Yes it’s that time again for CES (Consumer Electronics Show) news to be flying out of Las Vegas. Every Year the annual trade show is organized by the Consumer Technology Association to display (show off) up and coming new tech and software to gauge market interest. During the week we will cover some of the more interesting stories – we start first with Qualcomm and ODG.
Famous for its manufacturing or semi-conductors for mobile devices, Qualcomm has made it no secret it intends to dip its very rich toes into other upcoming tech markets. This time around it is looking to develop smartglasses; yes the market we thought had died with the Google Glass initiative is seemingly going to make a comeback with Qualcomm and ODG help. The R-8 and R-9 (Star Wars reference?) are smartglasses which are said to offer VR experiences similar to those found in the HTC Vive and PS VR. The difference comes with the untethered nature of the product, since it will powered alone by the Snapdragon chip and not a bulky PC.
Ralph Osterhout, Founder and CEO of ODG (Osterhout Design Group) had this to say about the future of the technology:
ODG is pioneering glasses for the masses that play movies with cinematic clarity, drop you inside immersive 3D interactive experiences, and reveal new worlds of invention and productivity. This is so much bigger than just a device, it’s about a whole new computing medium that will transform how we interact with and discover information and engage with people and objects in the world around us.
The R-8 Specs-
- It has a 40-degree field of view
- HD resolution and is generally intended as an end-user product.
- Geared more toward early adopters
The R-8 specs
- 50-degree field of view
- 1080p resolution
- Advanced visual inertial odometry motion tracking and Project Horizon compatibility
So…what are the price tags for these two products???
The R-9 is set to have a possible price tag of $1,799 while the R-8 will hit shelves during the second half of the year at a retail price of $1,000.
