Is Google Making A VR Headset? – Weekly Mashup 119

Google Working On Its Own Consumer VR Hardware, Latest Job Postings Suggest
TechCrunch

"Google appears to be doubling down on virtual reality as they look to begin building “multiple” consumer hardware devices, according to new VR job postings on their site.

Google’s current consumer VR offerings are confined to its Google Cardboard program, which allows consumers to experience rudimentary virtual reality with a simple system involving cheap headsets attached to smartphones. Now it appears that Google is working on hardware devices that do more than just act as bare-bones viewers for smartphones." Read More

5 Upcoming Technologies That Will Change The World Of Content Marketing
Forbes

"1. Virtual & Augmented Reality. Virtual reality is on its way, and it’s about to open a new door for content consumption. Oculus, the forerunner in VR technology, is owned by Facebook, one of the biggest influencers in social media and content marketing. Already, Oculus has begun to permeate the market with the Samsung Gear, and on March 28, 2016, they’ll release the full version of Oculus Rift to (presumably) make VR a mainstream means of content consumption. We all know that visual content is on the rise—videos are more easily produced, more available, and in higher demand than they were even a year ago, and users are only going to demand more visual engagement as the months and years roll on." Read More

Apple Hires Top Virtual and Augmented Reality Expert
Ars Technica

"While nearly every big tech company has some sort of plan in place to deal with the upcoming onslaught of virtual reality and augmented reality technology, there's been one rather large holdout: Apple. According to a report from the Financial Times, however, Apple now has its own VR/AR expert. Doug Bowman is joining Apple following a sabbatical from his position as a professor of computer science and the director of the Center for Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech." Read More

China is Building Malls of the Future That Could Come to the US Soon
Business Insider

"As the mall as we know it declines across America, a new era of shopping is emerging on the horizon. High-end, futuristic malls in China and parts of the US are upgrading technology, hoping to attract customers with “smart” shopping centers ... To give customers a reason to visit retailers in person, malls are creating new, futuristic events. Macerich, for example, has partnered with HGTV to create Santa HQ — a holiday pop up that allows guests to play with functions like augmented-reality selfie videos and receive texts when Santa is ready to see them." Read More

Sundance Report: Improved Virtual Reality Films Take Viewers Around the World (and Galaxy)
Yahoo

"A fascinating experiment by Intel and USC’s World Building Media Lab, this project mixes what is known as augmented reality with full-fledged virtual reality. They are working on technology that analyzes a space and then, on a video screen, displays extra information and visual enhancements. In this case, we saw a giant whale swimming in three dimensions across the room. Alex McDowell, a long-time production designer (Minority Report) and professor at USC, suggested that the future could find users interacting with movie characters." Read More