Tech Trend 247

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

Just how popular is virtual reality? It's hard to tell, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said "1 million people use VR every month" at the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.

Zuckerberg didn't specify what VR specifically referred to. Does that include Google Cardboard? Samsung Gear VR and all of the mobile VR headset clones? He did name-check the competition, and didn't specify Oculus/Facebook in the stat, so it stands to reason he's including all VR experiences in that million.

Still, we wonder just how many of those 1 million monthly people are using the Oculus Rift. And what about the HTC Vive? And just how many people were using Oculus Rift developer kits before the consumer version of the headset launched this past spring?

Again, it's hard to tell how successful that is when VR, as a category, is so broad and spread across multiple different devices and platforms.

A million VR users does sound promising. Even though the Rift and Vive are available, it's still very, very early days for the "next computing platform."

Google's Daydream VR platform is set to launch in the next few months and PlayStation VR launches next week.

SAN JOSE, California — For as far VR has come and as good as the experiences have gotten, there still aren't many options for those who don't have a high end PC.

But during the keynote at Oculus Connect Thursday, Mark Zuckerberg briefly teased an all-new headset: a standalone viewer that doesn't rely on a mobile phone or a PC.  Right now the device, known at the Santa Cruz Prototype, is just that: a prototype. But it offers a tantalizing look at an untethered VR future.

Though the video demo of the Santa Cruz Prototype was more remarkable for how its brevity more than what it actually showed, Oculus was offering short demos of the device at Oculus Connect and Mashable got a chance to take the headset for a spin.

The demo took place in a windowless room that was set up to look like a living room, with a couch, a desk and other furniture set up around the perimeter. The middle of the room was empty — we were encourage to move around as much as we liked during the demo.

Photos and video weren't allowed inside the demo room but the headset looked just like what appeared in the very short video shown during the keynote. The headset itself resembled the Rift, but had four cameras attached to the front of the headset and the words "Santa Cruz Prototype" emblazoned on the front cover. On the back of the headset was a fan for cooling and a processor.

The three-minute demo consisted of two different animated scenes. One was a suburban neighborhood and the other a rooftop whee you could look down on the buildings around you. The overall image quality lay somewhere between the Gear VR and the Rift. The graphics were cartoon-like and pretty cheesy but the experience was meant to demonstrate the untethered concept of the prototype more than anything else.

There was nothing to actually do once in the scene other than walk around and explore the surroundings, which was sort of the whole point. You could comfortably explore the virtual world around you without worrying about bumping into something. 

That's because as soon as you got within a foot or so of a wall or piece of furniture a series of blue lines appeared in VR to let you know you were too close (you can see them faintly in the GIF above.) Take a step back and the lines disappeared. Move forward and there they were again.

It's difficult to overstate just how freeing this is. If you know anything about VR you know that there are really only two kinds of experiences right now: mobile VR, like the Gear VR and Google's Daydream VR, which use smartphones and wired experiences that rely on a PC connection like Oculus or the HTC Vive. Neither of these give you the freedom to comfortably move around while you're in VR.

The Santa Cruz Prototype does. During my demo, I moved side to side, spun around and walked to all sides of the space — I was never the least bit worried about bumping into anything. The blue lines always appeared as I approached the wall.

This is due to the combination of cameras on the headset, which are able to track your movements in relation to the objects in the room, Max Cohen, Oculus' head of mobile, explained. "What it's basically doing is that it's sampling the environment and so it's looking around at objects that it can then recognize," Cohen told Mashable. 

"You don't have to set up anything. You just put it on your head and in the environment it should, theoretically, work."

There are some caveats. Cohen cautioned that it won't work everywhere. Wide open outdoor spaces, for example, wouldn't work as there are no boundaries for the camera to detect. Some surfaces and lighting conditions may also limit it (my demo was in a brightly lit room with no windows).

So while it does offer the promise of an untethered mobile experience, don't expect to use it outdoors very much.

"We expect this standalone product to still be used in the home but also in the home of your friends because you take it with you. Or maybe you take it to your workplace," Cohen said. "We think it's very flexible but it's not like this one thing that magically works every single place you are."

It may not be magic, but it does feel like the future.

Virtual reality may soon be less of a lonely experience for Oculus hardware owners, as the company outlined how people can see each other and play together inside of virtual reality.

Oculus announced a new party system during its Oculus Connect developers conference in San Jose, California, Thursday. The party system will allow friends to enter a chat system when they're inside Oculus Gear VR and Rift headsets.

But it's more than just a way to make voice calls. There's a platform-wide social experience joining the mix as well, called Oculus Rooms, which will allow people to chat and hang out in the same "room" in VR. These rooms will have mini games, and people can play music and watch videos, and join social games right from Rooms.

To make your VR persona feel more like you, Oculus also announced Oculus Avatars, which are customizable heads and hands that will persist across the platform. You'll be able to create version of yourself, then customize its clothing and colors. 

The Avatar system will be powered by Oculus Touch, the Rift's upcoming hand controllers, and will be available the same day Touch ships, Dec. 6.

Party chat and Oculus Rooms will come to Gear VR later this year, and to the Oculus Rift at the start of 2017.

If you've spent any time in virtual reality then "cozy" is definitely not the first word that comes to mind. Google thinks its new Daydream View headset can change that.

The $79 headset is Google's first true virtual reality device and it's soft and fuzzy — literally. 

Instead of the plastic and foam of most headsets, Daydream is made out of soft cloth that feels more like felt or a blanket. It's difficult to overstate how much of a difference this makes. I've spent quite a bit of time with virtual reality headsets and I always walk away thinking how uncomfortable they are — regardless of how good the content inside was. 

For Google, whose previous entry into the space was the cheap but not-at-all comfortable Cardboard, Daydream is a welcome departure from what we've come to expect from VR.

Of course, fabric does come with a few tradeoffs; mainly that it gets dirty, particularly the part that touches your face when you wear it. While Google representatives emphasized repeatedly that they didn't think staining would be a significant issue for most, the inside fabric panel is removable so you can wash it from time to time. 

Setting up the viewer, which for now only works with Google's Pixel phones, is also far simpler than the Gear VR or even Cardboard. The phone slips into the front lid easily and the front panel attaches to the top of the headset with an elastic loop. The front panel can also come out a bit so larger phones and phones with cases can fit inside.

When you want to begin a VR session you don't need to connect your phone to the headset in any way unless you want to use headphones. Instead, Google has employed NFC to allow the phone to transition to VR. When you're not using the headset, the controller clips in for easy storage.

The controller itself is small and looks similar to a Roku remote. It has a touchpad on top (used for navigation), two menu buttons and volume controls. The remote is a bit different than other VR controllers in that you don't need to actually move your hand that much to use it. This could take some getting used to if you're accustomed to other controllers, but it worked pretty well in my initial demo.

I had some trouble during a demo of the upcoming Harry Potter-themed game based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (which was awesome, by the way) that required you to move the controller (a wand in VR) in specific patterns. But I suspect it would get a bit easier with more practice.

Though my demo with Daydream View was short, I came away impressed with the experience and not just because it's more comfortable than any VR demo I've ever done. Google has also managed to make a really good — if basic — virtual reality headset at an attractive price.

Of course, the one caveat to all this is that for now the only Daydream-compatible phones are Google's new Pixel devices. But most Android manufacturers have already committed to making Daydream-ready devices of their own, so expect to have a lot more options in the coming weeks and months.

Google's Tilt Brush, the app that lets you "sculpt" paintings in virtual reality, is getting a new set of features that move the VR tool far beyond the realm of interactive art. 

Previewed in a video released on Friday, a new set of prototype features includes a multi-user mode that allows several users to work on the same piece of art at once.

Usually, art is a single-person activity, but given the three-dimensional nature of Tilt Brush creations, the "multiplayer" mode is not only practical, but could also be a first step toward gamifying the art creation experience.  

And to make it easier to use that mode, the app will soon allow users to customize their avatars with artistic flourishes that are, in some cases, animated. 

Another prototype tool that could change the process of creating art and designs is the addition of a posable mannequin with articulated joints. This feature could be particularly useful for fashion professionals using the HTC Vive (the hardware needed to use the app) to craft new styles. 

There's also a new "zoetrope" feature (named after the classic, non-VR animation style) that allows you to preview how an animation might look by letting you create a circular model of it. The process isn't meant for elaborate, detailed animations, but it's a great early look at what creating fully formed animated works will be like in the future. 

But the most stunning part of the new features demo is called Portal Brush, a brush that allows you to "erase" any part of your virtual reality to peek at what's happening in the real world around you

This window into the real world could work brilliantly as a means of interacting with team members attempting to give direction or suggestions from outside of the VR environment. 

No dates have been given for when the updates will appear in the app, but knowing that this is what's on the way may get VR fans who were considering the HTC Vive and Tilt Brush a little more excited about adopting the still-developing art creation platform.

Google's Tilt Brush, the app that lets you "sculpt" paintings in virtual reality, is getting a new set of features that move the VR tool far beyond the realm of interactive art. 

Previewed in a video released on Friday, a new set of prototype features includes a multi-user mode that allows several users to work on the same piece of art at once.

Usually, art is a single-person activity, but given the three-dimensional nature of Tilt Brush creations, the "multiplayer" mode is not only practical, but could also be a first step toward gamifying the art creation experience.  

And to make it easier to use that mode, the app will soon allow users to customize their avatars with artistic flourishes that are, in some cases, animated. 

Another prototype tool that could change the process of creating art and designs is the addition of a posable mannequin with articulated joints. This feature could be particularly useful for fashion professionals using the HTC Vive (the hardware needed to use the app) to craft new styles. 

There's also a new "zoetrope" feature (named after the classic, non-VR animation style) that allows you to preview how an animation might look by letting you create a circular model of it. The process isn't meant for elaborate, detailed animations, but it's a great early look at what creating fully formed animated works will be like in the future. 

But the most stunning part of the new features demo is called Portal Brush, a brush that allows you to "erase" any part of your virtual reality to peek at what's happening in the real world around you

This window into the real world could work brilliantly as a means of interacting with team members attempting to give direction or suggestions from outside of the VR environment. 

No dates have been given for when the updates will appear in the app, but knowing that this is what's on the way may get VR fans who were considering the HTC Vive and Tilt Brush a little more excited about adopting the still-developing art creation platform.

Google's Tilt Brush, the app that lets you "sculpt" paintings in virtual reality, is getting a new set of features that move the VR tool far beyond the realm of interactive art. 

Previewed in a video released on Friday, a new set of prototype features includes a multi-user mode that allows several users to work on the same piece of art at once.

Usually, art is a single-person activity, but given the three-dimensional nature of Tilt Brush creations, the "multiplayer" mode is not only practical, but could also be a first step toward gamifying the art creation experience.  

And to make it easier to use that mode, the app will soon allow users to customize their avatars with artistic flourishes that are, in some cases, animated. 

Another prototype tool that could change the process of creating art and designs is the addition of a posable mannequin with articulated joints. This feature could be particularly useful for fashion professionals using the HTC Vive (the hardware needed to use the app) to craft new styles. 

There's also a new "zoetrope" feature (named after the classic, non-VR animation style) that allows you to preview how an animation might look by letting you create a circular model of it. The process isn't meant for elaborate, detailed animations, but it's a great early look at what creating fully formed animated works will be like in the future. 

But the most stunning part of the new features demo is called Portal Brush, a brush that allows you to "erase" any part of your virtual reality to peek at what's happening in the real world around you

This window into the real world could work brilliantly as a means of interacting with team members attempting to give direction or suggestions from outside of the VR environment. 

No dates have been given for when the updates will appear in the app, but knowing that this is what's on the way may get VR fans who were considering the HTC Vive and Tilt Brush a little more excited about adopting the still-developing art creation platform.

Google's Tilt Brush, the app that lets you "sculpt" paintings in virtual reality, is getting a new set of features that move the VR tool far beyond the realm of interactive art. 

Previewed in a video released on Friday, a new set of prototype features includes a multi-user mode that allows several users to work on the same piece of art at once.

Usually, art is a single-person activity, but given the three-dimensional nature of Tilt Brush creations, the "multiplayer" mode is not only practical, but could also be a first step toward gamifying the art creation experience.  

And to make it easier to use that mode, the app will soon allow users to customize their avatars with artistic flourishes that are, in some cases, animated. 

Another prototype tool that could change the process of creating art and designs is the addition of a posable mannequin with articulated joints. This feature could be particularly useful for fashion professionals using the HTC Vive (the hardware needed to use the app) to craft new styles. 

There's also a new "zoetrope" feature (named after the classic, non-VR animation style) that allows you to preview how an animation might look by letting you create a circular model of it. The process isn't meant for elaborate, detailed animations, but it's a great early look at what creating fully formed animated works will be like in the future. 

But the most stunning part of the new features demo is called Portal Brush, a brush that allows you to "erase" any part of your virtual reality to peek at what's happening in the real world around you

This window into the real world could work brilliantly as a means of interacting with team members attempting to give direction or suggestions from outside of the VR environment. 

No dates have been given for when the updates will appear in the app, but knowing that this is what's on the way may get VR fans who were considering the HTC Vive and Tilt Brush a little more excited about adopting the still-developing art creation platform.

VR backpacks are officially a thing. 

HP, MSI and Zotac all announced VR backpacks, which are basically just battery-powered gaming laptops, with shoulder straps this year. And at IFA 2016, I finally got to try one for myself from XMG.

The difference with the German computer maker's "Walker VR Backpack" is that it's the first one that's actually shipping this year. Everyone else's VR backpacks are still concepts with no concrete pricing or launch dates.

The first thing I noticed before putting the Walker on was how dorky it looked. As if wearing the HTC Vive and holding two wand-like controllers in my hands wasn't silly looking, wearing a VR backpack, which at best is still a mess of dangling wires, makes you look like a "geeky version of RoboCop" according to my colleague, Stan Schroeder.

Once worn, though, I was shocked at how light the entire thing felt. At around seven pounds, I was still able to comfortably walk around in my little booth box as I played Space Pirate Trainer, a VR game for the HTC Vive where you're shooting robotic orbs and dodging laser fire.

The VR backpack is powered by an Intel Core i7-6700 HQ process, NVIDIA GTX 1070 graphics, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and has room for two solid-state drives. It can beam what's happening to a monitor wirelessly and has several ports including an HDMI, DisplayPort, 6 USB ports and an ethernet port.

The biggest hurdle XMG needed to overcome was power management. The Walker uses two huge block batteries, which are good for up to 60 minutes of continuous VR time. It's not very long, but at least you can swap them out for freshly charged ones.

I still think VR backpacks are too over-the-top, but I like being able to have room-scale VR experiences with the Vive without needing to worry about tripping over a huge cable coming out of the headset.

The XMG Walker's not the most elegant VR backpack (HTC's Omen X looks much cleaner), but it's a decent start for VR enthusiasts who want a high-end VR experience on the go. (Not that anyone should be playing games like Space Pirate Trainers in public, anyway.)

The big kicker is its price: 4,799 Euro, which comes out to around $5,353. That's the price without any VR headsets. Yikes.

VR backpacks are officially a thing. 

HP, MSI and Zotac all announced VR backpacks, which are basically just battery-powered gaming laptops, with shoulder straps this year. And at IFA 2016, I finally got to try one for myself from XMG.

The difference with the German computer maker's "Walker VR Backpack" is that it's the first one that's actually shipping this year. Everyone else's VR backpacks are still concepts with no concrete pricing or launch dates.

The first thing I noticed before putting the Walker on was how dorky it looked. As if wearing the HTC Vive and holding two wand-like controllers in my hands wasn't silly looking, wearing a VR backpack, which at best is still a mess of dangling wires, makes you look like a "geeky version of RoboCop" according to my colleague, Stan Schroeder.

Once worn, though, I was shocked at how light the entire thing felt. At around seven pounds, I was still able to comfortably walk around in my little booth box as I played Space Pirate Trainer, a VR game for the HTC Vive where you're shooting robotic orbs and dodging laser fire.

The VR backpack is powered by an Intel Core i7-6700 HQ process, NVIDIA GTX 1070 graphics, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and has room for two solid-state drives. It can beam what's happening to a monitor wirelessly and has several ports including an HDMI, DisplayPort, 6 USB ports and an ethernet port.

The biggest hurdle XMG needed to overcome was power management. The Walker uses two huge block batteries, which are good for up to 60 minutes of continuous VR time. It's not very long, but at least you can swap them out for freshly charged ones.

I still think VR backpacks are too over-the-top, but I like being able to have room-scale VR experiences with the Vive without needing to worry about tripping over a huge cable coming out of the headset.

The XMG Walker's not the most elegant VR backpack (HTC's Omen X looks much cleaner), but it's a decent start for VR enthusiasts who want a high-end VR experience on the go. (Not that anyone should be playing games like Space Pirate Trainers in public, anyway.)

The big kicker is its price: 4,799 Euro, which comes out to around $5,353. That's the price without any VR headsets. Yikes.

VR backpacks are officially a thing. 

HP, MSI and Zotac all announced VR backpacks, which are basically just battery-powered gaming laptops, with shoulder straps this year. And at IFA 2016, I finally got to try one for myself from XMG.

The difference with the German computer maker's "Walker VR Backpack" is that it's the first one that's actually shipping this year. Everyone else's VR backpacks are still concepts with no concrete pricing or launch dates.

The first thing I noticed before putting the Walker on was how dorky it looked. As if wearing the HTC Vive and holding two wand-like controllers in my hands wasn't silly looking, wearing a VR backpack, which at best is still a mess of dangling wires, makes you look like a "geeky version of RoboCop" according to my colleague, Stan Schroeder.

Once worn, though, I was shocked at how light the entire thing felt. At around seven pounds, I was still able to comfortably walk around in my little booth box as I played Space Pirate Trainer, a VR game for the HTC Vive where you're shooting robotic orbs and dodging laser fire.

The VR backpack is powered by an Intel Core i7-6700 HQ process, NVIDIA GTX 1070 graphics, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and has room for two solid-state drives. It can beam what's happening to a monitor wirelessly and has several ports including an HDMI, DisplayPort, 6 USB ports and an ethernet port.

The biggest hurdle XMG needed to overcome was power management. The Walker uses two huge block batteries, which are good for up to 60 minutes of continuous VR time. It's not very long, but at least you can swap them out for freshly charged ones.

I still think VR backpacks are too over-the-top, but I like being able to have room-scale VR experiences with the Vive without needing to worry about tripping over a huge cable coming out of the headset.

The XMG Walker's not the most elegant VR backpack (HTC's Omen X looks much cleaner), but it's a decent start for VR enthusiasts who want a high-end VR experience on the go. (Not that anyone should be playing games like Space Pirate Trainers in public, anyway.)

The big kicker is its price: 4,799 Euro, which comes out to around $5,353. That's the price without any VR headsets. Yikes.

VR backpacks are officially a thing. 

HP, MSI and Zotac all announced VR backpacks, which are basically just battery-powered gaming laptops, with shoulder straps this year. And at IFA 2016, I finally got to try one for myself from XMG.

The difference with the German computer maker's "Walker VR Backpack" is that it's the first one that's actually shipping this year. Everyone else's VR backpacks are still concepts with no concrete pricing or launch dates.

The first thing I noticed before putting the Walker on was how dorky it looked. As if wearing the HTC Vive and holding two wand-like controllers in my hands wasn't silly looking, wearing a VR backpack, which at best is still a mess of dangling wires, makes you look like a "geeky version of RoboCop" according to my colleague, Stan Schroeder.

Once worn, though, I was shocked at how light the entire thing felt. At around seven pounds, I was still able to comfortably walk around in my little booth box as I played Space Pirate Trainer, a VR game for the HTC Vive where you're shooting robotic orbs and dodging laser fire.

The VR backpack is powered by an Intel Core i7-6700 HQ process, NVIDIA GTX 1070 graphics, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and has room for two solid-state drives. It can beam what's happening to a monitor wirelessly and has several ports including an HDMI, DisplayPort, 6 USB ports and an ethernet port.

The biggest hurdle XMG needed to overcome was power management. The Walker uses two huge block batteries, which are good for up to 60 minutes of continuous VR time. It's not very long, but at least you can swap them out for freshly charged ones.

I still think VR backpacks are too over-the-top, but I like being able to have room-scale VR experiences with the Vive without needing to worry about tripping over a huge cable coming out of the headset.

The XMG Walker's not the most elegant VR backpack (HTC's Omen X looks much cleaner), but it's a decent start for VR enthusiasts who want a high-end VR experience on the go. (Not that anyone should be playing games like Space Pirate Trainers in public, anyway.)

The big kicker is its price: 4,799 Euro, which comes out to around $5,353. That's the price without any VR headsets. Yikes.