Microsoft Announces Developer Edition of HoloLens 2
Microsoft has announced the new developer edition of HoloLens 2. Like the standard version of HoloLens, it’s supposed to cost $3,500, or $99 per month on an installment plan. Additional features over and above the standard HoloLens 2 model are, at this point, puzzlingly light.
Signing up for the developer edition will get you $500 in Azure credits and a three-month trial of Unity Pro and the Unity PiXYZ plug-in for bringing engineering renders into Unity’s real-time 3D development platform. If you want the developer edition, you’ll also need to sign up for the Microsoft Mixed Reality Developer Program.
This is somewhat underwhelming, as Techcrunch notes. $200 in Azure credit is available to anyone who creates an account. It’s a standard sweetener. Free trials of Unity Pro are also available, though typically limited to 30 days. Finally, the Developer Edition of HoloLens 2 is $3,500 — just like the standard business version. Typically DE’s are priced differently than standalone variants and have a more varied software package.
The major benefit of the DE flavor appears to be a lower monthly price ($100 per month, down from $125) and these additional, 60-day trial windows. We still don’t have an actual date on when HoloLens 2 hardware will be available beyond “before the end of the year.”
Microsoft has pursued a markedly different strategy for HoloLens compared with Google’s Glass. If its Mixed Reality headset hasn’t exactly taken the market by storm, it’s also avoided being linked to a cultural backlash around privacy and where it’s acceptable to wear a face computer. The company is prioritizing business use and business customers for HoloLens, with focused discussions on how the MR headset can be used to enhance productivity or design work as opposed to using it for social media posts or gaming. The idea of Minecraft in HoloLens is something Microsoft has explored, but gaming has not been a focus for the platform.
Continue reading
Xbox Series X Launch Is Microsoft’s Biggest Ever, Causes ISP Traffic Spike
Microsoft claims the Xbox Series X is its most successful debut in history and specifically calls out the Xbox Series S for bringing new players into the fold.
Microsoft: Bethesda Games ‘Either First or Better’ on Xbox, Not Exclusive
Microsoft's Tim Stuart doesn't think the company will try to cut PS5 gamers out of future Bethesda titles. The company wants Xbox to be the best destination for its games, but not the only one.
Microsoft: Pluton Chip Will Bring Xbox-Like Security to Windows PCs
Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are working to make Pluton part of their upcoming designs, which should make PCs more difficult to hack, but it also bakes Microsoft technology into your hardware.
Apple: ‘It’s Up to Microsoft’ to Get Windows Running on New ARM Macs
According to Apple, the question of supporting Windows on the M1 is entirely in Microsoft's court.