Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

If you ordered a HoloLens dev kit, it starts shipping today

Microsoft got a lot of buzz last year when it first announced HoloLens, and more than a year later we’re finally seeing the
Recommended Videos
$3,000 kit shipping to developers today.

Microsoft made the announcement at its Build developer conference, and gave us a look at what will be in the box: the headset, a carrying case, and a device called the Clicker, which is what you use to navigate the user interface.

Microsoft HoloLens
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Related: Oculus Rift virtual reality headset bundles

If you need a refresher on the HoloLens, it’s Microsoft’s augmented reality headset that lets you interact with a hologram in specific environments, such as your living room or the office. For HoloLens, Microsoft had announced a project called “Share Your Idea,” asking people to pitch apps for the AR headset.

Galaxy Explorer is one such application that is now available on the Windows Store, and the code will be available on Github. It lets you explore the galaxy through the headset, and Microsoft says it will be a good way for developers to get used to HoloLens’ gestures and input.

The Redmond company went on to list the many use-cases of HoloLens, name-dropping companies that are already implementing the headset into their services. Japan Airlines, for example, is using the headset for training, and BlueScope Construction is exploring how HoloLens can be used to plan buildings.

Microsoft is also pushing the impact HoloLens could have on the medical community. A live demo at Build 2016 had Dr. Pamela Davis, dean of the School of Medicine for Case Western Reserve University, exploring a hologram of a brain. She discussed a patient’s brain that had a tumor with a few others on stage, and was then joined by a professor in Cleveland virtually. Through HoloLens, he appeared as a floating head, and hand. Together they enlarged the brain, and took note of where exactly the tumor was inside it.

It was a solid demonstration of how medical collaboration could increase, virtually and in-person. The company hopes it can also help medical students visualize and provide a “better understanding” of the problem.

Microsoft also announced that NASA’s Destination Mars will be available at Build, for developers to play around with. The app, built by NASA, has Buzz Aldrin and the Curiosity Rover guiding you throughout Mars.

Skype will also utilize HoloLens, and Microsoft played a video that had a person setting up their home through the headset, while having a video call with family to get feedback.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
At basically $105, the Ryzen 5 7600X is the best gaming CPU to buy right now
The Ryzen 5 7600X sitting among thermal paste and RAM.

I don't usually get my hopes up for Black Friday CPU deals, but I found one that's just too good to pass up. Right now, you can get the Ryzen 5 7600X -- still one of the best processors for value-focused gaming -- for basically $105. No, that's not the actual price listed on Newegg where you'll find the deal, but there's a lot going on with this sale.

For starters, the CPU itself is marked down by 24%, bringing the $299 list price down to $225. Not a great deal for a last-gen chip. However, you can save an additional $30 by using the promo code BFEDY2A33, and more importantly, you'll get a free Kingston NV3 1TB hard drive with the order. That's a PCIe 4.0 SSD that normally costs $90.

Read more
This Asus laptop with Copilot+ is $350 off at Best Buy
Asus Vivobook S 15 CoPilot+ front view showing display and keyboard.

You can do quite a bit of gaming on the go these days, thanks to all the handheld consoles and gaming laptops that are on the market. Regarding the latter, we’re always on the lookout for top discounts on the gaming gear we all want to own, which leads us to this wonderful discovery:

For a limited time, when you purchase the Asus Vivobook S 15 with Copilot+ at Best Buy, you’ll pay $550. At full price, this model sells for $900. We tested this PC earlier this year, and our reviewer said the following: “The Asus Vivobook S15 is the best large-display Copilot+ laptop so far in an old-school form factor.”

Read more
This gorgeous Mac mini hub exacerbates the power button placement problem
M4 Mac mini with Satechi hub on a desk.

Satechi, known for its high-quality tech accessories, is updating its Mac mini hub for the new M4 model. Like previous hubs, it allows Mac mini owners to expand their storage and ports while preserving airflow, wireless signal, and performance. It looks awesome, but this time, the design highlights the problematic nature of the new Mac mini's placement of its power button.

With previous Mac mini models, the power button was at the back, making it easily accessible even when it was in a Satechi hub. The new button placement on the bottom of the PC, however, may prove even more annoying for anyone who wants to buy this accessory.

Read more