Reviews
Guide To Choosing The Best VR Headset
Published
4 years agoon
You’re about to take the plunge in virtual reality (VR). You see how much fun your friend is having playing with his Oculus Rift. Your Galaxy S7 toting friends are showing off their Gear VR. You’ve played with an HTC Vive in the store, and now you are ready to get into VR. How exactly do you do that? What VR platform should you invest in? Virtual reality broke out in a big way in 2016 with big names such as Sony and Facebook (via Oculus) releasing VR headsets for the masses.
While virtual reality isn’t new by any means (the first VR headset was built in 1968), 2016 was the year that VR truly broke out into the mainstream. Cheap VR headsets can now be found in several big box stores and even grocery stores such as Wegmans. Despite the coming out party for VR, it’s still very much an early adopters market. How the rest of the market responds to VR in the long term remains to be seen since we’re still on the first versions of current VR headsets. With that said, here are the top VR headsets to look at:
Oculus Rift
Starting out this list is the Oculus Rift. The Rift started out as the brainchild of Oculus founder Palmer Luckey and id Software cofounder John Carmack. After Luckey created a Kickstarter for the Rift back in 2012, it quickly became the darling of the gaming industry and raised upwards of $2.5 million. The Rift has gone through several iterations starting with the Development Kit 1 or DK1. Each successive iteration of the Rift improved on the specs dramatically such as screen resolution, refresh rate, and frame rate.
In 2014, Oculus was bought by Facebook for $2 billion. The influx of cash from Facebook allowed Oculus to finish development of the Rift and it finally went on sale on March 28, 2016 for $600. Oculus formed a partnership with Microsoft to allow Rift games to be played natively with the Xbox One controller (which was also packaged in with the Rift headset). Initial reviews of the Rift were overwhelmingly positive with many reviewers praising the comfort of the headset and truly high end graphics that don’t compromise.
The major drawback was the lack of the Oculus Touch controllers at launch. The Oculus Touch Controllers free the user’s hands and allow more immersive VR experiences. The Touch controllers were later released in early December. The Touch Controllers connect to the Rift via Bluetooth thereby freeing up a USB port. However, even with the two cameras, the tracking may occasionally go out.
The solution is to buy a 3rd camera sensor which eats up another USB port and costs $80. Unfortunately, in order to render the detail required of Rift in a manner that doesn’t make the user nauseous, a PC with a high-end graphics card was required (NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290).
In October 2016, Oculus lowered the system requirements a little by adopting the “motion interpolation” technology which allows games to run at lower frame rates. This would also allow cheaper computers with lower specs to run VR games on the Rift. That said, computers that can run VR games comfortably still cost around $600-700 not to mention the cost of the Rift itself.
HTC Vive
Up until March 2015, HTC was primarily known as a smartphone maker. The Taiwan based company unveiled the Vive at Mobile World Congress on March 2015 as a collaboration with gaming company Valve. HTC engineered the actual VR headset while Valve created SteamVR operating system for use on the Vive. The Vive was designed as a whole room experience from the beginning.
It utilizes two IR cameras placed on opposite sides of the room as well as two motion controllers to allow full movement in a VR environment. Up until the release of the Oculus Touch Controllers for the Rift, the HTC Vive was the only one allowing full room scale VR.
Most early VR games for the Rift were created for traditional couch gaming using the Xbox One controller, just with the added benefit of VR head tracking. In order to prevent users from bumping into the wall or furniture, the Vive has a feature called Chaperone which actually shows a cool “Tron” view of the real world using the built-in camera on the front once the user gets too close to an obstacle.
Reviews for the Vive were also favorable with many lauding the complete immersion offered by the motion controllers. Unfortunately, some reviewers complained how bulky and uncomfortable the Vive headset was compared to the Rift.
Additionally, be prepared to set aside about 15-20 minutes setting up the play space if you want the full room-scale games. The Room-Scale mode requires you to place the IR cameras (called Lighthouses) on opposite sides of the room. The space requirement can be as small as 6.5ft by 5ft or as large as 15ft by 15ft.
Fortunately, there is a Standing-Only setting that allows you to use the Vive in tighter spaces. Like the Rift however, all of that VR goodness doesn’t come cheap.
In fact, the HTC Vive retails for about $800, a good $200 more expensive than the base Oculus Rift. That’s also not factoring in the cost of the high-end computer needed to render the VR graphics on the Vive.
PlayStation VR
Not to be left in the dust, Sony released their PlayStation VR (PSVR) on October 13, 2016. Unlike the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift, the PSVR was designed to be connected to the PlayStation 4 console instead of a PC. The PSVR is meant to be a more affordable entry into the VR space as most people who purchase it will probably already own a PS4. Also, the price the PSVR itself is only $400.
The complete system consists of the headset itself, a processor box to output video to the TV and 3D audio, the PS camera, and two PlayStation Move controllers. Some readers may recognize the Move controllers from Sony’s previous foray into motion controllers to compete with the Nintendo Wii.
The main drawbacks to the PSVR is that it’s not quite as powerful as the Rift or the Vive. The PS4 is much weaker than high end gaming computers and thus the PSVR is limited to 1080p resolution. While 1080p is crisp from a distance, the pixels can be seen when viewed up close.
Also, while the Move controllers are a welcome addition and do provide more immersion than a PS4 DualShock controller, the limited viewing angle of the camera can cause the loss of tracking of the Move controllers. While the setup doesn’t require you to place cameras everywhere, the plethora of cords can be a real pain. Regardless, for the price, the PSVR remains a solid entry into the VR market.
Google Daydream View
Google’s Daydream View headset utilize smartphones to provide the VR experience. Before Daydream, there was Google Cardboard. It’s literally what you think it is: a cardboard box with two lenses inside that had a slot for sliding in a smartphone. Google wanted a cheap and easy way for people to experience VR for themselves.
Google also positioned Cardboard for education and schools. Teachers could use Cardboard in the classroom for more immersive learning experiences. Unfortunately, VR on phones was still a budding concept and experiences, while novel, were not the best.
To remedy that, Google unveiled the Daydream VR platform and Daydream View headset alongside the Pixel smartphone on October 4, 2016. Initially designed just for the Pixel, Daydream View is a small VR headset made of fabric that has an opening for the Pixel.
It also came with a simple motion controller for pointing and interacting with virtual objects. Nothing as fancy as the Rift and Vive or even the PSVR Move controllers but for affordable VR, it gets the job done. Google is leveraging the Daydream VR platform on Android to allow developers to easily create VR experience for Android based devices such as smartphones.
Samsung Gear VR
Samsung also stepped into the virtual reality ring with its Gear VR. The Gear VR was originally released in November 2015 for use with Samsung’s flagship smartphones such as the Galaxy S6/S7. It was developed with input from Oculus and provides a cheaper alternative to high end VR headsets.
The first edition of the Gear VR was released to developers in December 2014 and only worked with the Galaxy Note 4. Technically, consumers could buy it as well but it was marketed towards developers so they could get a handle on the technology in order to create applications for it.
There are currently around 185 applications for the Gear VR. In fact, Six Flags Magic Mountain partnered with Samsung to create the first roller coaster with VR in North America.
So which VR headset should you pick? That question largely hinges on what your bank account is looking like. If you own a gaming PC with a relatively newer graphics card then go for the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. Both offer uncompromised VR experiences allowing you to fully utilize a room. Because of the high-end graphics and resolution, there’s much less chance of feelings of nausea or motion sickness.
If you own a PS4 and don’t want to shell out for a high end gaming PC, then the PSVR would make a better bet. While the screen resolution isn’t as high as the Vive/Rift, it’s not so distracting that it takes away from the experience. Plus, because the PS4 already has a huge install base, game developers are more likely to create games for it.
On the downside, the Rift, Vive, and PSVR all suffer from a copious amount of cables that must be managed. If you don’t own a PS4 or high end gaming PC (or maybe you just don’t want to shell out $400 for PSVR), the Samsung Gear VR or Google Daydream View are viable options especially if you own a Samsung or Google phone.
In fact, most people will probably use these as stepping stones into the world of VR. However, the VR experiences on these devices still pale in comparison to the higher end VR headsets, not to mention significantly eating into battery life on the smartphone. If you’re interested in the Daydream View but don’t own a Pixel, don’t fret.
Google announced that companies such as Samsung (ironically), HTC, LG, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Huawei, ZTE, and Asus will all create Daydream ready smartphones.
You may like
Messagely – Messaging, But Modern
StackHawk – Security At The Speed of Light
Penji partners with Nonprofits to provide $1 graphic design
‘Or Die Trying’ Webseries Empowering Millennials
BumpOut: The Expandable Portable Speaker
Kemetria Lilly Founder of Lilly’s Kloset: 5 Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Reviews
Writesonic Review: Is this the Best Content Writing Tool in 2023?
Published
3 months agoon
September 4, 2023AI-assisted content writing is becoming popular. However, many wonder how to use it and if it sounds authentic. Writesonic is one of the many AI writing assistants transforming content creation. This article will help you understand Writesonic better, along with its features. Continue reading to learn more.
Overview of Writesonic
Writesonic is an AI-powered writing software that can help anyone generate an article or social media post. Writesonic uses GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and the new GPT-4 32K. In addition to these powerhouse large language models (LLMs), it’s like having a freelance writer on call 24 hours a day. Input some keywords, product descriptions, or phrases to work with, and it will return computer-generated results.
Why even use this writing app? It can help you with the so-called writer’s block and solve problems with structured writing, such as headlines, meta descriptions, etc. It’s so good that it sits near the top of our list of best AI content generators for 2023.
Key Features of Writesonic
Many people come to Writesonic because of its AI writing tool. But as Writesonic evolves, it creates other opportunities for users to apply advanced AI tools to different areas of their
tasks. Below are the three remarkable features of Writesonic.
1. AI Article and Blog Writer
Writesonic’s flagship product is its AI writer. It allows you to create long-form content using a simple four-step process.
- You’ll start with a topic; the AI will generate several titles/article ideas.
- After choosing a title, you’ll be given a few introduction options.
- Next, you’ll get outline options.
- Once you have selected a title, introduction, and outline, the program will generate your content.
A portion of the AI article generated with the title “How to Earn from TikTok Advertising
Writesonic’s AI article and blog writer is helpful for content creators, marketers, and businesses that need to produce content regularly. The tool supports content generation in 25 languages. It also allows users to set the tone of the content, ranging from exciting and professional to funny and dramatic. Writesonic can also mix different types of content creation within a single document so that you can easily create highly tailored pieces of content.
The tool can also rephrase content, expand sentences, and condense lengthy paragraphs, making it invaluable for enhancing and refining content.
2. Chatsonic AI Chat Assistant
Writesonic’s AI chat assistant mimics human-like conversation, providing users with a more interactive and engaging experience. It’s one of the better ChatGPT alternatives out there. Chatsonic brings multiple different skills to the table within the chat interface. It natively has access to the internet and current, live data to get you the most accurate responses. It can also handle requests to generate AI art and images.
3. Botsonic AI Conversational Chatbot
This feature increases customer interaction by providing personalized and interactive conversations. Developed to understand and respond to user inputs conversationally, it makes interactions more natural and engaging. It achieves this by building off OpenAI’s API and appending prompt instructions with user chat messages.
Businesses can leverage this feature to automate customer interactions, provide personalized recommendations, and engage users in interactive conversations. For instance, a travel agency can use Botsonic to provide customized travel recommendations based on a user’s preferences and previous interactions.
Any business can “train” the AI chatbot on their data by uploading knowledgebase articles or providing specific URLs from which the bot should get information. This allows users to benefit from GPT-4 with their in-house data explicitly written for a single business.
Pricing Plans
Writesonic offers various pricing plans to cater to different needs, from individual users to businesses and teams. The Pro plan is the plan most will get because it gives access to all the features.
Free Plan
The free plan allows you to try out all the features of Writesonic. It includes 10,000 words per month with a one-user limit. Some features include the following:
- a ChatGPT-like chatbot
- an AI chatbot builder
- 100+ AI templates
- browser extensions,
- one-click WordPress export
- support for 25+ languages.
It’s important to note that this is a “free plan” and not a “free trial.” Use it every month if you like; it does not expire.
Business Plan
Businesses and agencies needing a set amount of generated words per month will typically opt for this plan.
It costs $19 per month and includes 200,000 words. It offers all the features from the free plan, plus:
- access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 32K
- a factual and personalized article writer
- an unlimited no-code AI chatbot builder
- an article paraphrase/rewriter
- Writesonic API
- Surfer integration
- access to priority support.
Unlimited
The unlimited plan is best for individuals and freelancers.
It costs $20 per month for an unlimited number of words. This plan is subject to Writesonic’s Fair Use Policy. Some of the inclusions of the unlimited plan are:
Chatsonic: ChatGPT-like chatbot
- 100+ AI Templates
- AI Article Writer
- Browser Extensions
- 1-Click WordPress Export
- Zapier Integration
- Landing Page Generator
- Sonic Editor (Google Docs like Editor)
- Complete Article Rewriter
- Brand Voice
- Factual and Personalized Article Writer (AI Article Writer 5.0; Uses GPT-4 32K)
- API Access
Enterprise Plan
This plan is best for content teams and whole businesses. It offers custom packages, AI model development, onboarding, and better customer support.
Choosing this requires contacting sales for custom pricing.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Suitable for all different types of content
- Generates plagiarism-free content
- User-friendly dashboard
- Write engaging social media content
- Create perfectly optimized ad copy
- Works on all essential platforms
- Includes an AI art generator
Cons:
- Sometimes, the quality of content is not good enough
- Makes content mistakes that need to be fixed
Conclusion
Writesonic is a powerful tool to use for producing your written content. While many platforms offer content generation options, Writesonic can assist with almost anything you need to write. It has features tailored for specific types of content instead of just one tool to write all content.
However, Writesonic does not claim that its AI can create perfect content independently. Instead, it aims to be a tool where humans can leverage AI to speed up content generation while still producing quality outputs.
Reviews
Planner 5D Review: Is it a Reliable Tool for Interior Designers?
Published
3 months agoon
September 1, 2023Homeowners and interior designers save time and money using an interior design app. But, with so many online and mobile applications today, choosing the right interior design app may take time and effort. That’s why we’ll discuss Planner 5D, an app that harnesses creativity while planning and creating your own home. Let’s find out.
What is Planner 5D?
Planner 5D is an architecture tool that helps interior designers and home decorators create 2D or 3D floor plans. It allows amateurs to adjust the furniture sizes, walls, and colors to match the look of the building. Meanwhile, professionals can use it to create, save, and share designs with homeowners.
Planner 5D founders developed the app to help non-professionals visualize their future homes. With years of experience in design software development, they wanted to offer a simple tool to assist those who don’t have the means to hire an interior design agency.
Planner 5D works on various platforms, including web, iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.
In just a few years, this Lithuania-based company has grown into a robust service with more than 64 million users and over 300 million interior design projects created.
Features of Planner 5D
Building a beautiful home with Planner 5D only requires three easy steps.
1. Layout and Design
2. Furnish and Edit
3. Visualize and Share
1. Layout and Design
- Use the 2D mode to create the house’s layout. The app provides a painter format and an automatic navigator to design floor plans by drawing lines on a grid line background.
- Once you’re done creating the floor plan and customizing measurements, you can add elements like walls, windows, and doorways to create a replica of the space you want to design. It’s good that the windows and door “snapped” directly to the walls and they automatically aligned at the right angle to the other walls.
- The details of these elements, such as their size and elevation from the floor, are also easy to adjust. This can be done by double-clicking on them and punching in the measurements in the toolbox found on the screen’s bottom.
- Continue adding the construction features until you have completed the layout of your physical space and are satisfied with how it looks.
- You can also use customizable preset templates if you prefer going through the easy route. These templates work nicely to familiarize yourself with different layouts, but we didn’t find them particularly useful. The free version only has a limited number of these template options.
- Using Planner 5D on mobile devices also presents a Capture Your Room feature to simplify the process. Once you give the camera access to the app, you can move your phone around to record the visual representation of the room, giving the app the data it needs to sketch it in 2D.
2. Edit and Customize
- Once you’re done creating the layout, click the Customize Interiors option to fill in the space according to your architectural taste.
- Add tables, chairs, unique floor textures, wall patterns, and more. You’d be glad to know that the catalog isn’t only restricted to indoor items but includes plenty of outdoor furniture like pools, fences, plants, and trees.
- With such an extensive collection of items organized in easy-to-find categories, the software dramatically simplifies the process, making it intuitive and beginner-friendly.
- You must drag the pieces out of the library and place them in your desired spot. Move them around or double-click on them to change their color, style, and other details.
3. Visualize and Share
- Complete your architectural drawing using the Render feature. The system will simulate your 2D sketch and the included elements in the most photorealistic way. It adds rich colors, lighting, and shadows to make your work look like a photograph.
- Compared to other software, Planner 5D gives you 3D models with a single tap instead of tinkering with existing 3D pieces.
- You can also quickly switch from 2D to 3D mode to view and compare how different combinations look. If you find a potential error or need any changes, swap back to the 2D designer format and tweak until satisfied. Since there’s no restriction regarding the number of revisions, you can spend as much time as you want to fine-tune for the perfect 3D modeling.
Pricing
You can use Planner 5D for free, but only some catalog items are available. This may restrict your design possibilities, which is why you may want to try your hands on the Premium Membership.
The premium subscription packages include the following:
- Individual: $19.99/month or $59.99/year, giving you access to the complete catalog, five textures, five renders, academy courses, and plan recognition.
- Commercial: $399.99/year, giving you access to all custom textures, 360° panorama, lifelike 4K renders, and custom branded profile.
However, if you’re not ready to subscribe to a complete package, you can purchase renders individually at $7.99 for 20 and up to $39.99 for 200 HD pics).
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Straightforward performance
- A rich collection of items
- Works across multiple platforms
- All-purpose solution
- Supports multiple languages
Cons
- The free version has many restrictions
- The web version loads the system and makes your computer sluggish
- There are too many pop-ups in the mobile version
- Sometimes, glitches when functioning
Final Verdict
Planner 5D is a meticulously crafted service that boasts seamless functionality across various platforms. Its user-friendly interface ensures a smooth experience, enabling swift project creation regardless of your chosen device. The process of selecting and modifying objects feels instinctive, while the presence of measurements in the 2D mode ensures effortless precision throughout your design journey. While the comprehensive features require a subscription, the free version provides ample opportunity to thoroughly explore the service before getting a premium plan.
Regardless of your expertise, the Planner 5D app is undeniably worth considering.
Are you finally at that point where you can finally build your dream home? If you are, try designing it first with a simple floor plan maker for free. Here’s a list of the best ones!
1. Cedreo
Cedreo is a great online floor plan maker for professional and personal use. It’s best to go through the tutorial first to get a glimpse of how the floor plan maker works. Their free plan maker doesn’t only let you add furnishing to your floor plan but also lets you choose materials for walls and flooring.
If you need a simple floor plan maker for free, the Floor Plan Creator should be at the top of your list. It has features like creating different-shaped rooms, wall drawings, and stairs. Plus, there’s an app you can download too.
2. Floor Plan Creator
3. Planner 5D
You don’t need an architectural background to use the free Planner 5D floor plan creator. It’s jam-packed with features that will help you visualize your future home. From furniture to outdoor items, Planner5D has it for you. When using this floor plan maker, make sure that you sign up so it won’t prompt you every time you click on various floor plan elements.
4. Visual Paradigm
Unlike other floor plan makers in this list, Visual Paradigm gives you ready-to-use templates for residential and commercial properties. Here, you can change up the placements of elements like walls and furniture. Plus, you can export the image without registering on the site when you’re good with a draft of your floor plan.
5. Home by Me
Home by Me is another simple floor plan maker for free that’s beginner-friendly. It’s easy to visualize your dream home thanks to their furnishing and decoration features. Plus, you can choose among branded household items and furniture as part of your imagined floor plan.
6. Sweet Home 3D
Although their site is not updated, Sweet Home 3D is one other floor plan maker to use. To start, you can choose among different homes and bedroom types. Or you could use an empty plan. Similar to other floor plan makers in this list, you can move things around and visualize your dream home with walls, doors, and furniture. Sweet Home 3D is also available for download as software.
7. Kozikaza
When you use Kozikaza, you can create a new plan or one from a current one, or form a new shape. Like some floor plans in this list, you don’t need to sign up for an account. In this online software, you can decorate the interior and exterior. One feature not seen in most floor plan makers is the electrical setting to add plugs and electric applications.
8. ArchiPlain
Here’s another no-fuss and simple floor plan maker free to use. Although ArchiPlain doesn’t have 3D renderings, it’s still worth a try. Beginners, real estate agents, and interior designers can use this floor plan maker.
9. Homestyler
Homestyler is one of the free best floor plan makers online, from templated house and room designs to empty plans. This is a perfect tool for professionals, but those who want to build their dream home can also enjoy envisioning their new home.
10. PlanningWiz
When you open PlanningWiz, you have three options, provide room measurements, open a saved design, OR start with sample designs. You can start with sample designs, especially if you have no experience using floor plan makers. In addition, you can also draw flooring, rooms, walls and add furniture as needed.
11. Roomle
Unlike most floor plan makers in this list, Roomle immediately has 3D renders of furniture and appliances for your dream home. It doesn’t have the grids you usually see in floor plan makers. You have to draw lines for rooms and add the furniture as needed. To start here, you need to sign up to play around with the floor plan maker.
12. Smartdraw
SmartDraw can seem intimidating to non-professionals, but it will help create a simple floor plan. You can start with an empty plan or use preloaded room templates to make it easier and faster for you to produce a floor plan. It may not have the sophisticated 3D rendering, but it’s a great starting point for those who want to envision their dream home.
14. MagicPlan
MagicPlan is an app available both on the Play and App Store. It’s ideal for those on the go and want to design their dream home anywhere. The basic features are there, but you need to upgrade to unlock other objects to get more out of the app.
15. Room Planner
Here’s another floor plan maker available as an app. As compared to Magic Plan, Room Planner has a more simple approach to adding objects and walls. Plus, there’s a wide selection of objects to choose from to help you create your dream home.
16. Floorplanner
Here’s another simple floor plan maker for free to use. When using Floorplanner, you have to sign up first to access their service. From there, you can choose among a room wizard, an image upload, or an empty plan. If you’re a beginner, the Room Wizard is the best choice in designing your floor plan.
For other content and articles, read more here at Owner’s Mag!
Top 10 Wireless Lavaliers of 2024
Is X Advertising Worth It in 2024? …Probably Not.
Top 10 Quality Wireless Lavaliers Under $300
Top 10 Wireless Earbuds Worth Your Money
Top 10 Gaming Headphones That Are Hot Right Now
Top 10 Gaming Headphones Under $70
Top 10 Cheaper Apple Smartwatch Alternatives
Why Corporate Art Sucks (& How Creative Brands are Opting Out)
What Meta’s Ad-Free Option Means for Users & Advertisers
Top 10 Cheaper Apple Smartwatch Alternatives
Top 10 Gaming Headphones That Are Hot Right Now
Top 10 Gaming Headphones Under $70
Top 10 Quality Wireless Lavaliers Under $300
Top 10 Wireless Earbuds Worth Your Money
Trending
- Gaming4 days ago
Top 10 Gaming Headphones That Are Hot Right Now
- Technology2 days ago
Top 10 Quality Wireless Lavaliers Under $300
- Business22 hours ago
Is X Advertising Worth It in 2024? …Probably Not.
- Technology3 days ago
Top 10 Wireless Earbuds Worth Your Money
- Technology16 hours ago
Top 10 Wireless Lavaliers of 2024