Google is now hiring for the purpose of creating an “Augmented Reality OS” for an unspecified “innovative AR device,” signaling that the California-based company is finally hopping onto the AR/VR bandwagon, joining the likes of Apple and Meta.

The information comes from Mark Lucovsky who shared on LinkedIn on Tuesday that he now leads the “Operating System team for Augmented Reality at Google” (via 9to5Google). He earlier worked for four years as general manager for Operating Systems at Oculus VR/Facebook/Meta. Before that, Lucovsky was at Microsoft for 16 years before working at Google from 2004-09.

The new director also shared a link under the same post for the role of “Senior Software Engineer, Embedded Systems, Augmented Reality OS,” under which it’s written that the Google team is building the software components that control and manage the hardware on our Augmented Reality (AR) products.

“The Google Augmented Reality (AR) team is a group of engineers, designers, and research scientists tasked with building the foundations for great immersive computing, and prototyping helpful, delightful user experiences. We’re focused on making immersive computing accessible to many people through mobile devices, as our scope continues to grow and evolve,” further states the listing.

There are other roles too that explicitly state that Google is building an “innovative AR device.” For example, the role of Senior Software Engineer, Camera, Augmented Reality OS clearly states that as part of the team, you will be responsible for overall camera device software for an innovative AR device.

Most of the positions are based in the US while some are also based in Waterloo, Canada. The latter is responsible for Focals and was acquired by Google last year. The Augmented Reality OS team sits under the Devices & Services team responsible for Pixel, Nest, and other hardware.

Google already has Android, Chrome OS, and Fuchsia operating systems under its name so the new AR-based OS will be yet another feather in the cap. The OS will likely be powering next-gen augmented reality hardware, fulfilling requirements like voice command accuracy and visual recognition.

Notably, companies like OPPO have already been making strides in the AR space, recently unveiling the OPPO Air Glass that snaps onto your regular specs and offers a display with an average brightness of 1400nits. Read more about it here.

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The post Google working on new OS for ‘innovative AR device,’ job listing reveals appeared first on Gizmochina.

There’s no doubt that VR is the future. We have seen some great headsets from companies like HTC, Oculus and even Sony. But they are quite costly and are easily priced upwards of $400. So, what about those who are looking for a cheap product that can still provide a good VR experience?

For them, you have the Google Cardboard. But the cardboard is pretty basic and its material is not really ideal for long term use. This is where devices like the VR Box comes into the picture. For a few dollars more, you can get an enhanced version of the device. The VR Box is made out of plastic ensuring that it lasts a whole lot longer than the cardboard.

From what I see, there are a lot of benefits of using the VR Box instead of the much simpler Google Cardboard. It’s water proof and wear resistant to some extent. Plus, it’s adjustable as well. You can adjust the lens sideways or even to the front / back. The VR Box can reportedly use smartphones from anywhere between 3.5-inch to 6-inches. Make note that the length and breadth of the smartphone that you wish to use inside the headset should be less than 163mm and 83mm respectively.

It’s pretty easy to insert the smartphone inside the VR Box, as the holder comes out sideways. Plus, you get lots of padding up front, so that it’s comfortable watching something in VR for some time. There’s a section up front, which can be removed if need be, exposing the camera on your smartphone for things like augmented reality. Finally, there are openings on both the sides of the device for your headphones.

The VR Box is actually quite a handy gadget for your first VR experience. You don’t have to spend a lot to get a good VR experience as even devices like these can fulfill your needs.

The Glasses just cost $30.99 and with it you also get a free smart bluetooth wireless mouse. Check out the listing on lightinthebox from the link below.

The post VR Box Is An Enhanced Google Cardboard Version For $30.99 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Last year was the ‘Year of the Wearables’,  and this year the main focus could be Virtual Reality as many manufacturers are said to be working on VR products. We have already seen pretty good VR headsets from companies like Sony and Samsung, but it looks like Google too might be interested in joining the VR industry too.

In case you remember, the company had launched a low cost VR product, called the Google Cardboard which uses your existing smartphone to provide a VR experience. However, according to the latest report from WSJ, Google is busy working on an independent Virtual Reality Headset which will be more advanced than Cardboard. So, it won’t be using a smartphone for display, rather it would come with its own components. The headset is said to feature its own processor, camera and display. The chips could be supplied by the startup, Movidius, adds the report.

While these features portray the upcoming Google VR headset as a high-end product, the report says that it aims to provide a ‘middle ground’ experience. The report further states that a release date of this Google VR headset is unsure, but one of the sources claim that the company could unveil it sometime later this year.

Given that all major tech companies like Sony, Samsung, HTC, Apple and now Google have either unveiled a Virtual Reality product or are rumored to release one real soon, we can expect the competition in the VR industry to intensify in the coming months.

But for those who are just not ready to shell out hundreds of dollars on a VR headset, the $20 Google Cardboard might just be enough.

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