Minecraft celebrates 10th anniversary with new mobile game

Move over, Pokemon GO. It's Minecraft's 10-year anniversary and to commemorate the milestone the brand is launching an augmented reality (AR) mobile game, Minecraft Earth that may seem somewhat familiar to PokemonGO players.

Minecraft Earth blends state-of-the-art Microsoft technology like Azure Spatial Anchors tracking and PlayFab integration for a sophisticated AR gaming experience where gamers collect, explore, build and survive. Minecraft and PlayFab are part of the Microsoft family.

The free-to-play game, available on both iOS and Android, involves players collecting resources, fighting mobs, and gain experience points to progress in the game. Players go out in the real world to find small clusters of blocks, chests or mobs called Tappables. There are also Adventures, small slices of Minecraft worlds in life-size AR – a mine with diamonds underfoot, or trees where skeletons lurk.

Minecraft Earth features many of the Vanilla* Minecraft mobs from the existing universe along with new ones that are currently in the pipeline. Over time, players will get the chance to discover and collect unique variants and use them to populate builds, as well as gather resources and take on nearby challenges.

Just as in the existing game, players can build their own permanent creations in Minecraft Earth. Build Plates support  small, tabletop-sized environments all the way to life-size scale.

The game is optimised for social multiplayer experiences. Anyone with an AR-capable smartphone and Minecraft Earth installed will be able to join a session and interact together.

Ten years in, Minecraft continues to grow. There are now over 200 million registered users of the China edition of Minecraft. Nearly 130 million Minecraft Hour of Code sessions have been completed, and the base game has sold 176 million copies worldwide.

MINECON is also back as MINECON Live. The annual livestream about all things Minecraft will be around 90 minutes long, packed with news, sessions with content creators, and on-demand community panels. MINECON Live will be streamed on Minecraft.net and other Minecraft-owned channels on September 28 at 12 pm EST.

Source: Microsoft. Minecraft Earth poster.

Details:

Minecraft Earth is in closed beta. Find out how to get a chance to be part of the game.

Watch the trailer

Read the Minecraft Earth FAQ

*Vanilla Minecraft is the version of the game that has no gameplay modifications.

Microsoft launches HoloLens 2 at MWC 2019

Source: Microsoft website. Lady wearing the HoloLens 2.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC), Microsoft announced the HoloLens 2 intelligent edge device in addition to making several other launches.

HoloLens 2 is more immersive and comfortable than the previous model, and is built to accelerate time-to-value.

The new visual display system still runs on low power while doubling the field of view; there is a more balanced centre of gravity, with light carbon-fibre material incorporated. A new dial-in fit system makes it comfortable to wear for hours, and those who wear glasses can keep them on because the HoloLens 2 will slide over them. Thermal management has also been improved.

Dynamics 365 Guides is a new mixed-reality app that empowers employees to learn by doing. Guides provides step-by-step instructions that direct employees to the tools and parts they need and how to use them in real work situations. A Guides PC app makes it easy to create interactive content, attach photos and videos, import 3D models and customise training.

"This is a tremendously exciting time for Microsoft, our partners, our customers, the computing industry and indeed the world. The virtually limitless computing power and capability of the cloud combined with increasingly intelligent and perceptive edge devices embedded throughout the physical world create experiences we could only imagine a few short years ago," said Julia White, Corporate VP, Microsoft Azure in a blog post.

Details:

HoloLens 2 will be available this year at a price of US$3,500. Bundles including Dynamics 365 Remote Assist start at US$125/month.

In Asia Pacific, HoloLens 2 will be initially available in Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand. Customers can preorder HoloLens 2 now

Hashtag: #MWC19

Cross-country 5G video calls with augmented reality shown to work

Source: Singtel. An Optus engineer at Optus’ live 5G site in Sydney, Australia uses a OPPO 5G test device during a 5G AR video call to Singtel engineers in Singapore.

Singtel, Optus and Ericsson have shown the shape of things to come after completing a successful end-to-end 5G video call with augmented reality (AR) between Singapore and Australia.

Made with OPPO 5G test devices equipped with Qualcomm 5G modems on 5G networks in both countries, this call shows that AR can be successfully used on a real-time 5G video call using Ericsson’s networks. Engineers made instant on-screen annotations to exchange views on their respective live 5G sites.

 AR provides users with a more inclusive form of communication, opening up new possibilities for enterprises, ranging from mobile collaboration between experts in different locations, on-the-job training to remote assistance. Examples of consumer use cases will include immersive gaming, virtual tactile shopping and holographic calls.

Allen Lew, CEO, Optus said, “Once again Optus has proven our 5G agility, working collaboratively with our colleagues in Singapore to successfully land a ground-breaking 5G inter-country AR video call. Just last month we achieved another first, with the launch of our plans for our 5G Home Broadband product for Australian consumers and today’s announcement is another step in our commitment to lead 5G delivery in Australia.”

Mark Chong, Group CTO, Singtel, said: “This call is a significant marker in our journey to 5G as we develop a robust 5G ecosystem to ensure that our enterprise and consumer customers will enjoy an enhanced connectivity experience. 5G is a key enabler that will bring the future of AR, autonomous vehicles and smart cities closer to reality.”

Martin Wiktorin, Country Head, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines, Ericsson added: "The success of this video call using 5G test devices and AR in a multiparty environment, brings us a step closer to having our mobile broadband experience transformed with a mere click. With the establishment of 5G connectivity on smartphones soon becoming a reality, consumers and enterprises will be able to unleash the full potential of 5G by integrating this new technology into their daily lives and operations.”

Peter Huang, President of OPPO APAC added: “Once again, OPPO has pushed the boundaries of what is possible in a smartphone. The call is another 5G first for OPPO, and demonstrates our commitment to become one of, if not the first manufacturer to commercialise a 5G smartphone.”

According to Ericsson’s Towards a 5G consumer future – Consumer and Industry Insight report 2018, the idea of 5G services appeals to 76% of smartphone users consulted for the survey. In fact, over one-third of users expect 5G to offer capabilities beyond speed and network coverage. This refers to improvements such as better battery life for devices, reliability, guaranteed quality of service as well as the ability to extend connectivity beyond devices to include the Internet of Things (IoT).

AR, VR show promise in APeJ

Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) spending on augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) is forecast to reach US$11.1 billion in 2018, an increase of more than 100% from US$4.6 billion the previous year, says research firm IDC.

The latest update of IDC's Worldwide Semiannual Augmented and Virtual Reality Spending Guide shows investments on AR/VR products and services have gained "exceptional market momentum" in 2018 and are expected to achieve a five-year CAGR of 68.5% through the forecast period of 2017 to 2022.

“The availability of new standalone VR headsets such as Oculus Go from Facebook and Mirage Solo from Lenovo is expected to drive adoption as well as content spending in 2018 and beyond, as these headsets eradicate the need for pairing with PCs or consoles that used to drive costs higher for AR/VR experiences," said Avinav Trigunait, Associate Research Director at IDC Asia Pacific.

The consumer sector will continue to drive growth for AR/VR products and services, and accounts for 51.3% of overall spending in 2018. The growth will be primarily driven by the availability of new headsets for VR which will lead to VR consumer spending. 

AR spending will be dominated by the purchase of services – the launch of AR software development kit (SDK) platforms from both Google and Apple are also expected to drive spending on application development and games for mobile platforms. AR games in the consumer sector look  promising and are projected to hit a five-year CAGR of 90.9%, whilst VR games will register a growth of 54.7% in five-year CAGR over the forecast period. 

Source: IDC. Top use cases for AR/VR based on 2018 market share.

Enterprise spending, which represents more than 48% of AR/VR spending in 2018, is expected to overtake the consumer sector in the next five years with 58% share by the end of the forecast period. Each of the five commercial sectors is forecast to register solid growth in spending throughout the forecast period, led by the distribution and services, and public sector. Distribution and services, worth US$2 billion, will be the largest amongst the five commercial sectors in 2018, led by the personal and consumer services, retail, and professional services industries. The second-largest sector will be manufacturing and resources (US$1.7 billion) with balanced spending across the process manufacturing, construction, and discrete manufacturing industries.

The VR games use case has the highest share among all the sectors, garnering a 39.4% share of overall spending in 2018. In the distribution and services sector, training and retail showcases will be the two largest AR use cases with a combined spending of more than US$329 million in 2018. Training, industrial maintenance and project management will be the largest use cases in the manufacturing and resource sector. In the public sector, infrastructure maintenance and government training will be the two largest use cases in 2018.

"The use cases for both AR and VR are proliferating in the enterprise segment as companies across sectors are developing new IT and business applications. Many enterprises in the region have already developed solutions utilising AR and VR such as for design and visualisation, corporate training, field maintenance and customer experience, and marketing applications," added Trigunait.

"AR/VR technologies are quickly crossing the chasm with several real-world applications emerging every day in both enterprise and consumer segments. Although, the Asia Pacific excluding China and Japan adoption is slower when compared with the US or even China markets, the growth trajectory is very promising with enterprises which are utilising AR/VR technologies to accelerate their digital transformation strategies. In terms of spending, the education industry is expected to top the charts from 2019 till the end of the forecast period out of the 19 industries covered in this spending guide. Other key industries driving growth for AR/VR include retail, manufacturing and healthcare," said Swati Chaturvedi, Senior Market Analyst, IDC IT Spending Team.

On a geographic basis, China will be the region with the largest AR/VR spending with 91.3% share of the overall spending (US$10.2 billion) in APeJ in 2018 and this trend is likely to rise over the forecast period with a five-year CAGR of 70.5%. While, AR/VR technology in other countries of APeJ are slowly emerging and experimenting around how AR/VR can improve the retail and other industry experiences.

Order the Microsoft HoloLens in Singapore from today

Microsoft announced today that Microsoft HoloLens, the first fully self-contained holographic computer running Windows 10, will be available in Singapore starting 12 April 2018.

With this expansion, HoloLens is now available in 41 countries. “At Microsoft, we are on a mission to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more,” said Veronica Chiu, Windows and Devices Business Group Lead, Microsoft Singapore. 

Source: Microsoft. What mixed reality looks like through the Microsoft HoloLens.

“Mixed reality has the potential to help customers and businesses across the globe and in Singapore do things that, until now, have never been possible. Mixed reality experiences will help businesses and their employees to complete crucial tasks faster, safer, more efficiently, and create new ways to connect to customers and partners.”

Mixed reality, as defined by Microsoft, refers to experiences that blend the physical world with the digital world.

Microsoft first announced HoloLens in January 2015 and shipped to developers and commercial partners in the US and Canada on March 31, 2016. The company continues to invest in technologies that are enabling the broader ecosystem to create for mixed reality worldwide. Over the last year, Microsoft has seen several innovative HoloLens implementations from partners and customers:

Trimble, known for its wide range of positioning technologies, introduced Trimble Connect for HoloLens and a new hard hat solution for HoloLens that improves the utility of mixed reality for practical field applications. Trimble has paid close attention to how to support HoloLens as a high-value tool for firstline workers and are continuing to increase their impact on the market.

Thyssenkrupp, one of the world’s major elevator companies and a global urban mobility firm, has found ways to dramatically decrease operational costs with remote assist and training. With HoloLens, thyssenkrupp has digitalised sales and manufacturing processes of its home mobility solutions by as much as four times. 

In addition, using Microsoft HoloLens, 24,000 elevator service technicians can now visualise and identify problems ahead of a job, and have remote, hands-free access to technical and expert information when onsite, improving the way people and cities move.

JRCS, a major Japanese maritime services company, deployed mixed reality, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) to change how shipping crews are trained, how ships are maintained, and how navigational safety and standards are promoted and enforced. With HoloLens, JCRS will deploy their INFINITY Training system which uses both mixed reality and AI to train both seafarers and land-based supervisors, enabling seafarers throughout the world to participate in equipment and systems courses at any time, wherever they are.

Microsoft New Zealand and local partner Datacom are using the technology of HoloLens to capture and preserve the beautiful tribal stories of one of New Zealand’s largest Iwi (Maori tribe). The Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei community is using Microsoft HoloLens and gamification to preserve and promote beliefs that date back almost a millennium, so that the past can be enjoyed by future generations, through an immersive and interactive medium.

In Singapore, the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA's) Lab on Wheels programme launched an immersive media themed bus in March to bring immersive media experiences to schools and the community. Immersive media is one of four frontier technologies that Singapore is investing in, according to the IMDA Infocomm Media Industry Transformation Map.

The Lab on Wheels immersive media themed bus aims to showcase and educate students and the community about how immersive media technologies can impact the way they learn, work, live and play. Microsoft and their education partner, Serl.io, are partners in this effort to bring mixed reality experiences to students and the public through Microsoft’s HoloLens.

Details:

Microsoft HoloLens will be available in two configurations - Microsoft HoloLens Developer Edition and Commercial Suite – and is now available to order on the Microsoft Store.

The recommended retail price for the devices are as follows:

Product	Suggested retail price (inclusive of GST)
HoloLens Configurations
Development Edition	S$4,388
Commercial Suite	S$7,288

In Asia, HoloLens is now available in Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore, as well as in Turkey and the UAE. Check out more about HoloLens availability in each market

Google Tango experiences launched as part of Visual SG festival

The Science Centre Singapore, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, has launched an augmented reality experience using Google Tango technology.

Visitors to the Singapore Science Centre can try Google Tango at the recently refurbished E3 exhibition (E-mmersive Experiential Environments), an immersive environment that offers virtual and augmented reality experiences.

Users with Tango-enabled phones, such as the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and the Asus ZenFone AR, can just hold up their phones and watch as moving objects and information appear as a virtual layer on top of their surroundings.

Google Tango exhibits at E3 include Space Adventurer, which features some of the issues related to living in an environment unlike Earth. This includes implications for physical health, mental health and food.

Other exhibition highlights include:

·         Wall-to-wall projections 7m high where visitors can explore scenes like underwater ruins and outer space and even interact with selected elements in the scenery

·         The Sen-So-Real Station offers visitors the chance to manoeuvre floating astronauts and satellites, and also change the environments they are in with the placement of three RFID cubes

·        Dock spaceships using a giant trackball.

·         Zoom in to the Sun and see it in different layers of immersion.

·         Interact with liquid in a zero gravity environment.

The Google Tango launch is part of the fourth Visual SG, itself part of a month-long Singapore Science Festival (SSF), which returned in its 17th edition with more offerings to encourage stronger curiosity about science and innovation.

Source: Singapore Science Centre. Poster for SSF 2017.

On till 19 August 2017, SSF 2017 will connect local and international changemakers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics community. The event is jointly organised by Science Centre Singapore and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

In line with the theme of Future Health, SSF 2017 will showcase the development and use of innovative approaches in science and technology that would support the transformation of healthcare to one centred on the well-being of patients and caregivers. This will be presented through a suite of activities, from lectures and talks, to workshops and interactive games, designed for participants of all ages.

“Science and technology have played an important role in the advancement of healthcare, and will have the potential to improve our everyday life. We’re excited to present SSF 2017 and celebrate innovations that are relevant, creative and presented in fun and interactive ways. We hope that more visitors will enjoy the wide range of multisensory activities offered during SSF, and that it will inspire visitors young and old to discover science and innovation in their own way,” said Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive, Science Centre Singapore when the event was announced. SSF 2017 also features refreshed returns of crowd favourites like X-periment! @ one-north Festival, Singapore Maker Extravaganza, STAR Lecture and Visual SG. 

“Every year, the Singapore Science Festival highlights the profound contributions of STEM* to both economic and societal outcomes. This year’s focus on the future of health is particularly pertinent, given our rapidly ageing population and also a general increased awareness of the importance of individual health and wellness,” said Professor Ng Huck Hui, Executive Director of the A*STAR Graduate Academy, and the Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR.

"We hope that this year’s festival encourages young people to take a greater interest in scientific research that impacts health and more, and inspires them to take a more active role in the STEM community – be it as makers and hobbyists, or future scholars and academics.”

Festival highlights include:

 X-periment! @ one-north Festival, a two-day science carnival on 18 and 19 August that celebrates the latest development and innovation on the theme of Future Health; 

 Visual SG, a key visualisation festival ending 13 August with interactive displays, forums and workshops.

 The STAR Lecture ending 3 August, titled Supercharged: Fueling the Future by Professor Saiful Islam, who is from the department of Materials Chemistry at the University of Bath, UK;

Science Centre Singapore is a non-formal educational institution that brings out the wonders of science, technology, engineering and mathematics through a blend of exhibitions, educational programmes and events. The Centre’s group of attractions include Southeast Asia’s largest seamless dome screen and featuring the latest and brightest 8k digital fulldome system in the world; Singapore’s only permanent indoor snow centre; and Singapore’s first children’s science centre offering purposeful play for children aged 18 months to eight years old.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that spearheads economic oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology.

Interested?

Download Tango apps

Tango is currently supported by the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and the Asus ZenFone AR devices.

The ArtScience Museum of Singapore and the National Museum of Singapore also offer Tango experiences.

*Science, technology, engineering and mathematics  

posted from Bloggeroid

Epson Singapore makes new Moverio Pro augmented reality smart glasses available

Epson, a global projection technology and visual communications provider, has launched the Moverio Pro BT-2000 smart headset. The Moverio Pro delivers a binocular smart glasses experience for augmented reality applications such as inspection or training purposes, or for remote field service support for complex repair assistance and troubleshooting.

Source: Epson Singapore. The new
Moverio Pro BT-2000 smart headset.

Augmented reality smart glasses can improve worker efficiency for various industries in vertical markets such as warehouse/logistics, field service, automotive, manufacturing, construction, and retail. Workers in different locations can see exactly what their counterparts are seeing, get visual assistance and to provide informed support and training, for instance.

Leveraging Epson’s patented optical and precision technologies, the Moverio Pro BT-2000 provides a platform for displaying augmented reality content over the real world environment and 3D images. The Moverio Pro features a 1,350 Candela/mm²* high-resolution display and micro projectors located on each side of the eyeglasses that project transparent overlays of digital content directly in the user’s field of view over the real-world environment. An ambient light sensor (ALS) automatically adjusts the display brightness for each location at work.

The headset also includes a highly sensitive motion sensor unit, the Epson inertial measurement unit (IMU), consisting of high-precision motion sensors such as a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer for accurate head tracking or indoor positioning. A 5-megapixel stereo camera with three-dimensional depth sensing detects the dimensions and spatial positioning of objects in relation to each other.

Designed with an Android operating system, the new Moverio Pro enables enterprises and other organisations to create and share applications that tailor the product to meet their precise needs. The new product also provides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for connectivity with external interface devices such as keyboards, mouses and headsets, voice interpretation and recognition for easier hand-free operation, and two exchangeable batteries that allow work to continue with minimal interruption and downtime. The BT-2000 is also dust and water resistant for durability.

“The Moverio Pro BT-2000 is a result of our discussions with customers in different industries who see the tremendous potential of Moverio smart glasses that can help enhance productivity of their businesses. The Moverio has the potential to revolutionise workflow for onsite or remote operations. It adds a new dimension to professionals for improving their efficiency and accuracy at work, enabling workers to share their experience virtually or provide hands-free movement for hands-on work,” said Tan May Lin, Epson Singapore’s General Manager (Sales, Marketing & Customer Service Division).

Interested?

The Moverio Pro BT-2000 retails at S$4,857 and is currently available in Singapore, Thailand and Philippines.

*Cd/m² is a unit measuring luminance, or brightness.

Epson launches new Moverio smart glasses

Epson has announced the third generation of its Moverio smart glasses for augmented reality. The Moverio BT-300 features Epson's breakthrough silicon-based organic light emitting diode (OLED) digital display technology, enabling truly transparent mobile augmented reality (AR) experiences for business and consumers.

The Moverio BT-300 is the lightest binocular see-though smart glasses announced to date, and is more than 20% lighter than the Moverio BT-200, Epson said. The glasses are powered by a quad core Intel Atom X5 processor and Android 5.1, enabling efficient rendering of complex 3D experiences. An upgraded 5 megapixel front-facing camera and onboard sensors enable the Moverio BT-300 to more precisely determine the location of objects in the real world. The Si-OLED projection system can then seamlessly render and lock 3D content to these objects, with no display background or edges in the field of view.

"The Epson Moverio BT-300 is a major leap forward in mobile AR smart eyewear, with its comfortable, lightweight form factor and amazing new display engine – and at a price comparable to smartphones," said Eric Mizufuka, Product Manager, New Ventures for Epson America. "The transition from LCD backlit projection to Si-OLED enables higher contrast levels, a wider colour gamut and true display transparency – this is a game-changing technology that will accelerate the adoption of AR glasses."

"We've built our AR ecosystem of partners and solutions over the past five years and three commercially available products - it's been a long journey and we've learned a lot.  We've incorporated these learnings into the design of the Moverio BT-300 and are confident that this device will be the standard in the AR glasses category," Mizufuka said. "In addition to pursuing new markets for our technology, we will rapidly scale in areas where we've had commercial success, including drone photography, remote support, AR training/maintenance, healthcare, retail, logistics and more."

"The Moverio BT-300 marks an impressive advance in performance for the platform, and will offer drone pilots crystal clear, transparent first person views (FPV) from the drone camera while simultaneously maintaining their line of sight with their aircraft," said Michael Perry, Director of strategic partnerships, DJI. "The Moverio smart eyewear will make flying and filming safer and help users stay in compliance with local and federal regulations. We are excited to see the incredible applications that can be built with the BT-300 and the recently relaunched DJI SDK – the possibilities truly are endless."

"Moverio is distinct from other smart glasses on the market where form often supersedes function, to the detriment of the product's usability," said Atsunari Tsuda, General Manager responsible for Moverio. "Every design decision we make is driven by consideration for the product's ultimate usage scenarios and our Si-OLED technology opens a new world for us in binocular see-though smart eyewear development. With OLED we can take advantage of reductions in power usage and weight, and improvements in response times, HD resolution, brightness and contrast. By choosing silicon rather than glass for our base wafer we achieve an even more precise pixel display."

Interested?

The Epson Moverio BT-300 will be available in late 2016 and is available for preorder at Epson.com/Moverio.

Watch the video

posted from Bloggeroid

Mobile marketing the McDonald's way

McDonald’s is thinking of new ways to engage the customer on a long-term basis with mobile marketing. Its Surprise Alarm app not only helps people get out of bed every morning, but also gets people to the restaurants to actually buy something, said Andrew Knott, Vice President, Media & Digital, McDonald’s during the Mobile Marketing Association Forum 2014 in Singapore.

The secret to the hit app, which made it to no. 1 on both the Apple App Store and on the Google Play store, is an offer every morning. It could be a cash prize, or a free treat that is stored in a digital wallet to like, share or redeem. “There is more incentive to head to a McDonald's for redemption,” said Knott. “It remembers what you like so it can tailor what it offers.”

In two months, McDonald’s was able to garner 15% of the smartphone population in Singapore, and 90% of those who downloaded the app actually activated it. The company saw a 15% redemption rate for the offers, which are only valid for a 24-hour period.

Ad on a table at a McDonald's in Singapore

Knott said the potential has moved from a campaign approach to a platform for on-going engagement, suggesting that there might be tieups with music companies for the morning alarm part of the app. 

  

Apps do not have to be dry when they provide information, either. Knott shared that the Track my Macca’s app used augmented reality to recognise the food that had been ordered, consults supply chain information and then transforms dining tables into cartoon villages in order to deliver customised information to the user by his or her location. “It is a good way to tell our nutritional story in a very transparent way and also in a compelling way,” he said.

For McDonald’s, mobile does not standalone but is complemented by other channels. “Mobile is a critical part of our future journey as a brand but TV will play a significant role,” he said. For example, McDonald’s through its mobile commerce partnership with NTT DoCoMo, which began letting DoCoMo subscribers buy food from the restaurant chain by using their mobile phones in 2007, has captured tens of millions of names from their delivery service. 

“We’re leveraging the data on a campaign basis, and populating it across all our platforms,” Knott said.

Hashtag: #MMAF2014