True wireless headphones get a test alongside Skullcandy’s latest offering, Swiss engineering wins the day and liquid meals go down the hatch.

Skullcandy Venue Wireless BT Headphones

Not yet available to purchase, these new Venue Bluetooth headphones from Skullcandy launched the other day with a Skate Creative event on Windmill Street in Soho, London. Tech Trends handpainted our own skateboard and got a sneak peek at these new headphones. Our previous review of the Skullcandy Crusher BT headphones was very positive and after hooking up these new Venue cans we can report they are very good indeed. The active noise cancellation was effective on the train and in the street plus the really welcome ‘Monitor Mode’ means that you can click a button to engage in conversation or order a coffee without removing your cans, then click again to be reabsorbed into the music. They also come with fast charging and a mic so you can use your voice assistant on the move. A 10 min fast charge gets you five hours listening time, so not bad.

Our previous review of the @Skullcandy #Crusher BT headphones was very positive and after hooking up these new Venue cans we can report they are very good indeed
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The@Skullcandy Crushers were aimed at bass lovers so were naturally more solid sounding but these new Venues give a clear and detailed presentation that is very pleasing
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The Crushers were aimed at bass lovers so were naturally more solid sounding but these new Venues give a clear and detailed presentation that is very pleasing. If you prefer a crisp sound to your tunes these Venue headphones are for you. Connectivity was faultless and the physical buttons are much nicer in look and feel than the Crushers. As a bonus, the Venues also come with built in Tile support so you can keep track of them if left behind the sofa or under the dog. The Tile app will connect and locate them just like any other Tile. They are also super comfortable, I listened for an hour and a half with no discomfort at all so am happy to recommend these. A good quality set of wireless cans for the price!

Available to pre-order now for £149.99 online here.

Honor 10 + GPU Turbo

The term Flagship Killer takes on new meaning with the Honor 10 + GPU Turbo. After using the brand new Honor 10 for a couple of months I can say with total confidence it really is a Flagship Killer. Producing phones that exceed expectations and challenge the stupidly high prices of new class-leading handsets from Apple and Samsung has raised Huawei, the parent company of Honor to be the second largest global smartphone maker. With Samsung still in top spot but Apple languishing in third. Most impressively Huawei has achieved this without access to the huge US market where the government and regulators have restricted their access due to security concerns. Being a Chinese company and China phobia in the US as it is, Huawei has suffered in North America but still excelled globally. Read the full review here.

The term Flagship Killer takes on new meaning with the @Honor 10 + GPU Turbo. After using the brand new @UKHonor 10 for a couple of months I can say with total confidence it really is a Flagship Killer
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SKROSS Travel Adapters

I first found out about the Swiss company SKROSS at IFA this year and boy am I glad I did! Everyone at Tech Trends knows the misery of international travel when you have phones, laptops, headphones and god knows how many other devices to charge. I seem to have been buying a new adapter almost every trip but not anymore. SKROSS make super flexible international power adapters meaning one is all most travellers will need, no matter where you go. They don’t quite have a single universal adapter but sent me two of their flagship units, between which I can go anywhere and power anything. This makes me very happy!

SKROSS don't quite have a single universal adapter but sent me two of their flagship units, between which I can go anywhere and power anything. This makes me very happy!
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The Pro Light USB combined with the World to EU connector gives me amazing connection options, often in both directions, covering the Euro, Australia / China, Italy, Switzerland, UK, USA, Brasil, China and Japan, oh and USB of course, see below for more details.

Pro Light USB – Technical Specifications

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The Pro Light USB combined with the World to EU connector gives me amazing connection options, often in both directions, covering the Euro, Australia / China, Italy, Switzerland, UK, USA, Brasil, China and Japan, oh and USB!
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SKROSS also sent me the World Adapter MUV USB which I passed to our US-based Editor and provides Euro, USA / Japan, Australia / China and UK connections as well as USB. More info below.

World Adapter MUV USB – Technical Specifications

• Suitable for all 2-pole (unearthed) devices
• Dual USB port for charging USB devices
• Receptacles for: Euro, USA/Japan, Australia/China, UK (UK not in the Swiss version)
• Retractable plugs: Euro, USA/Japan, Australia/China, UK
• Input voltage: 100 V – 250 V
• Max. load: 2.5 A
• Power rating: e.g. 100 V – 250 W / 250 V – 625 W
• Replaceable fuse: T2.5 A
• USB output: 5 V / 2400 mA
• Does not convert voltage

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Above the sheer convenience, these #SKROSS adapters offer it is their tough construction that recommends them
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Tech Trends has also tested out their sturdy UK 4 Port USB Adapter and their thin and delicious Wireless Charger 10 which is easily the best looking and least bulky wireless charger I have seen yet. Above the sheer convenience, these adapters offer it is their tough construction that recommends them. They are simple to use but made of seriously strong plastic and the metal elements have none of that flimsy, second-rate feel your average airport bought adapter presents. If you aren’t impressed so far you should go and get really geeky on the SKROSS website where you can use their configuration tool to work out which product works best for you and your regular trips! Swiss engineering at its best, these incredible adapters from SKROSS are highly recommended!

Soylent – Meal Replacement

If you’ve ever skipped a meal, made a compromised nutritional choice, or forgotten your lunch at home, you’ve been in a food void. “Food Void” is Soylent’s way of describing the place where you’re stuck eating something you’ll likely regret or when you don’t eat at all. Soylent is the easy, delicious solution to help you avoid food voids. Soylent also claims to be better for the planet. Unlike other meal replacement drinks, Soylent offers a comprehensive nutritional makeup and their protein is plant-based! Meaning it takes fewer resources to produce than drinks with animal-based proteins like whey or casein.

Unlike other meal replacement drinks, @Soylent offers a comprehensive nutritional makeup and their protein is plant-based!
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I have tried a few protein meal replacement drinks over the years, but often with that kind of thing they either aren’t as healthy as they seem or quite frankly taste like crap, not @Soylent #PoweredbySoylent
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I have tried a few protein/meal replacement drinks over the years, but often with that kind of thing they either aren’t as healthy as they seem or quite frankly taste like crap. I also have no patience for the messy business of mixing powders myself, as it seems to defeat the whole point of a convenient meal alternative. Soylent has just released 3 flavours of its ready-to-drink meal replacements in the UK (Original, Cocao and Café Mocha) and I tried them all over the course of a few days. I don’t mind the taste of soy, so I really liked the flavours, especially the coffee, which made me feel like I was getting an extra energy kick and really came in handy during a long road trip.

Fancy trying Soylent? Follow us and tweet using the hashtag #PoweredbySoylent and we will pick one lucky – UK Based – winner to receive a goodie bag including a week’s supply of all 3 flavours pic.twitter.com/qqVr5JXdSm

— TechTrends (@techtrends_tech) September 24, 2018

Each bottle has 400 calories, so definitely a meal replacement rather than an extra if you’re watching your intake, but it actually does take care of those hunger pains, and contains about 20% of your daily nutrition requirements. As an added bonus for the environmentally conscious, the fact that the bottles don’t need to be kept refrigerated until opened and have a year-long shelf life is kinder on the planet.

Now in the UK, Soylent will be sold in ready-to-drink form via Amazon, retailing at £39.00 ($52) for 12 bottles.

xFyro xS2 Waterproof True Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

These nifty xFyro xS2 earbuds deliver a completely wireless experience for listening to music and making calls in a stylish and waterproof package. The xS2s offer cutting edge v4.2 CSR Bluetooth technology for seamless connection and after testing them out in the street, on planes and trains I can say they work flawlessly. Not something that can be said for more expensive true wireless BT headphones such as the Crazybaby Air.

The xS2s offer cutting edge v4.2 CSR Bluetooth technology for seamless connection and after testing them out in the street, on planes and trains I can say they work flawlessly
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These earbuds are housed in a sleek and compact carrying tube that acts as a power bank that protects and charges your buds when stored and can even charge your phone or tablet while on the go. Now that’s a nice touch! The case is not really to my taste with the gold rims but is very solid and does what it says on the tin, it charges well and is comfortable in a pocket. I didn’t test the waterproofing but in this category of headphones that is a rare feat, so if you need music underwater these might be the answer.

I didn't test the waterproofing in the shower but in this category of headphones that feature is a rare feat, so if you need music underwater these might be the answer
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The earbuds themselves have an aluminium alloy shell that xFyro claim helps block out external sounds and come with three sizes of silicon bud allowing for a better seal no matter the size of your lugs. For me, the right earbud never fitted well. I tried all the silicone bud options but must conclude that my right ear is unnaturally shaped! This inconvenience was made up for by the excellent sound. Clear crisp but also weighty the xS2s gave a great performance with all types of music so come recommended.

@xFyroDesigns xS2's produce excellent sound. Clear crisp but also weighty the xS2s gave a great performance with all types of music so come recommended
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Specs:

– Materials: Aluminum Alloy, Silicone
– Measurements: 6.25″L x 1″W x .75″H
– Warranty: Manufacturer’s 1 Year Limited
– 2-in-1 Wireless Earbuds And Charging Tube
– IP67 Certified Dust-proof And Waterproof Technology
– V4.2 + EDR Bluetooth Technology With 10 Meter Wireless Range
– CVC 6.0 Noise Cancellation
– Aluminum Alloy Shell
– Lightweight and Portable
– Answer, Reject, and Redial Calls
– Pause And Play Music
– Built-In Microphone
– Dual-Port Charging Tube With USB And Micro USB Ports
– Rechargeable 850 MAh Capacity Power Bank
– Patented Aluminum Polishing
– Music / Talk Time: 5 Hours
– Charging Time: 2 Hours
– Standby Time: 300 Hours

The xFyros are available now for £95 here.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post September 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

From your very own Einstein to an awesome Virtual Reality HMD, and some solar panels to keep them powered up on the go. Tech Trends has your back in the gear department. 

Professor Einstein

I bring out the magic and fun of astronomy, physics, biology, geology and much more. Want to know the weather in Capetown? What is a quark? The exploits of Isaac Newton? Just say “Hey Professor…?” and ask away.

RRP $249

Penclic K2 Wireless Keyboard

Swedish company Penclic have a mission to reduce your RSI and we have tested several of their products here on Tech Trends and can vouch for their effectiveness. Today we are testing their latest version of their wireless keyboard the K2 which retails for €69 or £62. This new version has a slightly nicer feel to the keys but is still not as nice to use as the fractionally more expensive, minimalist KB3 Bluetooth keyboard they make. Overall the K2 is a comfortable keyboard to use and the small size and low profile do keep my arms relaxed when typing and my only mild frustration is that the wi-fi only works within a radius of about a meter from the computer, probably not an issue for most users but something to bear in mind.

RRP: €69.99

BioLite SolarPanel 10+

Fans of hiking, kayaking, camping and outdoor pursuits in general still need their mobile devices and when they’re miles from the nearest power socket and need their GPS to get them home, they often let them down at the worst possible time.

Enter the BioLite SolarPanel 10+ a super thin and lightweight smart power device. The two High-efficiency monocrystaline solar panels will suck 10 watts of power from the sun and fill up the built in 3000 mAh rechargeable battery for charging all your essential devices, tablets and phones. BioLite’s Optimal Sun System includes a built in sundial for aligning the panels to the sun’s rays and a 360 degree kickstand to simplify positioning on uneven terrain. When you are done, simply fold the 10+ up and pop it in your rucksack or you can charge on the move by hanging it from you backpack and keep going. Oh and it’s splash proof, so go ahead and jump in those puddles!

RRP: $129.95

DigiBit

A Kickstarter funded, funky new wearable motion capture device, DigiBit gives you responsive in-game control for VR and non VR environments on iOS and Android (Marshmallow and above) devices. Control your in-game movements and actions with smart sensors that attach to the hands or feet for a gaming experience like never before!

These elegant little wearables are the creation of DigiBit Founder, Colt Correa and his family. This is one of those great stories of an engineer who, when disappointed by commercial products, knew he could do better, and with the help of a Kickstarter campaign plans to deliver an affordable product even the big games and console manufacturers would be proud of. DigiBit is an open platform and includes an open source Air Hockey game, a free Unity3D plugin and an open Bluetooth API. The patent-pending wearable motion and communication technology captures your body movement for responsive in-game control in VR and non-VR environments.

Read Tech Trends full review here

RRP: $79 (Super Early Bird Pledge)

TouchPoints

TouchPoints Basic are another crowdfunding success story. Founded in 2015 by Neuropsychologist Dr. Amy Serin and executive child advocate Vicki Mayo, these cunning little gadgets are a non-invasive, wearable devices that use patent-pending neuroscience to relieve stress in as little as 30 seconds.

Using quantitative electroencephalogram data, existing neuroscience research and archival data, Dr Amy Serin determined the device produced significant and quantifiable brain changes after just seconds of use. TouchPoints use Bi-Lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile (BLAST) stimulation to give the user a gentle vibration that affects the brain and alters the body’s fight, flight or freeze response.

Read Tech Trends full review here.

RRP: $119

Avid Media Composer First

Media Composer First is a very limited version of the full programme, currently MC 8.5, but it aims to give you the basic cutting experience, plus some key functionalities of its big brother. We consume most of our video content via the web these days and Avid gets this, offering very basic options for exporting your finished video via Quicktime in the web friendly H.264 or their propriety DNxHD codec or even better, publish directly to YouTube or Vimeo. Yes you can edit 4k video in First but only downscaled to HD, output is also limited to HD but again this is still the most web friendly format and to make your 4k files work for you Avid retain the awesome FrameFlex from the pro version.

Read all the details and specs in the full review here.

RRP: $FREE

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post July 2017 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

This new crowdfunded HMD (Head Mounted Display) and wearable motion controllers make for an elegant and affordable Virtual Reality solution

Crowdfunding your product is fast becoming the norm in cutting edge sectors such as VR, robotics and health tech. In fact, Tech Trends reviewed crowdfunded products in all three of those sectors just this month. Right now I am looking at a funky new wearable motion capture device from DigiBit that gives you responsive in-game control for both VR and non-VR environments and works on iOS and Android (Marshmallow and above) devices.

Control your in-game movements and actions with smart sensors that attach to the hands or feet for a gaming experience like never before!

These elegant little wearables are the creation of DigiBit Founder, Colt Correa and his family. This is one of those great stories of an engineer who, when disappointed by commercial products, knew he could do better, and with the help of a Kickstarter campaign plans to deliver an affordable product even the big games and console manufacturers would be proud of. DigiBit is an open platform and includes an open source Air Hockey game, a free Unity3D plugin and an open Bluetooth API.

DigiBit is an open platform that includes a free Unity3D plugin and open Bluetooth API
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The patent pending wearable motion and communication technology captures your body movement for responsive in-game control in VR and non-VR environments.

What’s unique about it?

• WEARABLE: Pocket sized system that is a great accessory to your existing smart devices like iPhones, Android phones and tablets
• HANDS and FEET: Only portable game system that enables games to use both feet and both hands as input. Existing systems require the player to hold the motion sensor, but with DigiBit the motion sensor holds on to you so you can use your arms and legs in a natural way while playing
• ACTIVE and SOCIAL: Focus on physically active and face-to-face social game play.
• FREE GAMES: Games from DigiBit are free and can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple Stores
• CHILD SECURITY: Free parent app enables you to track how far away your child is. Alarm sounds on your phone if the child wanders away too far. Built in compass shows you the direction of the child. Great security feature for such things as days out at theme parks.
• BATTERY LIFE: Over 16 hours on a single charge
• LOW COST: Cost of the entire DigiBit system with the games is less than that of 2 games with most other systems
• DEVELOPER FRIENDLY: Open Source, Open Interfaces and a Unity3D API lets mobile game developers add body motion to existing or new games

DigiBit is the only portable game system enabling hand and foot inputs
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Unity3D API lets developers easily add body motion features to their games
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With a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and more than 22 years of experience working in software and hardware development for the automotive industry, and with 5 U.S. patents to his name, Colt knows what he is doing. After an initial manufacturing run of 50 units this campaign will raise money to enhance the games they have as well as develop new ones, plus create an open API so programmers around the world can develop their own games for the DigiBit ecosystem.

DigiBit focuses on physically active and face-to-face social game play
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Kickstarter backers will benefit from such perks as free games and power-ups, FOREVER
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Early Kickstarter backers will get some great perks including free downloads of all DigiBit games now and in the future, ad-free games and free in-app purchases and power ups, all in perpetuity!

Our backers will decide what games comes next. With every system, you get a vote on what is going to be our next game. Have a new game idea? Let’s us know!

The DigiBits are well designed, small, light and in trendy white. They come with sturdy straps for attaching them to your wrists or feet and the headset is a revelation for those out there who are sick of removing their phone’s case to be able to fit it into different VR goggles.

A simple elastic and velcro strap secures your phone to the headset
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A simple elastic and velcro strap secures your phone to the headset offering a truly one size fits all wearable, it is also very comfortable and adjustable for those who wear glasses.

Get active with the ability to turn static mobile games into full-body experiences! DigiBits can be worn anywhere and played anywhere, unlike traditional consoles.

To test it out I charged up the DigiBits, strapped them to my wrists and launched FunnyWings, a flying game where you chase after an evil witch, collect stars and dodge deadly red balloons. The game asks permission to turn on your Bluetooth and effortlessly pairs with the DigiBits. You are instructed to tap your chest with your right hand which tells the game which side is your right and off you go.

The gameplay of my demo was fun and intuitive. I found myself laughing
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There is a little demo on how to move and fly then you clap your hands to start the game. Gameplay is really good and the movements to control your flight are very instinctive. I found myself laughing, flailing around and definitely burning more calories than playing on my PS4. Interestingly I experienced no loss of balance or nausea during game play, so maybe moving my body and head as I played countered the unpleasant feelings I have often experienced in VR when sitting down.

I experienced no nausea or dizziness while playing the game
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DigiBit is the only portable game system that enables games to use both feet and both hands as input. Existing systems require the player to hold the motion sensor, with DigiBit the motion sensor holds on to you so you can use your arms and legs in a natural way while playing.

For the second test game I moved the straps to my feet and loaded up Dash, an endless runner based in a high school corridor. Jumping is the name of the game here. Jump side to side to weave around obstacles and jump straight up to get over objects or up onto tables. Dodge the occasional pesky banana skin by raising your right or left leg to hop past it and always stay ahead of the big bully! This was great fun and I was quickly out of breath. It was much more physically taxing than FunnyWings and I can see it being a big hit with the kids.

I definitely burned more calories than when playing on the PS4
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I enjoyed the Digibit system and was much more immersed in the games
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I really enjoyed the Digibit system and was so much more involved in the games’ action than when using VR more passively. The product is well made, easy to use and looks as good as anything made by the big games companies, so I think it is a winner. Colt and his family hope to raise $2,500 to make the Digibit system better and more affordable, and to make more games like these for it, so if you are interested in getting your hands on a Digibit and helping them out take a look at the Kickstarter page here.

For help getting your own VR/AR/MR project off the ground, get in touch about our Virtual Reality Consultancy services

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Product Review: DigiBit appeared first on Tech Trends.

HP announces their revolutionary new HP Z VR Backpack, the world’s first professional wearable VR PC. Crafted to bring the full potential of VR to-life, it is the world’s most secure and manageable wearable VR PC ever created.

HP see the potential for VR to revolutionise sectors such as industrial and military training, medical and healthcare practice, product design, architecture and to take consumer engagement to the next level. The HP Z VR Backpack is designed to help companies make the first step into using VR and give them an easy to use, end-to-end VR solution with the capabilities to easily build those immersive capabilities into their business.

HP see the potential for VR to revolutionise sectors such as industrial and military training
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Announced alongside this new technology is HP’s partnership with HTC, makers of the VIVE HMD. The new “Business Edition” VIVE will come with built-in headphones and 1 year of commercial support, and will be offered bundled with this new HP backpack.

“Virtual reality is changing the way people learn, communicate and create,” said Xavier Garcia, vice president and general manager, Z Workstations, HP Inc. “HP is uniting the right innovation and the right partners to position our customers with commercial VR solutions that matter. With our long history of insights-based innovation, and new solutions like the HP Z VR Backpack, we are empowering VR experiences our customers can use today to reinvent the future.”

This new externally untethered VR Backpack is light with an ergonomic design and hot swappable batteries to provide unrestricted freedom within any immersive experience. It packs serious high-end processing power with the latest Intel® Core i7 vPro processor and chipset, providing the power to process applications at incredible speeds.

This untethered VR Backpack is light with an ergonomic design
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It is also the first wearable VR PC in the market to use the NVIDIA® Quadro® P5200. The 16GB of video memory will provide a huge frame buffer to avoid stuttering and dropped frames that break the sense of immersion. The Quadro GPUs also ensure immersion is smooth and responsive with low latency and high frame rates which – when paired with the HTC VIVE –  should give a spectacular ride! Neither the CPU nor GPU are throttled so there is plenty of power on tap whenever you need it.

Some possible use cases include:

• Businesses can use VR to deliver safe and effective simulated training in dangerous environments,  medical training or for heavy/large equipment operations, avoiding costly mistakes
• In architectural building development, virtual walkthroughs at scale for client reviews can help quickly close the deal.
• In product development, executive agreement and sign off for new styling can be done in virtual showrooms.
• New location-based entertainment centres featuring exhilarating virtual reality experiences are now a step closer

To help market this new VR solution HP are opening thirteen immersion centres later this year in Palo Alto, Houston, Boise, Fort Collins, Stockholm, London, Paris, Barcelona, Boeblingen, Beijing, Sydney, Tokyo and Singapore. The centres have been designed so customers can have an immersive experience using HP VR technology and receive consulting on how to best deploy VR devices within their business to streamline workflows.

HP are opening thirteen immersion centres all over the world to showcase their latest VR tech
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In designing the backpack HP have addressed some major pain points their research identified:

• No trailing cables helps preserve immersion, improves freedom of movement and is safer for users and bystanders
• Hot swap batteries help retain immersion for long periods
• Lightweight at just over 10lbs
• Designed for comfort with the workstation kept off your back and air flow directed to the sides
• Durable enough for military training
• Designed as a single, unified VR solution that is a delivery rig and a true VR workstation for content creation and testing, enabling companies to design, test and develop content on the same equipment that will deliver the experience to their customers

Creators can quickly transition back and forth between design and testing
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Its docking solution lets digital creators quickly transition back and forth between high-powered desktop for content design and wearable VR PC to test out their creations. The docking station can drive two 4K Z or DreamColor displays (sold separately) and the HTC Vive Business Edition HMD (sold separately) is also part of the HP VR portfolio. The Backpack will be available in September starting at $3,299 USD. The datasheet is available here.

For companies looking to get into VR/AR/MR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance on how these technologies can enhance and support your brand strategy.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Product Review: HP Z VR Backpack & VR Workstation appeared first on Tech Trends.