Skip to main content

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

Palmer Luckey hand delivered the first Oculus Rift to this lucky guy

Oculus Rift, Palmer Luckey
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Oculus Rift is here at last. Somewhere in Alaska, a man named Ross Martin will snuggle down in front of his computer to play with the first retail Oculus Rift in consumer hands. Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus, delivered it to him personally.

The official retail launch is this Monday, March 28, but Luckey told Polygon “I’ll be damned if some random delivery guy is going to get the satisfaction of delivering the first Rift.” Ross Martin was the earliest intrepid individual to pre-order an Oculus, hence he is the first to receive one. Not only that, but he received it in a box thoughtfully signed by the founders.

Recommended Videos

Related Offer: See Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and desktop Bundles here

Luckey streamed the exchange via Facebook Live, commemorating all his hard work since 2009. If you’re wondering “Why Facebook Live? Why not Periscope, or why not just Youtube it?” remember Oculus is a Facebook company now. The little VR system that launched on Kickstarter in 2012 was acquired by the social media corporation in early 2014 for a whopping $2 billion.

Personally delivering the first Rift to Alaska!

Posted by Palmer Freeman Luckey on Saturday, March 26, 2016

Oculus pledged, in three separate posts, to remain independent. Hopefully Facebook influence stays limited to an outlet for Oculus company news.

As far as personally flying the first backer their product and sharing that joy with the world, it seems a classy touch by Luckey. To venture forth on a delivery mission to the coldest state in America draped in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts was a bold choice.

In the video Martin thanked Luckey for coming out personally. “I think people online really appreciate all the transparency and outreach that you do.” If video views are any indication, over 100,000 have appreciated it so far.

“You have to make sure that you have fun with it or something,” Luckey told Martin. We’re sure he will. Unfortunately, Martin will have to wait to try his Rift out. He can’t really play it until the software goes live.

If you haven’t already pre-ordered a Rift, you may have to wait a few months, but you can put yourself on the list.

Aliya Barnwell
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Aliya Tyus-Barnwell is a writer, cyclist and gamer with an interest in technology. Also a fantasy fan, she's had fiction…
The next Snapdragon X chip will be even more powerful than we thought
The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus

As part of Qualcomm's latest Investor Day, the company confirmed that its next PC chip, the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2, will use the Oryon v3 CPU. This comes as a surprise to many, as the Oryon v2 was just announced last month alongside plans to use it with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset for smartphones.

Since the current Snapdragon X Elite chip uses an Oryon v1 CPU, many assumed that the 2nd-gen chip would use the 2nd-gen CPU -- but it seems the PC chips will be skipping over this generation entirely.

Read more
The Windows 11 24H2 update is causing even more problems
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

The Windows 11 24H2 update had already been giving users a real headache with problems such as bugs for visual layouts and flaws for certain wallpaper apps. And now, as Microsoft confirms in a support document, some people without administrative privileges can't change the time zone in the Date & Time view, among myriad other issues related to the important Windows 11 update.

A Feedback Hub post also reports a time issue after exiting Sleep Mode, specifically after about one out of every five overnight sleep cycles. There is also a report that the time is not syncing correctly following daylight saving time. Put differently, the update doesn't break the time zone, but only affects the toggle or makes it very difficult to modify it.

Read more
The 10 best monitors for 2024: tested and reviewed
OLED demo on the Asus ROG PG27AQDM.

Editor’s note: You should expect to see tons of great monitor deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year. It's pretty much a guarantee that you'll find something that suits your needs at a discounted price, so long as you keep an eye out and pay close attention to what you're buying. Whether you're looking for a killer gaming monitor deal, a high-end 5K monitor deal, or even an OLED monitor deal, or something more on the budget side, we've got your covered. Make sure to check out our other Black Friday deals for even more bargains on TV, headphones, and more.

For those seeking a superior computer setup, a cutting-edge monitor is non-negotiable. As we move into 2024, the monitor market offers a wide range of options tailored to various needs, from immersive gaming displays to high-resolution panels for creative professionals. Whether you're looking for top-tier gaming performance with fast refresh rates, crisp visuals for productivity, or a versatile all-rounder, this year’s monitors bring cutting-edge features like OLED panels, high refresh rates, and enhanced connectivity. In this guide, we'll explore the best monitors you can buy in 2024, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your setup.

Read more