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We dig into Valve’s Steam Frame headset, the revived Steam Machine concept, and the new Steam Controller 2.0, weighing smart tradeoffs against ambitious promises. Comfort, eye tracking, and foveated streaming headline a PC-first strategy that could challenge Quest on user experience.

• why Valve picked a mobile ARM chip over XR silicon
• eye tracking as the key to dynamic foveated rendering gains
• PC-hybrid focus with a low-latency wireless streaming puck
• openness of the Steam library and Linux-first SteamOS
• missing features: no hand tracking, monochrome pass-through
• LCD panels vs OLED hopes, and real-world contrast limits
• comfort-first design with balanced weight and modular front
• Steam Machine power, TDP, and tough pricing realities
• controller upgrades: dual trackpads, gyro, community profiles
• future possibilities: gaze input, hybrid compute, OpenXR ports

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Three horror fans suit up for a spooky VR tour through Resident Evil 4 VR, Exorcist Legion VR, Phasmophobia, and Blair Witch VR, then shift to a hands‑on breakdown of Samsung’s Galaxy XR specs, price, and promise. We weigh design choices, comfort, and whether premium headsets finally justify their cost.

• why VR amplifies horror with agency and presence
• Resident Evil 4 VR’s smart port and melee feel
• Exorcist Legion’s chapter format and ritual tools
• co‑op tension loops in Phasmophobia
• Blair Witch VR’s flashlight, camcorder, and Bullet
• PC VR vs standalone quality gaps narrowing
• Galaxy XR price, controllers, refresh rates
• panels, FOV, pass‑through, and comfort trade‑offs
• day‑one games, Netflix 4K, media codecs
• where Quest, AVP, and Galaxy XR diverge on value

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We unpack Samsung’s Galaxy XR strategy, Meta’s push for premium licensed content, and Apple’s VisionOS upgrades that aim to close real usability gaps. Along the way, we test practical tools—from room scanning to video glasses—that make spatial creation and viewing feel ready.

• Samsung Galaxy XR specs, display claims, pricing, launch plan
• Android XR platform, Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 performance
• Sony micro‑OLEDs, persistence and smearing explained
• Galaxy phone spatial capture and 4K30 pipeline
• Meta Connect: Blumhouse Enhanced Cinema on Quest
• Avatar 3 teaser quality, frame rate, and MetaTV curation
• MetaTV strategy shift and licensed content implications
• Meta Hyperscape room scanning, fidelity, and workflows
• Ray‑Ban display glasses with EMG wristband input
• VisionOS 2.6: PSVR2 controllers, widgets, 90 Hz hands
• Native 180/360 playback, macOS spatial rendering
• Steam “Frame” standalone rumors and streaming
• Viture Pro XR impressions, stereo preview, and use cases

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The XR industry is hitting a mature stride with companies making significant investments despite recurring reports of VR's demise. We explore how companies are embracing XR as the evolution of VR technology with broader applications and market potential.

• Meta partners with Xbox to release a branded Quest 3S bundle with Game Pass Ultimate
• Cloud streaming games over Quest headsets provides latency benefits when home network conditions are optimal
• Meta reportedly courting Disney and A24 to create high-quality immersive content for next-gen headsets
• DAZN introduces new tabletop experience for watching soccer/football with 3D rendered field visualization
• Snap announces standalone AR glasses with no external puck, targeting late 2024/early 2025 release
• XReal's Project Aura promises 70-degree field of view with external puck and Android XR compatibility
• Apple Vision OS 26 introduces PlayStation controller support and shared spatial experiences for co-watching
• Google's Android XR strategy includes monocular display glasses with real-time translation capabilities

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We explore the evolving landscape of immersive technology, from James Cameron's partnership with Meta to Blackmagic's groundbreaking new camera system. The tech world is shifting toward more integrated, powerful tools for creating and experiencing immersive content.

• James Cameron acknowledges VR headsets as the optimal medium for 3D movies, eliminating issues like crosstalk and brightness loss
• Meta's "Hypernova" smart glasses coming in 2025 ($1300-1400) with a monocular display in the lower right corner
• Apple releases Immersive Video Utility for importing and reviewing Vision Pro footage with multi-device playback capabilities
• Third-party developer Ivory enables eye tracking on PSVR2 for PC, allowing for dynamic foveated rendering
• Blackmagic unveils the $30,000 Ursa Immersive camera with dual 8K sensors, 90fps recording, and complete Apple Vision Pro integration
• The camera's metadata-driven pipeline preserves quality through the entire post-production process

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PlayStation VR 2 just received a substantial $150 price cut, bringing the headset down to $399 - a revealing move that speaks volumes about its sluggish sales. Despite quality hardware and impressive OLED displays, Sony's VR platform has struggled against Meta's dominance, with no exclusive titles released in nearly a year. The situation draws uncomfortable parallels to Sony's ill-fated PS Vita, another promising device abandoned after underwhelming market performance.

Meanwhile, excitement builds around Valve's long-rumored Deckard headset. Leaked information suggests a late 2025 launch at approximately $1,200, featuring eye-tracking technology and potentially 4K micro-OLED displays. Most intriguing is the possibility that Deckard could function as a "Steam Deck for your face," allowing users to play their entire Steam library in VR - not just dedicated VR games. Newly leaked controller designs featuring a d-pad further support this theory, potentially revolutionizing how we think about VR gaming.

On the content front, Apple's immersive video ecosystem continues expanding with Bono's upcoming feature-length documentary and Prima, a new app that claims to deliver cleaner video than Apple's own immersive format. We follow up the second half of the show with our deep-dive review of "The Human Within," a $20 interactive VR film that blends live action, 360 video, and Unity environments into a cohesive 90-minute cyberpunk thriller with multiple branching pathways. Check out our 3D Gameplay embedded in the review! It's Stereoscope-ception!

The VR landscape continues evolving rapidly, with each platform fighting for its place in this emerging medium. Whether you're a hardware enthusiast tracking the next breakthrough device or a content creator navigating these new storytelling possibilities, join us as we explore what's working, what's not, and what might define the future of virtual reality.

Want more specialized content? Check out our new companion show Z-Axis, featuring in-depth reviews with 3D gameplay footage that showcases VR experiences in their native format.

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What if the future of screens is no screen at all? We explore the revolutionary world of XR and AR smart glasses—straight from CES—highlighting innovations like the groundbreaking XR glasses scramble and cyberpunk-inspired touch boards. These technological marvels promise to transform how we interact with digital environments, offering virtual displays that hover seamlessly around us. For those looking to blend the virtual with the real, this episode reveals how these advancements are reshaping user interactions through familiar interfaces like keyboards and mice.

Join us as XR glasses scramble, covering the various XR glasses announced at CES 2025. Imagine lightweight, prescription-friendly glasses that offer turn-by-turn navigation and real-time translation, all while staying unobtrusive. We dissect the competitive landscape stirred by upcoming releases, like the Meta Ray-Ban event, and introduce you to innovative hands-free controls using a ring. These glasses are not just about seeing differently—they’re about living smarter. Get ready to appreciate how technology once relegated to sci-fi is becoming a part of everyday life. We cover the shockingly relevant Play For Dream MR, an Android headset coming from a Chinese company later this year.

We wrap up with a glimpse into the future landscape of VR and AR technology, fueled by major industry moves like Google's acquisition of HTC's VR team. Dive into Samsung's ambitious Muhan project and its challenges, while considering the broader implications of non-Meta innovations. Plus, we breakdown two "new" VR180 consumer cameras with Quoocam Ultra 3 VR180 Mod and the Slam Xcam coming VERY Soon. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a casual listener, this episode promises to keep you informed and eager for what's next in the realm of immersive technology.

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What if the world of cinema could be completely revolutionized by immersive technology? Join us as we uncover this potential with Jared Payne, the actor and co-producer of the sci-fi VR film "The Talent Stealer." Jared shares fascinating insights into the challenges and breakthroughs that come with crafting a narrative in the VR180 format, offering listeners an inside look at the cutting-edge techniques that are reshaping the film industry's landscape. Discover how his team skillfully navigated the complexities of multi-camera setups and collaborative creativity, emphasizing the vibrant spirit of the Vancouver film community.

In this milestone 10th episode of the Stereoscope podcast, we dissect the latest whispers and leaks that are stirring the VR and AR industry. From Canon's intriguing patent of AR VR glasses—which might signal a move into a full immersive camera platform—to Apple's potential integration of PSVR 2 controllers into the Vision Pro, we explore the ripple effects these innovations could have on technology enthusiasts and creators alike. Plus, we spotlight a game-changing in-headset video editing app SpatialCut, designed to enhance content creation within the Apple Vision Pro ecosystem, streamlining processes and fueling creativity.

As we navigate the evolving landscape of immersive technology, we peel back the layers of Google's collaboration with Samsung on Project MooHan and the Android XR platform. Explore the role of AI, especially Google's Gemini, and its implications for XR apps amid concerns about AI’s influence on the film industry. With Google's strategic resources like YouTube, we ponder the competitive dynamics at play as Samsung and Google position themselves against Apple's Vision Pro and MetaQuest. This episode is a captivating exploration of the technological advances and industry dynamics shaping the future of VR and AR.

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