Facebook has been going on about its highlighted initiative for some time now and it has finally brought in some action. For 2.5 years now, Facebook has been working on a new project that would be the first step to creating a metaverse, an online community where people would be able to carry on their daily activities virtually. The project is finally here and is known as the Horizon Workrooms.
These Workrooms are yet to be launched for all users although we highly suspect it to be a paid service. For now, the beta version is here and it is all free. The workroom supports up to 16 avatars and 50 users if the rest were to be connected through a video conference. The 16 avatars can be designed by each user individually and are all seated at a conference table together. The project only supports meetings for now, as was seen through the meeting Facebook held to showcase its newest project while we speculate all activities to be enabled soon enough.
To use these workrooms, you will need to install a workroom app on your PC or Mac. You will also need to buy a $299 Oculus Quest 2 headset to connect if you do not have one already. These are the two basic elements you need before you can join in on any session. There were a few shortcomings as well, the first being that it was experienced, however, that the headsets were quite a nuisance with the weight and sweating accompanying it but as they say, with every good there comes a price.
Although we understand the session is a great opportunity and a look into the new world, we feel the $299 spent to be a little excessive when everyone will be asked to buy a headset. This could potentially lower its popularity but it seems like that's the least of Facebook's concerns right now as this great feat is all it's seeing for now.
Once in the room, users will experience a very life-like experience but with cartoon versions of humans. The actions of the avatars are also said to be quite defined, unlike the usual bouncing around you see on Sims. The connection of your own computer to the virtual ones, hence giving a view of the notes you make on your virtual computer is all the detail that the project needed to give it its mark of excellence. Considering it is just ready for beta testing, we cannot fathom how perfect the final product will be.
With the pandemic still not over, we feel like the launch of this metaverse-similar project is going to get quite the positive response with people looking for ways to interact with humanity. Having a virtual environment to do so without running the risk of spreading any viruses is definitely what we need right now. We look forward to all of Facebook's advanced attempts to create the metaverse. For now, we are quite satisfied with the Horizon Workrooms and cannot wait for the project to reach every user.
Read next: Facebook claims it'll give its best on its digital wallet if given a fair chance
These Workrooms are yet to be launched for all users although we highly suspect it to be a paid service. For now, the beta version is here and it is all free. The workroom supports up to 16 avatars and 50 users if the rest were to be connected through a video conference. The 16 avatars can be designed by each user individually and are all seated at a conference table together. The project only supports meetings for now, as was seen through the meeting Facebook held to showcase its newest project while we speculate all activities to be enabled soon enough.
To use these workrooms, you will need to install a workroom app on your PC or Mac. You will also need to buy a $299 Oculus Quest 2 headset to connect if you do not have one already. These are the two basic elements you need before you can join in on any session. There were a few shortcomings as well, the first being that it was experienced, however, that the headsets were quite a nuisance with the weight and sweating accompanying it but as they say, with every good there comes a price.
Although we understand the session is a great opportunity and a look into the new world, we feel the $299 spent to be a little excessive when everyone will be asked to buy a headset. This could potentially lower its popularity but it seems like that's the least of Facebook's concerns right now as this great feat is all it's seeing for now.
Once in the room, users will experience a very life-like experience but with cartoon versions of humans. The actions of the avatars are also said to be quite defined, unlike the usual bouncing around you see on Sims. The connection of your own computer to the virtual ones, hence giving a view of the notes you make on your virtual computer is all the detail that the project needed to give it its mark of excellence. Considering it is just ready for beta testing, we cannot fathom how perfect the final product will be.
With the pandemic still not over, we feel like the launch of this metaverse-similar project is going to get quite the positive response with people looking for ways to interact with humanity. Having a virtual environment to do so without running the risk of spreading any viruses is definitely what we need right now. We look forward to all of Facebook's advanced attempts to create the metaverse. For now, we are quite satisfied with the Horizon Workrooms and cannot wait for the project to reach every user.
Read next: Facebook claims it'll give its best on its digital wallet if given a fair chance
