Virtual reality has come a long, long way since the days of Nintendo’s doomed Virtual Boy. Meta just unveiled its standalone Quest 3 headset, Sony continues to offer support for the PS VR2 and there’s plenty of PC-connected VR headsets available from HP, HTC, Vive and other companies. The industry’s growing at a rapid pace and picking up new converts in the process. If you’re an enthusiast, sifting through the sea of virtual reality accessories and add-ons can be tricky and overwhelming. That’s where we come in: here are the best VR accessories for folks tired of boring-old actual reality.

We tried to keep these picks as universal as possible, to suit the various VR ecosystems out there. However, some of the best VR accessories only work on certain platforms and we’ll note this stuff as we go. We also stayed away from experimental and expensive add-ons, like treadmills and force feedback clothing, to keep you from bankruptcy.

Meta Elite Strap With Battery

Meta Link Cable

Skywin VR Mat

AMVR Headset Holder

Casematix Hard Case

Kiwi Design 10,000 mAh Battery Pack

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4

NexiGo VR Cable Management System

Ringside Weighted Exercise Gloves

DeadEyeVR DriVR Golf Club Handle

AMVR Fishing Rod

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-vr-accessories-150021126.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best VR accessories for 2023

It’s been a couple of years since Amazon first showed off Astro, its Alexa-equipped home robot with an extendable camera. Now the company is announcing Astro for Business which will let small and medium-size businesses use Astro as a security guard. Amazon thinks it’s here they’ll get the most use from the platform, keeping watch over business sites no larger than 5,000 square feet.

It’s $2,350 for a unit, and the buying company will get four months (down from an original promise of six) free access to both Ring Protect Pro ($20 a month) and Astro Security ($60 a month). The former lets you hook up to an existing Ring setup, while the latter lets you set up specific patrol routes and alerts. Users that pay for both will also get the chance to upgrade to Virtual Security Guard for $99, which routes the feed to a local monitoring company when it detects something is awry.

Astro has been kinda/sorta available to consumers for a while now, but only part as a limited, invite-only system. Amazon has been testing it in business contexts for the better part of a year and this is likely the first time it’ll be available to buy without any sort of barriers to entry. Although even if you had missed out so far, the prohibitive pricing might dissuade you from taking advantage.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-dinky-astro-robot-is-now-available-as-a-security-guard-143027983.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Amazon’s dinky Astro robot is now available as a security guard

Google Maps is rolling out some new features ahead of the very fun, not at all hectic travel season known as the holidays. The updates aren’t actually holiday specific — though we’ll admit the timing isn’t bad — with a focus on ways to figure out where you’re going and how you’re getting there. 

Let’s start with the how. Google is expanding the ways you can customize your transit directions. Now, you can use filters such as ETA, length of trip, time spent walking, type of transit and number of transfers. If you get carsick on buses or hate walking that hilly path, for example, simply change the settings to suggest other options first. Click the options button at the top right of displayed transit routes and you’ll see preferred modes and route options to pick from. Google Maps should save your preferences so you don’t need to redo them every time you search. 

Google is also adding clearer directions to station entrances, including which side of the street to enter on depending which direction your train is going. This update will be available in 80 cities, from Boston to Singapore. 

Now for the where: Google Maps is introducing collaborative lists. Basically, share any location on Maps and all of you can create a list of places you’re interested in going and vote on them with a heart or thumbs down emoji. 

Speaking of emoji reactions, the last Google Maps update lets you respond to reviews with emojis. You can even create your own emoji of sorts with AI and the Emoji Kitchen. The pair will suggest mashups based on whats in a photo and any emojis you use. This new feature is available now, while the updates to Google Maps will roll out on Android and iOS devices over the next few weeks. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-maps-adds-collaborative-lists-and-new-transit-search-customizations-140031424.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google Maps adds collaborative lists and new transit search customizations