Tag Archives: Augmented Reality

Increase Productivity for Production and Manufacturing Processes

February 7, 2024 Varinderjit Singh Leave a comment

This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager at Lenovo Malaysia

Production and manufacturing processes are becoming more complex and demanding as customers expect higher quality, lower cost, and faster delivery of products. To meet these challenges, manufacturers need to leverage the power of advanced technologies, such as high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and spatial computing. In this article, we will explore how a workstation can increase productivity for production and manufacturing processes by using spatial computing solutions, data science and client AI solutions, NVIDIA Omniverse, and remote workstation solutions. Examples of noteworthy workstation options include the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 G2, Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower and the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower operating on Windows 11 Pro. Use Windows 11 Pro for Workstations to blaze through workloads with lag-free multitasking across your most demanding applications.

Picture1 LenovoProductionManufacturing byline

Spatial Computing Solutions

Spatial computing is a technology that can digitize the spatial relationships between machines, people, objects, and environments, and enable and optimize their operations and interactions. Spatial computing can help manufacturers with product design, quality control, safety, and efficiency. For example, spatial computing can enable digital twins, which are virtual replicas of physical assets or processes that can be used for simulation, testing, and optimization. Spatial computing can also facilitate augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications, which can enhance the visualization and collaboration of design and engineering teams, as well as provide immersive training and guidance for workers. A workstation that can handle spatial computing tasks should have a powerful GPU, a large memory, and a high-resolution display. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Mobile Workstation, which has an NVIDIA® RTX 5000 Ada graphics card, an Intel® Core™ i9-13950HX processor, and up to 192GB of memory.

Data Science and Client AI Solutions

Data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers analyze and utilize the vast amounts of data generated by production and manufacturing processes, such as sensor data, quality data, customer data, and market data. Data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers with demand forecasting, inventory management, process optimization, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and customer satisfaction. For example, data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers create and fine-tune foundation models, which are large and versatile AI models that can perform multiple tasks, such as natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and more. Data science and client AI solutions can also help manufacturers interact with and explore data through conversational interfaces, visualizations, and summarizations. A workstation that can handle data science and client AI tasks should have a fast and reliable processor, a large and expandable memory, and a flexible and scalable storage system. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Workstation, which has a 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, up to 128GB of memory, and up to 32TB of storage.

Picture2 LenovoProductionManufacturing byline

NVIDIA Omniverse

NVIDIA Omniverse is a platform that enables the creation and operation of complex, AI-enabled virtual environments, or digital twins, for factory and warehouse design. These virtual replicas facilitate real-time collaboration among teams and are the key to unleashing operational efficiencies with predictive analysis and process automation. NVIDIA Omniverse allows manufacturers to import and export data from various sources, such as CAD tools, simulation software, and IoT devices, and create realistic and interactive simulations of production and manufacturing scenarios. NVIDIA Omniverse also supports ray tracing, physics, and sound rendering, which can enhance the quality and realism of the virtual environments. A workstation that can handle NVIDIA Omniverse tasks should have a powerful graphics card, a high-performance CPU, and a large memory. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower Workstation, which has up to 64 cores CPU, a 10Gb Ethernet port, and plenty of storage capabilities.

Picture3 LenovoProductionManufacturing byline

Remote Workstation Solutions

Remote workstation solutions can help manufacturers access their physical workstations from virtually anywhere with rich graphics acceleration via leading remote visualization tools. Remote workstation solutions can help manufacturers with remote design, engineering, and collaboration, as well as reduce the cost and maintenance of physical workstations. Remote workstation solutions can also provide security and compliance features, such as encryption, authentication, and auditing. A workstation that can handle remote workstation tasks should have a low-latency frame encode, accelerated desktop capture, headless graphics support, and leading pro-ISV certifications, like the majority of the Workstations from Lenovo. The Lenovo remote TGX solution is the best way to connect to your Workstation cluster from anywhere in the world.

Wrap up

A workstation can increase productivity for production and manufacturing processes by using various technologies, such as spatial computing, data science and client AI, NVIDIA Omniverse, and remote workstation solutions. These technologies can help manufacturers improve their design, engineering, simulation, production, and collaboration workflows, as well as reduce their costs, risks, and environmental impact. A workstation that can support these technologies should have a combination of hardware and software features, such as a powerful GPU, a fast CPU, large memory, flexible storage, and a reliable network. Lenovo offers a range of workstation solutions that can meet the needs of different production and manufacturing scenarios, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Intel (16″) Mobile Workstation, the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Workstation, the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower Workstation, and the TGX Remote Workstation.

Business, Contributed

Adopting New (Virtual and Augmented) Realities for Manufacturing

December 14, 2023 Varinderjit Singh Leave a comment

This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia

The manufacturing industry is shifting from hands-on to virtual with AR & VR, to increase efficiency, enhance employee training & cut costs.

As augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies expand beyond the gaming world, they are seeing increased awareness and adoption across a variety of industries – particularly manufacturing. In an era dominated by data and one that is constantly shifting to adapt to the needs of the new workforce, emerging technologies have the opportunity to completely disrupt the manufacturing industry as we know it.

AR/VR enables a new generation of workers to be smarter, faster, and more capable by connecting people and computers in real-time, hands-free scenarios. This new wave of immersive computing enables workers to access technical knowledge and data on the go, interact with 3D models to collaborate and innovate with peers and dive into digital experiences that enhance engagement and learning. By empowering employees to do more, AR/VR technologies allow enterprises to solve problems in unexpected and inventive ways.

Lenovo’s ThinkReality solutions are making it easier than ever to build, deploy and manage enterprise AR/VR solutions. ThinkReality is a scalable cloud and device-agnostic software platform supported by Lenovo’s expert consulting, deployment and support services. As the global manufacturing industry prepares to adjust to new challenges and opportunities, ThinkReality is ready to support it.

In addition, the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 operating on Windows 11 Pro is an excellent choice for businesses and employee training. Use Windows 11 Pro for Workstations to blaze through workloads with lag-free multitasking across your most demanding applications.

Manufacturing’s New Reality

The manufacturing industry now has approximately 2.72 million workers in Malaysia, accounting for about 18.1% of the workforce, and continuing to grow. With a transitioning workforce, globally, the manufacturing industry is forecasting a deficit of 7.9 million workers by 2030, resulting in an unrealized economic output of $607.1 billion (RM 2.8 trillion) if current initiatives remain unchanged.

According to Korn Ferry’s Future of Work study, “Developing countries with strong manufacturing centres may begin to struggle due to significant talent shortages – by 2030, Brazil could suffer manufacturing worker deficits of 1.7 million and Indonesia could see worker shortages reach 1.6 million. The United States already struggles with shortfalls in highly skilled manufacturing talent and this deficit is expected to increase over the next decade, reaching a 2030 shortfall of 383,000 such workers, equivalent to more than 10% of the highly skilled workforce.”

As a result, the manufacturing industry, which has traditionally been slow to evolve, is moving at rapid speeds towards AR/VR integration to help solve for the skilled workforce gap. IDC forecasts worldwide spending on AR/VR will reach $160 billion (RM 759.7 billion) this year, up significantly from the $16.8 billion (RM 78.8 billion) forecast for 2019, with the five-year compound annual growth rate for AR/VR spending reaching 78.3%.

The uptick in AR/VR enterprise growth will be a direct result of manufacturing’s growth, where companies are using technology to boost productivity, increase security and ensure accuracy in the industry.

Hands-on Training

According to Deloitte, the number of new jobs in manufacturing is expected to accelerate and grow by 1.96 million workers by 2028. This job surge calls for the industry to keep up with the demand for new talent and to quickly adapt and integrate new technologies—to boost both revenue and employee productivity.

Technicians need to quickly adapt to this environment and determine efficiencies across their entire operations. One such way is by enabling new technologies that enhance employee training.

In most manufacturing environments, hands-on training is difficult because shutting down equipment or a production line to brief new employees is unrealistic. Additionally, there are certain pieces of equipment that might be too expensive to purchase just to dedicate solely to training new hires.

However, with VR, on-the-field training is possible, as new employees can be placed in a virtual environment that mimics the work they would be doing on the ground. Allowing employees to learn through real-life experiences leads to increased knowledge retention and gives them the ability to practice complex scenarios they would normally not have access to in traditional training environments. The technology also allows employees to absorb the information through real-time application, save time in traditional forms of training and equip them with the expertise they need to fill the industry skills gap. Companies also benefit because virtual training prevents disruption in normal operations.

Safety & Maintenance

Being able to train employees from a distance boosts learning, saves employers money long-term and, most importantly, provides a safer environment. While company manuals and training courses exist, there needs to be other resources employees can take advantage of to effectively prepare for the variety of high-risk situations they might face over their careers. With AR technology, employees are able to experience potentially dangerous scenarios repeatedly, helping to avoid injury and equipment damage.

As an example, aerospace manufacturers are using AR technology to increase efficiency and improve quality control at their installation and inspection facilities. Employees use augmented reality glasses to see digital mockups over images of real systems to identify faulty parts which helps ensure safety and speeds up the maintenance process. AR helps ensure accuracy while also speeding up the process of daily inspections.

Worker Productivity & Business Efficiency

The result of a more experiential onboarding and training process is employees who are more prepared for their daily tasks, which leads to increased productivity. Beyond training, AR/VR solutions help businesses work smarter and more efficiently. For example, manufacturing company leaders can use VR to reskill their employees to learn new skills, or alternatively, AR solutions can give engineers access to interactive 3D renderings to more quickly assemble a specific component.

Additionally, over the years these technologies have evolved to help businesses be even more efficient. For example, to adapt to the increasingly mobile and technologically-driven workforce, these solutions now come in the form of hands-free head-worn devices that can be used to deploy both simple and complex AR solutions for enterprises – reducing error rates, improving time to build a system and minimizing costs.

Looking Ahead

ThinkReality is conceived for today’s world and the future. The Lenovo ThinkReality platform provides a proven, scalable, and streamlined path from proof of concept to productivity for enterprise AR/VR applications. The platform is a complete solution that lets you focus on problem-solving by working across diverse hardware and software. Build, deploy, and manage applications and content on a global scale, with global support.

While AR/VR technologies are still facing integration roadblocks in the industry, they hold a substantial role in propelling the manufacturing industry forward in the coming years. Ensuring employees are properly trained, productive and safe is just the starting point for the future of AR/VR in the manufacturing industry. As we look ahead, enterprises will continue to see the value of AR/VR in enhancing operations. By building in smarter technologies into the enterprise ecosystem, businesses will transform the manufacturing industry as we see it today.

Computers, Lifestyle, News

[WWDC 2023] The Apple Vision Pro – The Apple Computer on Your Face

June 7, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Apple’s WWDC 2023 seems to be a big one. They announced a new iOS. They also announced their ultra-powerful (no pun intended) Apple M2 Ultra integrated chip that powers their newly announced Mac Studio desktop beast. The most shocking and interesting announcement they did though is not their new large format desktop with their most powerful integrated chip ever. They announced a sort of wearable headset that comes packing two processors. They call it the Vision Pro.

They referred to the Apple Vision Pro not really as a Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) machine though, funnily enough. They referred to the headset as a Spatial Computing tool, a sort of headset that “seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world”. So, an AR goggle it is, except it is a little different compared to the VR/AR goggles that we are used to these days.

Instead of dedicated controllers or physical navigation interfaces, the main interface with Vision Pro is gestures. You can technically connect other form of controller interfaces with the Apple Vision Pro, especially if you want to play traditional games on it. But it is designed to be controlled via your body and hand gestures almost entirely.

We mentioned two processors powering this new Vision Pro. It comes with an Apple standard M2 silicon integrated chip. Alongside that chip is Apple’s R1 chip. The R1 chip works alongside the M2 as an image controller and processor. Instead of crunching mathematical issues like the M2, the R1 controls feeds from 12 different cameras, five sensors, and six microphones that translates to navigation across the interface on the Vision Pro.

Apple WWCD23 Vision Pro VisionOS 230605 — Source: Apple

For the Vision Pro, they introduced an entirely new interface they call the VisionOS. They say that the the VisionOS will have access to the App Store and most of the apps made for the iPhone and the iPad. It even has access to FaceTime and allows you to take FaceTime calls with Spatial Audio if you like. Rather than your participants watching you wear a comically large headset, they see you as an avatar that you commonly see in iMessage. Your participants even get to see the entire body being represented in the video call with all the delicate finger movements and everything thanks to the highly advanced cameras and sensors. Apple even says that you can technically watch movies at what feels like 100-inch displays via the Vision Pro.

How they achieved this feat is by fitting two micro-OLED displays that offer up to 23 million pixels combined. Apple says that the micro-OLED displays are only at the size of a stamp and offers HDR and wide colour gamut coverage for the most accurate and immersive experience on an AR goggle you can get. They can even fit a Zeiss optical correction inserts into the Vision Pro if it is required by users. For Spatial Audio, there are speakers that are fitted right into the head band near your ears and works with the sensors within the Vision Pro to create a surround sound feel to your space. It can even be used wirelessly at up to two hours at a time. If not, just keep yourself tethered to a charge point for an all-day use. The proprietary battery pack has to be attached externally though, and you will still have a running cable from the battery pack to the headset.

Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple

So how much for all this innovation? A cool US$ 3,499 (MYR 16,114*), according to Apple. It will be available in the United States only for now and is only coming next year in 2024. Apple says that they will be bring the device to more regions in 2024 but did not specify which regions. We are not expecting the Vision Pro to make it into Malaysia at the same time as any other region though. There are no confirmations that the Apple Vision Pro will make it anywhere near the region too, so we are not entirely hopeful as well about its local availability. For more information on the Apple Vision Pro, you can head out to their website.

*approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.61 as of 07/06/2023 on xe.com

Accessories, Business, Health, Mobile, News

Google Glass Bites the Dust – Support Officially Ending in September 2023, Sales Has Ceased

March 17, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Google Glass made its debut in 2013. Back then, Google Glass made headlines everywhere and the idea that everyone in the world will eventually own one or some type of augmented reality (A.R.) headgear was not in any way ridiculous. That conversation died soon after though. The reality (no pun intended) was that an A.R. glasses from Google at the time will set you back US$ 1,500, or if you convert that to local currency at the time, about MYR 5,000 there or thereabouts. That kind of money for a pair of clunky glasses you need to keep charging every few hours is the kind of luxury most in the world cannot afford or does not need. Added to the fact that Google Assistant and A.R. functionalities at the time was in its infancy, crude at best; why would you pay that much money for a pair of glasses?

The original Google Glass stayed on sale for about two years though, until 2015. No sales numbers were quoted within that time frame. In that time, Google also produced a new type of Google Glass. This time, they realized that the A.R. smart glasses market was not something they wanted to sell to end-users. Instead, they saw more potential use cases in the enterprise market. Hence, Google developed, supported, and sold Google Glass Enterprise edition from 2015 onward. Then in 2023, well today, they stopped selling the kit entirely and announce that they will stop supporting them in September 2023.

Through its life, the A.R. project by Google was adopted mostly in the construction and medical field. They updated the Google Glass Enterprise Edition once in 2019. From then on, Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 replaced the first iteration.

Google has not announced any replacement for Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2. It does not look like Google will be announcing any replacement for the A.R. goggles anytime soon though. That does not mean that Google has given up on the idea of A.R. completely.

In 2020 Google made an acquisition that still confirms Google’s commitment to their A.R. project. They acquired North, a smart glasses maker. Since then the Mountain View giant has been reported to be working on some kind of smart A.R. wearable that resembles ski goggles. The project was code named Project Iris. There has been little update on the project’s progress since then though.

It is also unlikely for Google to scrap the project since their competitors are also working on the same thing. Apple and Meta (formerly known as Facebook) have been working on their own versions of A.R. and Virtual Reality (V.R.) headsets for some time now. Reportedly, they are looking to bring their own versions of the headsets some time in the future. Microsoft is also known to have a mixed reality department of their own and has produced working prototypes for mixed reality, but those hardware has not been sold to end-consumers for good reason.

A.R. is still pretty much something you can look forward to as a normal in the future. For now though, with Google shelving their most promising mixed reality project temporarily, that future looks a little further than we might like to think. You can find out more about Google’s Glass project from their website.

Mobile, News

[MWC 2023] Qualcomm enhances IoT with iSIM, partnerships to leverage Snapdragon Spaces and Qualcomm Aware

March 3, 2023 Thina Hareesh Leave a comment

Qualcomm continues to drive innovation for IoT at MWC 2023, with a host of announcements for both their hardware and software platforms.

iSIM announced for Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platforms

A huge step for IoT devices with iSIM available on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

The highlight of these announcements is the unveiling of Integrated SIM (iSIM) for their flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform. The iSIM is a highly desirable form factor for developers as it allows space saving in design, be it smartphones or even wearables, while also reducing supply chain costs. The iSIM saves space by eliminating the need for a separate component while also requiring significantly less power than eSIMs. Both of these traits are cornerstones for developing IoT devices.

Collaborating with French developer Thales, Qualcomm has also confirmed GSMA’s (Global Association for the Mobile Communications Industry) security certification for what would be the world’s first commercially deployable iSIM. This assures best-in-class security level while also being compliant with the GSMA Remote SIM Provisioning standard that Thales eSIM already offers. This form factor also complements existing SIM and eSIM designs, and research by Kaleido Intelligence suggests the market share to grow to 300 million by 2027.

Snapdragon Spaces to kick start AR experiences with global partners

7 global operators will leverage Snapdragon Spaces for new and exciting AR experiences.

Qualcomm has also furthered their commitment towards Extended Reality (XR) with plans to leverage Snapdragon Spaces with 7 leading global operators. These include a multi-year collaboration with Japan’s KDDI corporation focused on the expansion of XR use cases and creation of a developer program. The Snapdragon Space XR Developer Platform is a cross-device, open-ecosystem that provides developers with the tools to pioneer Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, with a focus on headworn AR devices. Just recently, Xiaomi has set things in motion with the recently announced Xiaomi Wireless AR Glasses Discovery Edition, powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Platform. Oppo too has confirmed a new mixed reality (MR) device, the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 device to be approved as Snapdragon Spaces Ready.

Scaling digital transformation with Qualcomm Aware Platform

Qualcomm has also unveiled their Qualcomm Aware Platform, which aims to provide the resources necessary to simplify and scale digital transformation. These include a combination of industry-leading cloud and edge technologies, API-first architecture and developer-friendly tools.

Scaling digital transformation through the Qualcomm Aware platform

Qualcomm already offers industry-leading IoT modem chipsets, including the recently announced Qualcomm 216 IoT LTE Modem capable of speeds of up to 10 Mbps at ultra-low power. With the recent acquisitions of Skyhook Wireless, Inc. and the assets of PoLTE Corporation, new proprietary positioning techniques and a now global signal database allows Qualcomm Aware to deliver intelligent and ubiquitous location capabilities in an always-on, low-power manner.

Having the best silicon and global connectivity is not enough to guarantee IoT deployment success, so Qualcomm has worked hard to address a key challenge in this area; ecosystem fragmentation. Qualcomm Aware brings together an ecosystem of hardware and software partners to develop solutions for varied yet specific business needs. This has culminated with Qualcomm Aware Blueprints, which enable enterprises to quickly and efficiently roll-out pre-designed solutions, tailored to requirements.

A growing list of Qualcomm Aware Supporting Partners

With efficiency in mind, Qualcomm Aware also offers a highly customizable framework and implements standard APIs that interoperate seamlessly with private clouds, industry-specific application platforms, enterprise tools and softwares. These include enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management, inventory management and many more. One of the key integrations will be with Microsoft Dynamics 365, a major cloud-based business application that combines components of both ERP and customer relationship management (CRM) with additional AI tools and productivity applications.

Sources: Qualcomm^1,2,3

Lifestyle, News

[MWC 2023] Xiaomi Showcases Wireless AR Glasses at MWC 2023

March 1, 2023 Thina Hareesh Leave a comment

Xiaomi is bringing back the age of smart glasses when they unveiled their new wireless, augmented reality (AR) Glasses. Announced at the MWC 2023 conference in Barcelona, the device is currently at the concept stage and is called the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition.

Meet Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition

The start of a new smart glass generation, powered by Snapdragon

Xiaomi has revealed that this is their “…first wireless AR glasses to to utilize distributed computing, offering a retina-level adaptive display that adjusts to the lighting environment”. We can expect excellent connectivity with Snapdragon Spaces-ready smartphones and more importantly, is integrated with refined hand tracking. It is not a standalone device and needs to be paired with a Xiaomi 13 or other Snapdragon Spaces smartphones to fully function.

The Xiaomi Wireless AR Glasses Discovery Edition will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 platform, most recently seen with the Meta Quest Pro. It will also feature Xiaomi’s proprietary low-latency communication link. This allows low wireless latency of 3ms through Snapdragon Spaces compatible devices and full link latency as low as 50ms, which is comparable to wired latency.

Innovations in gesture control and retina-level display

Xiaomi has also featured their own self-developed micro gesture interaction that enables precise one-handed micro gestures based on the thumb, inner fingers and knuckles. The gestures allow functions such as selecting and opening apps, swiping through pages, and exiting apps without touching the paired smartphone. It also allows more advanced features such as text input with thumb tapping in the finger area, similar to the Chinese nine-key input method. Detecting these gestures is a low power-usage AON camera which also facilitates other features.

The centerpiece of the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glasses is retina-level near-eye display found in the lenses. The lenses leverage a free-form optical module that houses a pair of MicroOLED displays. This optical module has light-guiding prisms that minimizes light loss and produces clear, bright display with a peak of 1200 nits. The lenses are also electrochromic to adapt to different lighting modes and comes with special modes including a blackout mode to enhance content viewing on YouTube and TikTok as well as a transparent mode that will enhance AR immersion.

An innovative free-form optical module with MicroOLED screens is the centerpiece.
Image source: GSMArena

Lightweight design without compromising toughness

Design-wise, the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glasses incorporates robust lightweight material such as magnesium-lithium alloy, carbon fiber parts, and a self-developed silicon-oxygen anode battery. Thought it appears to be on the bulkier side, it only weighs 126g, which should make it comfortable to wear for long periods. They will be available in titanium-colored shade, supports three-sizes of nosepieces for a precise fit and has an attachable myopic clip for nearsighted users.

From the prototype devices that were unveiled, it seems that Xiaomi has really brought out some innovative ideas and cutting-edge self-developed technology to the fore. Currently there is no indication of a release date but Xiaomi is working with their partners to expedite the process. While the history of smart glasses has not been great, especially with the demise of Google Glass, perhaps a new generation will be upon us soon with Xiaomi leading the way.

Sources: Xiaomi, PhoneArena, GSMArena

Android, Gaming, iOS, News

“Harry Potter: Wizards Unite” Has Cast Its Last Charm

November 4, 2021 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Niantic, the studio behind Pokemon GO, has just announced that it will be shuttering its AR Harry Potter game. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was the studio’s second foray into creating real-world AR games for a large franchise. The game debuted back in 2019 hot off the heels of Pokemon GO.

However, it looks like the Harry Potter game isn’t fairing as well as its predecessor. The company announced that wizards and witches still immersed in the game will be casting their last spell on January 31, 2022. The game will be delisted from the Google Play Store, App Store and Galaxy Store come December 6, 2021. In-app purchases will be disabled on the same day. This means that you will no longer be able to download the app or buy any in-game items come 6 December.

206130685 1223487054740403 1087003980402066567 n — Source: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Facebook

That said, Niantic isn’t simply leaving players high and dry when it comes to content. The studio guarantees that it will be wrapping game storylines before shutting down. In its blog post, the company detailed a number of events that will be playable leading up to January 31, 2022. Events will kick off starting in November.

The events are listed below:

November

Dolores Umbridge Lethal Adversaries Event
Half-Blood Prince Brilliant Event Part 1
Lucius Malfoy Lethal Adversaries Event
Half-Blood Prince Brilliant Event Part 2

December

Bellatrix Lethal Adversaries Event
Horcrux Hunt Part 2
Voldemort Lethal Adversaries Event
Deathly Hallows Brilliant Event Part 1
Holiday Event
Deathly Hallows Brilliant Event Part 2

In addition to these events, Niantic will also be making changes to gameplay to allow players to complete pending quests in anticipation of the closure. The first few changes have come into effect on November 2, 2021. This includes increased rewards, quicker brewing times and increased spell energy and ingredient spawns.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite players will have until January 31, 2022, to complete the game and use up their in-game items. Niantic notes that beyond this date, players will be unable to access anything from the game as servers will be taken offline. In addition, it is saying that there will be no refunds for in-game purchases.

News

The Mandalorian Comes To Mobile with Goolge ARCore

November 26, 2020 Leeden Tang Leave a comment

Baby Yoda and Mando fans rejoice! Google has teamed up with Disney and Lucasfilm to create an AR experience to allow fans of hit streaming series, The Mandalorian, to enjoy snippets of the series on their smartphones. The Mandalorian AR Experience will bring some of the iconic scenes of Mando and The Child’s (Baby Yoda) adventures from the first season to whatever space its users want it to be; whether it be the living room, the outdoors or any other space.

To experience the virtual Mandalorian content, users will be required to download The Mandalorian AR Experience app on the Google Play Store using a supported 5G Android device. According to Google, this app will allow users to recreate some of the epic scenes from its critically acclaimed first season. For example, scenes like finding the Child, harnessing the Force and many other scenes are made available on the AR experience.

Players will be able to see life-sized versions of their favourite characters as they follow the trail of Mando, Din Djarin and the Child. Players can now interact with the characters in AR while capturing the scenes for sharing. Besides that, players will also be able to unlock additional effects based on the actions they perform within the app as the scenes interact and respond to the surrounding by using Google’s ARCore platform.

New episodes of the experience will be released on ‘Mando Mondays’ – a moniker given by Disney. Besides having weekly episodes updates, users that own a Pixel device will also be able to get additional exclusive content aside from the app itself.

The Mandalorian AR experience does not require a 5G connection to use the app. However, users will need a compatible 5G device. The app is free of charge and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Do check out the list of devices that is compatible for The Mandalorian AR experience on the official website.

Android, Business, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Editorial, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Virtual Showrooms – the New Normal

July 23, 2020 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Just a few days ago we see BMW launching their BMW X5 xDrive45 M Sport. In that launch they also launched an AR app that allows you to view the car in person via your smartphone. There is something lacking though, you do not get to get into the car.

There is another site that gives you a tour around the car though. They are also giving you a tour inside the car. You can also view other cars, not just a BMW. Welcome to the normal.

The site in reference is WapCar. The function is newly launched though so there are limited resources for now. Still, this is a sign of a new coming of age in the automotive industry.

Sure, you could go to any car manufacturer’s site to customise your car options and see the results of the customisation on a virtual image platform on the website. Technically what you are seeing here is not technically new technology. But you are probably looking at a revolution of an industry in Malaysia.

Customising your vehicle before you buy them is nothing new. You would want to buy a car that you want in specs and equipment list that you want, very normal. Usually, you would go to a showroom to look at the cars, get a feel, get a quotation, decide on what you need in the car, and buy them. Either that, or go to a car show, or exhibition held by showrooms or brands (there is one upcoming one by NAZA, by the way). That is the general norm in Malaysia. Customising cars on websites in Malaysia then, is not very common.

Since the COVID-19 crisis hits globally though, things have changed. We go out less, we are a bit more paranoid with people, we try to not crowd a place, and we also try to avoid contact with other people not in our bubble or even public objects that could be a bridge between you and other people. So, how do we buy things now?

The ‘new normal’ as they call it, sees a big boom in the digital space. Again, they are not technically new technology. Things like Shopee, Lazada, GrabFood, MyGroser, Tesco Online, Lalamove, GrabExpress, FoodPanda, GoGet, and such have existed forever (well; not forever, just for very long time). Thanks to the fact that you do not have to go out to get your food, your shopping, and your groceries done though, these platforms have thrived and we have grown to rely on them more than ever. Online shopping has become a norm.

Obviously, some people start thinking; “why does this new normal have to be limited to regular online shopping, delivery, and food services”? They do not. Lazada kicked off the market first with putting Volkswagen and Hyundai on their platform to sell cars, actual cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai i30. They also innovated a little more with purchasing properties when they partnered with Mah Sing Group. So, why not more of these? Especially with cars.

There is a problem though. Malaysians are not used to looking at cars virtually online. They like to walk around the cars, touch them, feel them, sit in them. We cannot do that now, can we? So online showrooms are the way to go. That way you get to do a ‘walkaround’ and ‘sit in’. The only thing you cannot do is test drive it or hear its engine note. We are pretty sure that the showrooms will not find it to be a problem to arrange for a test drive for you if you do give in a call though. We are certain too that they will follow procedure to properly sanitise the car and wear a mask beside you. You can request that too; no harm in asking.

So back to virtual showrooms then. WapCar currently has only a few cars in their VR showroom. If you go to their website, you can browse through their catalogue of endless listings that even includes the likes of Bentley, Ferrari, and even McLaren (nope, no VR just yet, we would be excited for that though). As long as you see ‘VR’ pasted on the thumbnail, you can virtually ‘walkaround’ the car at least. There are even fewer cars with VR interior for now. They are slowly rolling out the feature to as many cars they can get their hands on though.

WapCar as a platform does show us what is possible in the new normal. It also shows a sort of alternative for Malaysia’s automotive industry future. Maybe we do not need a physical showroom that takes up huge spaces with not that many things put into it. Maybe all we need is a PC display to show us what we might get in the car. Better yet, maybe all we need is a VR Goggle to see what the car might look like on our driveway, or parking lot.

What about the showrooms? Why not just have these businesses set up online entirely? That may not seem to be such a bad idea, no? Maybe that also might make your car purchases a little bit more special since you really have to be patient. Who knows, it could be like unboxing your smartphone for the first time, or unwrapping your Christmas gift.

Gaming, News

Step Aside Pokémon Go! Niantic Announces Catan: World Explorers!

July 1, 2020 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

After the success of Pokémon GO, it comes as no surprise that there are more augmented reality (AR) games being developed by Niantic. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Catan was the last game on your mind to get an AR edition. In collaboration with Asmodee, Niantic is bringing the popular board game to life on your mobile phone!

CATAN: World Explorers turns the whole world into a gigantic playable game of CATAN. As you might expect, if you’ve played the popular board game, you will be collecting resources: bricks, lumber, grain, ore and wool to trade with other players and building settlements into cities. You’ll also be playing in teams to collect Victory Points at local and global levels – similar to the team mechanic in Pokémon Go.

As you might expect from a Niantic game, CATAN: New Explorers uses the same maps from Pokémon Go and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite to create interactive landmarks which become central to the gameplay. These real world locations are then pieced into a humungous, global map and playing board for an AR game of CATAN.

The new CATAN AR game is one of ten projects currently being developed at Niantic. The company has teased the projects in a new announcement blog post on website.

CATAN: New Explores is ready for its beta debut and has opened pre-registrations at its official website.

techENT