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Journalism of Courage
As people began to working from home and study remotely due to Covid-19, online conferencing apps have taken over lives. And not everyone is happy with all technological intervention. Now, taking working remotely to a whole new level, Facebook Inc has introduced Horizon Workrooms, where people can hold meetings just like ones once held in offices but using virtual-reality!
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of the tech company in an exclusive interview with CBS News introduced the new virtual-reality remote work app, where users can wear the company’s Oculus Quest 2 headsets can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves. The interview provided viewers a glimpse of how it would look as they saw the tech CEO and TV host wearing the VR-sets and talking as the screen showed their Bitmoji avatars sitting around the table.
The move represents Facebook’s biggest attempt to shift VR technology out of niche markets like gaming and into the mainstream, as Zuckerberg saw it as a step toward building the futuristic “metaverse”.
However, people on the internet were far less than thrilled about his new innovation. Most said the new app will only increase their work-from-home woes, making the Zoom meeting experience worse. However, some also highlighted that the idea is not a game-changer sayng similar apps like VR Chat already exists.
Many also joked that it reminded them about dystopian movies where world needs to be saved by cyborgs. Sharing images from many popular movies, others joked how they would join such meeting getting creative with their avatars.
https://twitter.com/ApocalypticaNow/status/1428352912439140365
https://twitter.com/Jake_Vig/status/1428407848023769102
https://twitter.com/Fuzzy_DunIop/status/1428376946904338432
If one already owns the $300 Oculus Rift headset, the app is free. In its first full VR news briefing, the company showed how Workrooms users can design avatar versions of themselves to meet in virtual reality conference rooms and collaborate on shared whiteboards or documents, still interacting with their own physical desk and computer keyboard.
[with inputs from Reuters]
