs a ride, haven't been able to look at all of this yet.

Seeing as this is from 2015, I expect that some of this vision has changed.

2015 06 22 MARK'S VISION by on Scribd

So, if you're a doubter....

So, if you have any lingering doubts about Hololens, there are some good things pointing in that direction.

This is from last year in June, it's impossible to catch everything, not sure if this was one we missed or not.

Thx Joe D for the heads up.


Hololens Reality News


However, one supplier of MEMS laser scanner displays, MicroVision, announced last April that it had secured a $24 million development contract with a major technology company to produce such a display system.

"We believe the LBS display markets have tremendous opportunity for growth, and we are extremely pleased that a major technology company has decided to work with MicroVision and our PicoP scanning technology in the development of its product," said Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. "We believe that our systems expertise and the ability of our patented LBS technology to create a display that produces high resolution images from a low power, small form factor engine were key contributors to winning this business."

Nice Stuff From Microsoft  (The smoking gun)

Hololens Larger Field of View

Apple's first Head of AR marketing

I'll make a wild guess and say that we'll probably hear about what he's up to pretty soon if they're making this public.



" Frank Casanova, has a new title: "Senior Director, Worldwide Product Marketing at Apple Augmented Reality." 

Bloomberg

9to5Mac

Engadget   -- Shows how important the tech is.

Alex Kipman Teasing Hololens

Pretty sure that this should erase any doubts about the release of something at MWC... 

Alex Kipman Tweet

Fossbytes

The Verge

Sundance Festival, Augmented and Virtual Reality category

More and more AR and VR are showing up, and getting more mainstream. A couple of tastes from the Sundance Film Festival

The Verge





Facebook-owned VR giant Oculus often shows off new narrative projects at Sundance, even when they’re not on the official slate. This year, it revealed an immersive theater experience called The Under Presents, which featured human actors playing roles in a surrealist cabaret. The high-profile AR startup Magic Leap also made its Sundance debut this year in New Frontier, where three pieces used its Magic Leap One headset.

BEST AUGMENTED REALITY: A JESTER’S TALE

Created by: Asad J. Malik

A Jester’s Tale is something between a fairy tale and a CAPTCHA test, and it’s by far the weirdest of three Magic Leap-based installations. To experience it, you walk into a physical re-creation of a child’s bedroom, at which point, a disembodied entity demands proof of your humanity to continue. The test? Using voice and object recognition, help act out an odd, disturbing story about a child and his pet rats.

Watching this, nice find

Just getting started, but so far it's very interesting.

Recorded in DECEMBER 2018 (0:26:50)

It's important to remember as you watch this, that this is a presentation to a group of optical engineers to a company that specializes in making optical systems, and is noted for making lenses.



0:05:00....

0:18:15 "I would love to be able to show you what we can do with version two, but it's only going to be unveiled in a few months, I'd love to be able to tell you... but this is V1..."



Microvision's tech can answer a number of these problems (FOV, Foveation, Brightness and contrast, Gesture Sensing, Lag, etc...)

For those who wonder "why is this taking so long?" -- A significant reason for that is the complexity of the collection of parts, and all of them are essential... 

The User experience team things there's a Moore's Law in Optics....  There isn't.

"You can't trick a camera, but you can trick the human eye."

IOT - Price Calculator

More than one request has been made for a price target calculator that includes smart speakers. (or for specifically smart speakers.)

This would be primarily to see the market potential of MicroVision's Interactive display.

There aren't many years of data to establish any kind of trend of only smart speakers, which makes this kind of thing problematic.

It's also too limiting. 

Many of the devices in the "Internet of things" are going to be excellent places for interactive displays: Like the smart thermostat as an example. What used to be a coil of metal with a mercury switch now has the brains of a high-end 1990's PC -- and when you can crunch that much data, it begs for a display. When you have that much intelligence on a thermostat, you can connect it to your calendar, program your days off, or set up profiles for events. Some way of programming this remotely may be common, but a way to adjust it at the source would be very useful, and desirable.

How big is the internet of things going to get? It's going to get probably gigantic, and where it goes is anyone's guess. There are a lot of strange connected devices, and nearly anything that is connected might be wanting for a screen & controller. Easier to design and manufacture than adding buttons, and complex button patterns. (Short list from the linked article: Toothbrush, flip-flops, luggage, camera for dogs, salt shaker, umbrellas, trash cans, mirror, condom(yes, sorry), toaster, liquor decanter, wine bottle, fork, etc.

Ikea is going to be launching smart blinds -- I think smart blinds are going to be very popular soon, because they could help regulate the temperature in a home, save energy, and make a place more livable.

If we take Gartner's numbers and assume that we're going to add 12 Billion smart devices in the next year.... and we get 1% adoption of smart displays in those 12 billion devices -- that could be 120 million interactive laser displays in use.

If half of them are "smart speakers" and adoption is stronger than 1% of those, the number could be much higher.

Interesting new things could appear from nowhere -- remember the smart speaker, is a very new product category, and all of a sudden everyone seems to be competing in the space. 


ZDNET

Big and getting bigger -- there are already more connected things than people in the world. Analyst Gartner calculates that around 8.4 billion IoT devices were in use in 2017, up 31 percent from 2016, and this will likely reach 20.4 billion by 2020. Total spending on IoT endpoints and services will reach almost $2tn in 2017, with two-thirds of those devices found in China, North America and Western Europe, said Gartner.

Out of that 8.4 billion devices, more than half will be consumer products like smart TVs and smart speakers. The most-used enterprise IoT devices will be smart electric meters and commercial security cameras, according to Gartner.

Infinity O display?

A fair amount of rumoring about a new kind of display from Samsung.

I have no idea what it might be, but the basics of the rumors is that there's a bezel-free display with a hole cut in the corner for the camera. (I'd regard that a lot of buzz-building for no particularly good purpose.)

It is curious that Microvision's PicoP touts "infinite focus"

Who knows... something to watch.

sammobile.com

FCC Testing 3 new Samsung Phones

Infinity-O display assembly possibly revealed in new leak

Samsung teased a device with such a display panel even before it revealed the Infinity-O. It teased the Galaxy A8s during the launch event for the Galaxy A9s and Galaxy A6s in China. The teaser showed that the display doesn’t have a notch. It was mentioned in subsequent reports that the display would actually have a hole to accommodate the front camera.

The display silhouette that Samsung revealed at SDC 2018 essentially confirmed that to be the case. It has developed a new type of display with a hole in the corner for the front camera. This would allow the company to maximize screen real estate even on devices that don’t get the New Infinity display (New Infinity is the all-screen version with an under-screen camera). That would likely be reserved for the premium handsets.

Upgrade Cycle at hand

I've been watching for a couple of days the rather rare event of Apple products being discounted. They do this when an upgrade cycle is at hand. Interesting, and something to watch, but that's about all.

For all of these companies to be offering discounts simultaneously -- that's even more interesting.

It's possible that they all over-produced these devices and they need to reduce inventory, or that they're trying to increase adoption. But the market for these devices isn't shrinking, it's growing rapidly.

But it looks to me like there's a new feature coming, and they're making room.

When I've talked to the people at Amazon stores, and other places that sell them, the common response is that almost always the second speaker someone buys is a speaker with a screen.


Digital Trends

Choosing what smart home products are right for you is really about choosing the right voice assistant. With Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod all using separate assistants, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. On the one hand, Amazon Alexa offers a huge range of integration. There are tons of smart plugs, smart bulbs, TVs, cars, and microwaves that work with Alexa — making it the most widely integrated of the three. On the other hand, though Google Assistant is still a bit behind, a lot of people prefer interactions with this A.I. over Alexa.

Whether you’re in the market for an Echo or a Google Home smart speaker, the price is likely going to end up playing a big role in your purchasing decision. Amazon and Walmart are both offering generous discounts on smart home bundles, speakers, and displays right now. With discounts up to $65, now is a great time to add a little extra smart to your home.

Microsoft AR Recent Patent

Joe sent an article this morning with a couple of interesting pictures from a recent Microsoft patent.

The glasses at the top are Osterhaut glasses. (A version after what I managed to try.) The amount of hardware they had resting on your nose was too much for comfort.

This article also features some interesting interface devices, like a bracelet and rings. (As cool as the glasses might be, we're probably not going to want to make gestures in groups of people to control our glasses, but fiddling with a ring or wrist controller wouldn't make anyone feel too weird.)

ONMSFT



Beyond shrinking the overall size of HoloLens, Microsoft’s patent also details new multi-use cases for use of AR outside of the previous work, lab, warehouse and home showcases the company used to highlight.

In this latest patent filing, Microsoft developers are sorta of resurrecting the spirit of Google Glass in corner mounted AR information but the company is also aiming to introduce additional wearables such as smart rings that should help with navigating augmented UI’s and information.

Apple Laser Scanning Sensor

This has been on the radar for a while. It's interesting to me how this story has been fairly persistent, which gives it more credibility than some idle rumor.

Sony has some laser-scanning tech from MVIS.

I've never fully written SONY off, and expect that they will be back selling Microvision's tech, as soon as they figured a way to use it where they can't lose. 


Bloomberg

Apple’s new system uses a laser scanner, rather than the existing dot-projection technology which doesn’t work as well over longer distances, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing unreleased features. That’s just one of many new features -- including a third, more advanced camera, enhanced photo-capture tools and a more powerful chip -- that Apple plans to include in coming generations of iPhones, the people said.

The laser-powered 3-D camera would enhance augmented reality on the iPhone, allowing for more accurate depth perception and placement of virtual objects. It could also help the handset take photos that can better capture depth, the people said. Apple has been in talks with Sony Corp.about testing sensors for the new system, one of the people said.

Hololens Creator

AR is coming, it's going to be huge, and it's nice to be in the spot where you have the best AR display.

Windows Central



The phone is already dead. People just haven't realized. The potential of these devices is that they could one day replace your phones, TVs, and all these screens. Once your apps, videos, information, and even social life are projected into your line of sight, you won't need any other screen-based gadgetry … [it's] the 'natural conclusion' of mixed reality.

Augmented Reality Improves your world

Virtual reality is cool, but it isolates you. Augmented reality improves your world.




NYMag.com   (Thanks Joe D!)


Put another way, VR increasingly seems like the original Nintendo — an amazing combination of hardware and software that fundamentally changed how many people spent their freetime. But AR, with its ability to be both ubiquitous and useful, seems more and more like the smartphone, a combination of hardware and software that changed how we lived.