XR Weekly Highlights (2025.04.30): Meta Advances Ray-Ban Meta, Refurbished Quest 3S Available for $270, and More!

Sure! Below is a rephrased version of the article with the intended style.

So, heck, here we are on another almost exciting XR news week. Or not. People are out, chillin’ for the May 1st holidays. Ironically, while everyone’s off celebrating workers, I’m… well, working. That’s why you’re reading this newsletter a bit late, but hey, at least the quality remains. Trust me. Tomorrow’s a holiday in loads of places, so I hope you’re kicking back with your loved ones! Oh, and if you’re up for gaming, there’s a free Harpagun VR giveaway today. Score!

Top News That’s, You Know, Sort of Important

(Image by Ray-Ban)

Meta and Ray-Ban Dance Continues

Meta’s hustling to drop their new HUD glasses by October, but meanwhile, updates on Ray-Ban Meta glasses keep trickling in. What’s new, you ask?

• Bam! Live translations in English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Thanks, Essilor-Luxottica, I guess?
• UK and European countries now get all those fancy AI updates. Privacy concerns? Psh, not anymore!
• AI live sessions are coming to the US and Canada, where I saw them at CES. Neat!
• Now you can do flashy Instagram calls with the glasses.
• Skyler design glasses? Three new ones from EssilorLuxottica. Fancy!
• Welcome Mexico, India, and UAE to the Ray-Ban Meta party.

Either these glasses will explode in popularity, or they’ll disappear faster than my leftovers in the fridge. Wait and see!

Other Random News…

(Image by Meta)

That’s Right, Refurbished Quest 3S for Cheap!

Meta’s dishing out refurbished Quest 3S units for just $270 (128GB) or $360 (256GB). They swear the quality’s top-notch and throw in a one-year warranty. Batman VR? Nope, not included. But hey, at that price, it’s still a screaming deal. I’ll probably grab one myself, not gonna lie.

BigScreen’s Shipping Drama

BigScreen Beyond 2’s shipments got postponed to June. Why? Oh, a minor issue—they found a PCB flaw during tests. Made 5,000 of those bad boys already. Could’ve shipped ’em, fixed the complainers’ units, but no, they scrapped the flawed ones. Bold for a small startup, right? They’re absorbing costs like champs without hiking prices. Good, huh?

Italy’s Metaverse Strategy: Should We Laugh?

Much to my joy, or perhaps horror, Italy threw out a document on AR/VR development. And oh boy, it’s a ride. Claimed we’re AR/VR leaders? I mean, sure, if all Italians secretly wear headsets 24/7.

They boldly said AR/VR ideas began in 1992. So, the 80s XR folks? Clearly time-travelers. Did the first headset not happen in the 60s with Ivan Sutherland? Feels like a joke, but who am I to burst their bubble?

Luxottica apparently co-created Oculus for VR, not Palmer Luckey. Whoops. Didn’t know my Oculus rocked Ray-Ban lenses.

There are lists of dead tech being Italy’s chosen tools. Really paints a picture… in ghostly specters?

Anyway, it’s great they wanna invest in immersive tech. I’m eager to see if we meet in Mozilla Hubs soon in obsolete headsets, reminiscing over pizza about how ‘92 shaped us.

Quick Mentions & Hurried Comments

• Spacetop for Windows costs $200/year. Uses AR glasses as screens. Eh, sounds good but small FOV and stuff—how will it pan out?

• Varjo’s Teleport 2.0 brings better scans, even from drones. Yay for free trials!

• Quest 3’s new trick? Live room meshing! Seeing it had me oohing and aahing.

• Insta360 X5, an 11K capturing charmer at just $550. Such a snazzy gadget.

• Planning on attending NewImages Festival 2025 or just curious? Check out Upload VR’s piece.

• PlayStation Sale Alert! Big discounts on games, including those VR goodies.

• Relic app enhance TV viewing with VR by… wait, where was I? Oh right, spatial effects. Hope they’re good, not just another trick.

• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered for PC features awesome VR mods. Hardcore fans rejoice!

• Ghost Town puzzles charmed everyone with graphics and smarts. Seems pricey at $30, yet, a worthy splurge.

And that’s about it. Oh, but a steady reminder to donate, maybe to the Red Cross, for the humanitarian situations out there. Thanks to all my Patreon supporters, too, for keeping this wild XR ride happening.

(Header image by Meta)