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I did the demo, its awesome, but I'm still not buying right now

M

Markgnyc2

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 17, 2013
395
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I booked an appointment on Friday for a 1PM demo today.

I arrived early and someone was available to do the demo. I sat and he handed me an iPhone to do the face measurements. 5 minutes later the AVP arrived on a tray.

He explained how to pick it up and put it on and what to be ready for. I don't wear glasses so no lenses to mess with.

I put it on and immediately knew this would be awesome. From the "hello" screen to calibrating my eyes, it was all magic. For some reason I couldn't seem to get it to sit correctly on my face. I felt like some of the "pass through" looked a bit blurry to me but maybe if I had more time to play with it I could get it to fit right.

The photos and spatial video are awesome. I can see many uses for it. Many ways to relive memories.

The demo with the Super Mario Bros. movie was ok, but when he made me turn on theater mode, that's when I said wow. It was like sitting in a theater with a huge screen. Everything else goes away.

Then came the finale, the immersive 3D demos. Wow wow wow. They are amazing, from walking up on a tightrope, to being in the dugout at Fenway, to being up close to animals. Never experienced anything like it.

When I was done, my tour guide sent me my measurements so they were saved if I wanted to buy the AVP in the future.

The AVP is an incredible piece of technology. Is it worth $3500 today? I don't think so. I don't know how long you can wear it without it being uncomfortable. I am still feeling it against my face an hour later. So it did get tiring, but maybe the fit wasn't right. As others have said, I think the future of this device is a pair of glasses you pop on, rather than a heavy pair of goggles. Once it reaches that, everyone will have it. Now its a novelty rather than a necessity. But the future is bright. And I got a glimpse of it today.
 
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Markgnyc2 said:
I think the future of this device is a pair of glasses you pop on, rather than a heavy pair of goggles. Once it reaches that, everyone will have it. Now its a novelty rather than a necessity. But the future is bright. And I got a glimpse of it today.
Click to expand...

Simple glasses that can do what AVP (and other VR headsets are doing) are so far in the future

Decades, barring some massive change in battery technology.

This is not a "next year" or "next version of AVP" thing at all
 
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From someone who had seen so many reviews and Apple's promotional videos, I thought it would be a perfect fit.

Can't do: Mac Virtual display with my Studio Mac, can't handle more than 1 Apple ID, can't access Disney+ due to different Apple IDs, can't keep it on my face longer than 30 minutes - my cheekbones and eyes hurt, and the control panel placement really sucks.

After 3 days of use I am going to return this $3800 toy.

It's a great toy, but not productive for me to warranty keeping it.
 
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4sallypat said:
From someone who had seen so many reviews and Apple's promotional videos, I thought it would be a perfect fit.

Can't do: Mac Virtual display with my Studio Mac, can't handle more than 1 Apple ID, can't access Disney+ due to different Apple IDs, can't keep it on my face longer than 30 minutes - my cheekbones and eyes hurt, and the control panel placement really sucks.

After 3 days of use I am going to return this $3800 toy.

It's a great toy, but not productive for me to warranty keeping it.
Click to expand...

Major kudos for circling back and being so candid and honest with your thoughts
 
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Markgnyc2 said:
I agree, I never said it was next year or the next gen. AVP X probably.
Click to expand...

I should have clarified that I didn't mean you were saying that.
I'm more reacting to the folks who are seeming to imply that "we are close" or "AVP2 will be the one"

Not if one is in the camp, as I am, that true minimalist glasses AR is the form factor

The tech simply doesn't exist to do it and it's not coming anytime soon.
 
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4sallypat said:
From someone who had seen so many reviews and Apple's promotional videos, I thought it would be a perfect fit.

Can't do: Mac Virtual display with my Studio Mac, can't handle more than 1 Apple ID, can't access Disney+ due to different Apple IDs, can't keep it on my face longer than 30 minutes - my cheekbones and eyes hurt, and the control panel placement really sucks.

After 3 days of use I am going to return this $3800 toy.

It's a great toy, but not productive for me to warranty keeping it.
Click to expand...
why the issue with the Mac? different AppleIDs? or? that would be one of my key features ...
my demo is Wed
 
turbineseaplane said:
Simple glasses that can do what AVP (and other VR headsets are doing) are so far in the future

Decades, barring some massive change in battery technology.

This is not a "next year" or "next version of AVP" thing at all
Click to expand...
We now have transparent OLED TVs.. I can see a near future edition of the Vision Pro like a wraparound visor.
 
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One more thing I wanted to point out. This is not replacing your iPhone now or probably ever. The iPhone (or phone in general) is still the central tech gadget that almost everyone needs. You still need a Mac (or computer) to do any real 'work". This is a complementary device such as an iPad. I think the phone, in its current form, will continue to exist for many many years. Just wanted to point that out because I have heard people say that this will replace the iPhone eventually.
 
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Markgnyc2 said:
One more thing I wanted to point out. This is not replacing your iPhone now or probably ever. The iPhone (or phone in general) is still the central tech gadget that almost everyone needs. You still need a Mac (or computer) to do any real 'work". This is a complementary device such as an iPad. I think the phone, in its current form, will continue to exist for many many years. Just wanted to point that out because I have heard people say that this will replace the iPhone eventually.
Click to expand...

Yet is the keyword here, in the formfactor we now have it’s not going to replace the Smartphone.
But if they fit is in normal glasses then i can be for sure And eventually replace it.

Edit: Only in the formfactor of normal glasses there is no immersiveness anymore. So it will be another product all together.
 
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Markgnyc2 said:
The AVP is an incredible piece of technology. Is it worth $3500 today? I don't think so. I don't know how long you can wear it without it being uncomfortable.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your impressions, and I totally agree with you, as a gen 1 it's now where near the value of what a gen 2 will be, and so if that's a problem for someone, they should wait. It IS expensive.

However, I am an early adopter and so far am enjoying my purchase. The first time I used it was with the soloband for five hours straight. I only took it off to go meet friends for dinner. Woke up the next day and limited myself to 7 hours of usage as I explored how best for me to use it and what I could do with it. No pain.

In other words, like all products, your mileage may vary.
 
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G5isAlive said:
Thanks for your impressions, and I totally agree with you, as a gen 1 it's now where near the value of what a gen 2 will be, and so if that's a problem for someone, they should wait. It IS expensive.

However, I am an early adopter and so far am enjoying my purchase. The first time I used it was with the soloband for five hours straight. I only took it off to go meet friends for dinner. Woke up the next day and limited myself to 7 hours of usage as I explored how best for me to use it and what I could do with it. No pain.

In other words, like all products, your mileage may vary.
Click to expand...
I'm an early adopter too, I just couldn't bring myself to spending the money at this point. Enjoy it and report back in a few days as to how the experience is and how it evolves.
 
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Markgnyc2 said:
I booked an appointment on Friday for a 1PM demo today.

I arrived early and someone was available to do the demo. I sat and he handed me an iPhone to do the face measurements. 5 minutes later the AVP arrived on a tray.

He explained how to pick it up and put it on and what to be ready for. I don't wear glasses so no lenses to mess with.

I put it on and immediately knew this would be awesome. From the "hello" screen to calibrating my eyes, it was all magic. For some reason I couldn't seem to get it to sit correctly on my face. I felt like some of the "pass through" looked a bit blurry to me but maybe if I had more time to play with it I could get it to fit right.

The photos and spatial video are awesome. I can see many uses for it. Many ways to relive memories.

The demo with the Super Mario Bros. movie was ok, but when he made me turn on theater mode, that's when I said wow. It was like sitting in a theater with a huge screen. Everything else goes away.

Then came the finale, the immersive 3D demos. Wow wow wow. They are amazing, from walking up on a tightrope, to being in the dugout at Fenway, to being up close to animals. Never experienced anything like it.

When I was done, my tour guide sent me my measurements so they were saved if I wanted to buy the AVP in the future.

The AVP is an incredible piece of technology. Is it worth $3500 today? I don't think so. I don't know how long you can wear it without it being uncomfortable. I am still feeling it against my face an hour later. So it did get tiring, but maybe the fit wasn't right. As others have said, I think the future of this device is a pair of glasses you pop on, rather than a heavy pair of goggles. Once it reaches that, everyone will have it. Now its a novelty rather than a necessity. But the future is bright. And I got a glimpse of it today.
Click to expand...
I did the demo as well. I would absolutely buy it if it was 2 grab. But 3.5? No
 
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turbineseaplane said:
Power is the real issue - not screen tech
Click to expand...
🤔 couldn’t you just attach an external battery to the glasses design. Similar to how how older people use neck strings for their glasses…. I don’t think people would mind wear a smaller battery as necklace… can be hidden or not… shoot there might a whole market birthed from ’accessorizing’ your wearable battery.
I might be on to something 🤔 lol
 
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Antes said:
🤔 couldn’t you just attach an external battery to the glasses design. Similar to how how older people use neck strings for their glasses…. I don’t think people would mind wear a smaller battery as necklace… can be hidden or not… shoot there might a whole market birthed from ’accessorizing’ your wearable battery.
I might be on to something 🤔 lol
Click to expand...

Power and space I should have said

We aren't close to the computing guts fitting into glasses

Think how much smaller we are talking vs Apple Watch for example
(and the AW I don't think has nearly enough oomph for the visual processing going on here)
 
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I think the laws of physics have to enter the discussion at some point. People keep saying that the this is just a first gen product and subsequent iterations will be so much better, etc. Future generations of this device might be a somewhat smaller and lighter but do I ever see something like this being the size and weight of a normal pair of glasses, or a contact lens? Never. You'll still need some type of external battery.

That being said, I read something today that makes me think that there will be a future for these types of devices. Someone in another thread posted that they recorded a spatial video or whatever its called of their sleeping infant. Watching it again was described as the closest that they could ever come to reliving a memory. That really stuck with me, having experienced loss of loved ones in the past year (my dad and my dog). A headset type device as an alternative type of monitor for a computer or tablet device is very appealing, especially when it would allow reliving a treasured memory of a loved one or a special place. It would be a much more logical application in my eyes anyway than having computer strapped to my forehead all day.
 
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