The Glyph and Virtual World Celebrations

Hi there!

The Newest Headset: Glyph

Over the course of 2013, there have been a lot of virtual headsets and similar devices making their way to stores near you. Nearly all of which resemble overly-bulky, albeit rather stylish, sunglasses. But what if there was a headset that resembled a ridiculously amazing pair of headphones?

Well, now (almost) there is. The Glyph.

Designed by Edward Tang of The Avegant, these headsets allow you to listen to music, watch videos, and play games. When you tilt a white band attached to the set over your eyes, it becomes a stunning television. But there’s no real screen. The headset actually projects the images directly onto your eyes. So what you get is the equivalent of viewing an 80-inch television, without a screen in sight (pun intended).

Retailing for $499, this is perhaps the most mainstream version of virtual headsets that we’ve seen yet. The set utilizes virtual retinal display, a set of 2 million micro mirrors that reflect the images directly onto your eyes, essentially eliminating the need for a traditional screen. And also saving your eyes. According to the company, their goal is to minimize strain and make you feel as if you’re looking through a window rather than staring at a flat screen. It allows you to view things in 3D for hours upon hours, drastically increasing how long you can comfortably enjoy your favorite games and videos.

So what else does this up-and-coming headset have to offer? Because there’s no screen, the system uses significantly less power than the Rift or Google Glass, and also creates a much sharper, crisper image. The fact that it uses less power is of particular interest, because that means you can use the product for longer. So the next time you’re on a cross-country flight to see Grandma, holed up in your room avoiding the parents, or stuck in an endless car ride with the family, you don’t have to worry about recharging every hour or two. And to add on to the picture quality, there’s no pixilation and little to no lag time, giving you the crispest picture you’ve ever seen. You can tweak the display to fit your exact eye and face shape, so the result is always comfortable and always accurate.

Of course, it works beautifully with games. It connects to your controller, so you get a totally immersive experience without disconnecting from the real world. If you need to look slightly away from the Glyph, you just have to look a bit down or to the left and right. Yet when you’re head on, you’re truly in the game. And to round it all out, the sound quality is amazing, so you can definitely use it just as a headset.

As much as we love the next-best technology, perhaps the coolest thing about the Glyph is the fact that it actually looks cool. No offense to the Rift or Google Glass, but the overall appearance of someone wearing either isn’t necessarily the most attractive thing. The Glyph, on the other hand, looks like slightly oversized headsets, yet still sleek and streamlined, bypassing the over-sized, over-worked look of similar products.

The Glyph is scheduled for release in 2014, and a Kickstarter campaign starts on January 22^nd if you want to get your hands on a preorder.

Virtual Holiday Celebrations

It’s that time of year again! So which of your virtual worlds is getting into the holiday spirit? Plenty, but be sure to check the blog or community of your favorite online hangout spot to be sure you don’t miss anything!

Smeet Christmas Party: Starting at 7am US on December 21^st, this party goes for an entire 24 hours! MrLove will open it, Wild Angel will appear at 1pm US, Coop comes on at 7pm US, and MrsBlueLove closes everything from 1am US to 7amUS. There’s going to be amazing music and lots of friendly chatting.

Our World: Your favorite virtual world is hosting a lot of cool stuff between now and the end of the year. To start, take advantage of the Frost Mystery Box, which gives you access to all-new items, including the ability to be an Ice Princess or a Winter Demon! Grab your stocking and get free gifts from Zoe on the OurWorld islands!

Habbo Hotel: There’s plenty going on this year! Check out the different room decoration competitions, such as Santa’s workshop, and try your hand at it to win prizes! There are also plenty of holiday-inspired games, including the chance to find Santa!

Wooz World Advent Calendar: Every day for the month of December, Wooz World is giving a special gift away, and all you have to do is log in and complete (play) an Objectivz! Gifts include garments to Beex, Petz and more!