Microsoft has made its augmented reality device — HoloLens — a little more practical for the real world.
The HoloLens 2, which is available for preorders and will start shipping later this year, feels lighter than the original, though Microsoft hasn't said how much it weighs. While trying it last week, I found it to be more comfortable than the first version and less difficult to control.
Microsoft created the HoloLens to merge computing with real life, overlaying holograms on actual space. Police officers can use it to store evidence at crime scenes for later review, and designers can use it to review prototypes for new cars.
When I tried on the HoloLens 2, I was immediately impressed. In addition to its lightness, the new gadget is more comfortable, in part because the battery and other computing components were moved from the front of the headset to the back, distributing the weight.
I spent 20 minutes or more in the headset — I lost track of time — and didn't ever feel like I wanted to take it off. I like that it's now possible to flip up the lenses, similar to how you'd flip up clip-on sunglasses.
There's also an enlarged field of view, making it easier for the user to view the holograms that are being virtually displayed. At one point, I was shown a three-dimensional diorama of a coastline full of wind turbines. I pinched on one corner of the hologram and expanded it to make it look like it was several feet wide in front of me. I had to step back to get a full horizontal view.
A Microsoft employee guided me through the demonstration, which at times was more distracting than it was helpful. That's because there's so much going on with the visuals that it can be hard to concentrate on a conversation.
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